Chief Olusegun Runsewe
Super Eagles Head Coach, Stephen Keshi and West Brom striker, Osaze
Odemwingie should end their war of words over the national team list to
next month’s African Cup of Nations in South Africa in the interest of
the team, Chief Olusegun Runsewe cautioned Wednesday.
Runsewe, a patron of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN)
spoke Wednesday in a statement while reviewing the Eagles programme for
Africa’s top soccer competition.
“There is no need for any distraction at the time when all hands should
be on deck to ensure total victory for Nigeria in South Africa,”
observed Runsewe who is the director general of the Nigeria Tourism
Development Corporation (NTDC).
According to him, when Nigeria won the Africa Cup of Nations at home in
1980 and in Tunisia in 1994, “there was absolute team spirit.”
He said issues arising from the team list especially the exclusion of
Odemwingie from the squad should not lead to a spat between player and
the coach but should be amicably resolved.
“They should give the leadership of the Nigeria Football Federation
(NFF) and the Minister of Sport Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi the chance to
intervene,” he said.
Runsewe, who is a believer in using sport to drive tourism, said he had
already started working at giving full backing of the NTDC to the team
and to drive Nigerian tourism with the competition, said Nigeria has a
bright chance to excel with the quality of its squad.
He said what is needed now is for the team to embark on its final phase
of preparation in unity so that it could confront the opponents at its
best.
“I have no doubt that Nigeria can win the Cup of Nations in South
Africa because Keshi has the winning attitude and the players look
strong enough to deliver,” he said.
Odemwingie at the weekend lashed out at Keshi, the NFF and even the
media on twitters in response to his exclusion by the coach from the
team which is travelling to Faro, Portugal Thursday for the final phase
of preparation for the Cup of Nations.
Runsewe said he expects all Nigerians to give the Super Eagles the maximum support so that the team can perform.
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