by Isi Esene

Osaze Odemwingie, the Super Eagles of Nigeria striker has expressed regrets over his twitter outburst against team coach, Stephen Keshi for not including him in the provisional list of players invited to camp in preparation for the African Nations Cup.

Osaze explained that he directed disparaging remarks at Keshi on his twitter page because he felt the coach was unfair to him.

Apart from Keshi, the striker also directed abusive comments against former Eagles coaches, Samson Siasia and Lars Lagerback.

Also on his target was former Eagles striker, Victor Ikpeba, Chris Green, and Nigeria Football Federation officials.

“I remember it was Green who settled my case with Siasia then, but I was too angry when he called me over this matter, and was impatient to listen to him,” he said in a comment published by MTNfootball.com.

“My comment was not directed at him (Green) personally, but to those who made the decision, but I think I overreacted then.”

While explaining his grouse against Stephen Keshi, he said, “I called the coach two or three times within that period, maybe two or three days before the list was made public and told him of my commitment to be part of the Nations Cup, and have told my (club) coach I will be going to the Nations Cup.

“I told the coach I was ready to report to camp by January 3, even before other professionals start reporting to camp, if I were in his programme for the Nations Cup, and even told him to feel free to drop me, if I were not in his programme.

“I felt betrayed after that seeming heart-to-heart discussions with the coach few days to the release of the team list and he could not hint me I was not in his plan for the Nations Cup.

“I am human and open to errors by the way I may have taken the issue, and regret the whole controversy, and want to put all this behind me now and focus on my club career, while wishing the team the best of luck as a Nigerian,” he concluded.

Meanwhile, players have started reporting to the Super Eagles camp at Faro, Portugal in preparation for the continental tourney.

Coach Keshi had said that apart from Ikechukwu Uche, who has been given January 6, January 5 remains deadline for all players to report to camp.