Super Eagles coach Stephen
Keshi has said he may be
forced to drop AFCON star
Sunday Mba if his transfer
saga rages on.
Top Nigeria league clubs
Warri Wolves and Rangers
are at tug of war over the
ownership of one of the
biggest revelations of the
recent Nations Cup in South
Africa.
Last week, a committee of
the Nigeria Football
Federation (NFF) asked the
two clubs to reach an
agreement on the player
within a week.
And now Keshi has warned
that he may axe the player if
his club future is not sorted
out soon.
”I may be forced to drop
Mba from the team if his
transfer issues are not sorted
out. If by our next game,
they have not resolved the
problem I may not invite
him,” Keshi said .
The Eagles handler also
explained that he was forced
to call up as many as 15
foreign-based pros for the
Kenya match because the
local league has just kicked
off. ”I invited 15 foreign-
based players because the
Nigeria league is just
starting,” he disclosed.
”The foreign-based players
have been regular at their
clubs and as such their
fitness level is very high.
Most of our local boys are
rusty but we see how it goes
in our training camp.''

Keshi threatens to drop Sunday Mba if ownership controversy affects his form

Mar 12, 2013 8:20:00 PM



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The national team trainer has asked the clubs warring over the midfielder's signature to find common ground in order not to jeopardize the player’s future

EXCLUSIVE

Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi has warned that he could drop midfielder Sunday Mba if the controversies surrounding his ownership rights eventually affect his form.

Africa Cup of Nations hero Mba is torn between playing for Warri Wolves and Enugu Rangers, a situation which the Nigeria Football Federation is currently investigating.

Both clubs claim that they have ownership rights to the player and have provided documents to back their claims.

The NFF Executive Board set up a four-man committee led by its Director of Competitions Sanusi Mohammed and it has concluded investigations on the matter after quizzing the two clubs but waiting for the NFF president and its Board to ratify the decision on the issue.

Mba has not played a competitive match since the end of the Afcon last month where he scored the winning goal against Burkina Faso in the final.

Keshi who is not happy with the issue warned that he won’t parade a match rusty player in their 2014 Fifa World Cup qualifying match against Kenya, a reason why the controversy must be resolved on time for the player to concentrate on his football.

“The two clubs should quickly resolve the issue and think about the boy’s career as very important and not to jeopardize it,” Keshi told Goal.com on Tuesday in Abuja.

“Every local player, every Nigerian player is important for the national team. So if [Mba] is not playing I may decide to drop him. If he is not playing he may not be good for us in the team,” Keshi said.

http://www.goal.com/en-ng/news/4093/nigeria/2013/03/12/3820076/keshi-threatens-to-drop-sunday-mba-if-ownership-controversy