Emenike follows Enyeama and announces his retirement from international football

altSUPER Eagles striker Emmanuel Emenike has announced his retirement from the national team amid speculation that coach Sunday Oliseh has decided to drop him next month's World Cup qualifier against Swaziland.

 

Emenike, 28, was Nigeria's leading marksman in the run-up to the last World Cup and was the top scorer in the 2013 African Cup of Nations that Nigeria won. However, of late, he has been struggling to find the back of the net and there are indications that Oliseh planned to overlook him for next month's World Cup qualifier.

 

With Watford's Odion Ighalo finding the back of the net regularly, it appears that Oliseh has decided to pick him ahead of Emenike, who plays for Turkish side Fernebahce but is currently on loan to United Arab Emirates club Al Ain. Decided to bow out on a high, Emenike opted to end his five year sojourn with the team, announcing his retirement in Instagram.

 

Emenike said: "After five great years, I am happy to announce that I have put full-stop to my national team career for the sake of national peace. It's a pleasure for me to have played for this great country and I never regretted it and I think it's the best time to end it.

 

"Millions of thanks to all the fans who have been very supportive during the good and bad times. I am very proud of my performance, I am proud of my team mates and I am very proud of the nation called Nigeria."

 

Adding that his African Nations Cup gold medal is a great achievement, Emenike said he is also proud of the fact that he was the tournament's top scorer when Nigeria triumphed in 2013. He added that he achieved all his goals of winning the Nations Cup and of playing in the World Cup.

 

"All my dreams came true in the national team as I dreamt of winning the Nations Cup for Nigeria and I dreamt of playing at the World Cup as well as to make a name for myself. In the space of five years, I got them and I'm a winner.

 

"For every disappointed fan, maybe due to my inability to re-establish my goal scoring instinct for Super Eagles, I will like to say I'm sorry but the ones I had scored counted well for the team. As long as Nigeria remains, you and I will always remember the name Emenike, so I am happy to make a bow and continue supporting the team every time," Emenike added.

 

It is not yet clear if Oliseh will accept the retirement or if Emenike still features in his plans. Later this month, Oliseh is expected to publish the list of players invited for the Swaziland tie and if he accepts Emenike's retirement, he will have to find a replacement.

 

Since Oliseh took over managing the team earlier this year, skipper Vincent Enyeama has retired in what looks like a clearing out of the old guard. Most successful Nigerian coaches like Father Tiko, Otto Gloria, Clemence Westerhoff and Stephen Keshi have all had to make wholesale changes to the squads they have inherited.

Comments