15th March, 2013
Africa Cup of Nations star, Emmanuel Emenike has lashed out at Nigeria Football Federation, NFF and Chief Coach of the Super Eagles, Stephen Keshi for using and dumping him after his long-term hamstring injury.
Emenike top scored for champions Nigeria at the Nations Cup in South Africa, but suffered a hamstring injury against Mali which has already sidelined him for about four weeks now. He was left out of next weekend’s World Cup qualifier at home against Kenya.
He told MTNFootball.com he is disgusted not to have received even a phone call from Keshi or any official of the NFF since he rejoined his Russian club Spartak Moscow.
“I must be honest with you, I have not been treated well by the coach and the NFF because they ignored me so soon, so fast,” he lamented.
“Nobody from NFF and the coach have called to ask me about my injury. I am bitter about this. It is unfair and I can tell you that is why some players don’t come to give their best for the national team.”
“When a player gets injured on national duty, I think the country’s football authority and coach ought to keep in touch to let him know he is loved and cared for.
“I am not a use-and-dump player. I will not act as one at all because my club career is very much important to me than anything.”
He added: “Look at a player like (Victor) Anichebe (Everton striker was injured while on national team duty last year), no one cared about him and you think he will come to national team to give his best.
“I am not worried about that but I just need to tell them it’s unfair. It is not everything that is money, but a call just to show you care could change someone’s problem at a particular time.”