NFA Boss requests Obafemi to officially state reasons -

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NFA Boss requests Obafemi to officially state reasons -

Post by VINDAVE »

GO TO HELL! • NFA calls Obafemi Martins' bluff

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The Nigeria Football Association is not losing any sleep over Obafemi Martins' refusal to play for the country at the African Nations Cup in Tunisia later this month, the Chairman, Alhaji Ibrahim Galadima, has said.

Obafemi has been widely reported to have chosen to turn out for his Italian club, Inter Milan, in preference to a place in the Super Eagles, the teenager insisting he is not ready for the national team at the moment.

But Galadima is not bothered even as he nevertheless admits that Obafemi has not formally notified the NFA of his intention to turn his back on Nigeria.

"If Obafemi has truly made up his mind not to play for Nigeria at the Nations Cup, he has to formally inform the NFA and he should be ready to give us good reasons for his decision.

"As it is, we still believe he is coming. But if he insists on staying away, we'll not beg him because he needs Nigeria more than the country needs him. We're not going to beg or force anybody to play for Nigeria; there are too many good players in the country for one or two to hold us to ransom,"
Galadima said in a telephone interview with our correspondent on Monday.

The NFA boss said if Obafemi were to face any punishment, it would be the decision of the board, which will be meeting this weekend.

"It will be sad if the boy goes ahead and shuns Nigeria because he personally assured me and the Secretary-General that he would be in Tunisia. Chief (Taiwo) Ogunjobi travelled down to Italy to meet Obafemi and officials of Inter Milan, and the club promised to release him.

"The boy himself gave his word to Chief Ogunjobi and myself when I spoke with him on the phone. We did everything we could to convince him to play for us; I don't know what else we should do.

"I can't say now if Obafemi would face any sanctions for his actions; only the board can meet and pass judgment if it comes to meting out punishment. It's beyond me," he said

Obafemi came to prominence last year on the back of impressive performances for Inter in his first season in the senior team, his goals in the notoriously tough Serie A and the Champions League catching the eye and marking him out as a bright Super Eagles prospect.

The teenager was invited to the under-23 team for an Olympic qualifier against Namibia last year but after reportedly assuring Ogunjobi he would be in Abeokuta for the game, Obafemi failed to join the squad, although he was on holidays in nearby Lagos.

He was also slated to feature for the country at the last All Africa Games and some of the Olympic qualifying matches, but stayed away after giving his word that he would play.
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Post by MI5 »

Make dem leave this guy alone ke haba kaii. This is what happens when we have no development in place and we start begging and waiting for players to explain why they don't want to play for SE at all.. kaii...
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Post by Football Manager »

Martins bargain is starting the first eleven. I will be the last to believe he is not going to the ANC.
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Post by Thought »

We need to know why he doesnt want to represent Naija!! Its true we dont need him as much as he needs us...but he is certainly one of the better performing Nigerians today in world soccer. He should tell us why he wont represent Nigeria, and not that excuse of being unready.
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Post by MI5 »

One minute they are telling him to go to hell, the next minute they want him to explain his decision wow naija..... :lol: :lol:
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Post by ruff'n'tuff »

Time to move on.
who no know go know.

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