Emenike; Nigeria’s top scorer at the recently concluded Afcon 2013 is not a happy man right now and he has expressed his unhappiness over his neglect by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and the coach of the Super Eagles Stephen Keshi.
It is no longer news that the Nigeria Super Eagles are now African champions at the event which took place in South Africa, but it was during the Afcon 2013 tournament that Emenike suffered a hamstring injury against Mali and that has kept the utility player on the bench for weeks after the tournament.
According to the player, after the Afcon 2013 tournament, he was abandoned and his injury became his own responsibility. But his club stood by him during this time even though he sustained the injury while away on National Duty; a responsibility NFF and Keshi shelved.
Emenike used the opportunity to thank his club for their support and effort in his recovery process during the hamstring injury even though he wasn’t on duty for his club when he sustained the injury but despite that they stood by him.
“I must give kudos to my club for taking good care of me even though I didn’t get the injury while playing for them,” he said.
The player said he is embittered by the attitude that Keshi and the NFF put up towards his injury as they never bothered to check up on him or even place a call, indicating that the football body and even Keshi didn’t do well at all.
“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,”.
“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.”
“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.”
“I can’t wait to return to my best form. I feel like playing and banging in the goals for my club right now.
“I am happy with my rehabilitation and I will start joggling soon and I believe I will respond well because I have missed the game so much.”
