NFF goofed over Enyeama –Ex-players

 

Former Nigerian footballers Ambrose Duru and Segun Oguns have said the Nigeria Football Federation erred in the way they have handled an issue involving Super Eagles captain Vincent Enyeama.

The goalkeeper faces the football body’s disciplinary committee on Tuesday (today), after raising concerns over the safety of Kaduna for their 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Chad on June 13.

Enyeama apologised over his comments, saying he didn’t mean to “bring down the good people of Kaduna because they are very hospitable people. I want to say sorry to the people of Kaduna and the governor of the state as well.”

However, the federation issued him a query over the comments. The Lille keeper reportedly tore the letter in front of the NFF officials.

ADVERTISEMENT

“Enyeama made careless and provocative statements about Kaduna and we felt very bad about it. It cost us as it heightened the security situation in Kaduna,” Pinnick Amaju, NFF boss, was quoted as saying on a television programme on Monday.

Ex-Julius Berger captain Duru said the NFF had not handled the matter properly, saying it could lead to a feud in the team.

“I feel we shouldn’t treat Enyeama this way because it might affect the national team. He’s done well for Nigeria but he made a mistake and apologised, so he should be forgiven. The federation is unnecessarily exposing him,” Duru said.

“They are trying to create enmity and this could divide the team. It can also instigate the northerners against the southern players. The NFF got it wrong on this issue. If they want to punish the player, they should, rather than making him look like an enemy of the north.”

Oguns, an ex-Eagles fringe keeper, described the issue as a “distraction.”

He stated, “As far as I am concerned, it’s not an issue because as captain of the team, Enyeama has a right to speak on behalf of the players. This issue has been over exaggerated. I felt since the NFF president had reacted, it should have ended.

“If Enyeama is to face a disciplinary committee, why haven’t state governors that said the North is unsafe faced disciplinary committees? Why is Enyeama’s case different? If they are tired of the player, they should tell him to quit the national team. He has done very well for the nation.”