by ‘Ifreke Inyang

Step aside Osaze Odemwingie. There is another disgruntled Super Eagles player grabbing all the headlines now. Quite remarkably, he did not even need an expensively assembled arsenal of smartphones.

A lot of radio listeners and football fans didn’t see Joseph Yobo’s venting on its way. After he was unceremoniously dropped from the squad that drew 1-1 against Kenya, he was largely expected to keep quiet and ‘famz’ his way to 100 caps – he stands at 96.

He had other ideas. In a bare-it-all interview with Brila FM, he stated: “If I am the captain of the national team, which just won the Nations Cup and then the next qualifying game, not even a phone call was put through to me, then that is very disrespectful. Probably that’s the way he has chosen to do it. He has his reasons for doing so but he hasn’t communicated with me.”

Little or no communication between Keshi and his players is becoming a recurring decimal. It was the same reason Odemwingie and even Emenike have mentioned in the recent past. It is a problem that the Big Boss needs to address. If he is boold to make the calls, he should also pick up his phone or send an e-mail at least.

However, in his own defence, Keshi speaking to the same Brila FM explained that “it’s true that I did not call Yobo to inform him that he will not feature in the game against Kenya because I knew how he was going to feel. I did not want to talk with him because I know how we talked in South Africa when he wasn’t starting and I wanted to avoid a repeat of that.”

It is easy to criticise or hail Keshi’s reasons, but I would resist the urge to do either. My point is that snobbery in football is now an established institution. It is not just coaches who snub players. Recently, Rio Ferdinand turned down the opportunity to return to the England national setup, because of his specially structured training regiment.

Whoever the coaches call up, is entirely their responsibility. Afterall, they are the ones who get fired if the results don’t come in. A player, whenever selected, should focus entirely on playing well. The truth of the matter is that Yobo is past his prime and Keshi obviously favours the younger pair of Kenneth Omeruo and Godfrey Oboabona. If invited, he will be confined to a late appearance in games.

However you look at it, this case is one in which both parties have their faults, but could have been avoided completely.

—————————–

 

Op-ed pieces and contributions are the opinions of the writers only and do not represent the opinions of Y!/YNaija.