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Keshi Warned Against Excluding Uche, Osaze From World Cup - Garba Lawal

Today the former Super Eagles Mid-fielder, Garba Lawal cautioned  the Super Eagles’ Head Coach, Stephen Keshi, over non-inclusion of Ike Uche and Osaze Odemwingie in the 2014 World Cup plan.

Reports have it that Keshi has excluded Uche and Osaze from the world cup squad because of indiscipline’.

Lawal said in an interview in Abuja that Keshi’s reason for sidelining Uche, a striker who had scored 12 goals for his club, Villarreal, was “flimsy”.

When you say ‘indiscipline’ it contains many things. How come he scored 12 goals in Villarreal? I have been following this boy week in, week out; he is fantastic. I believe Keshi can change Uche because the striker is playing well.

The World Cup is very different but I don’t know how the coach thinks. If your players are not playing week in, week out in world champion year, it’s going to be difficult.

Ike Uche that is playing week in, week out is who the coach says is undisciplined which I don’t understand’’.

He urged Keshi to devise another means of instilling discipline in the players rather than excluding them from important tournaments such as the World Cup Final.

Lawal, who is also a member of the NFA Technical Committee, noted that theresponsibility lies on Keshi to do well, saying Nigerians expect the Eagles to excel.

Lawal also said that he is the coach, he decides for himself. If he decides to go with all the home-based players, you can’t say ‘No’.  That’s why he is the coach. He takes the decision and it’s final.

You can only advise him, if he takes fine. If he doesn’t take it fine. Even the NFA board is to advise him but not to say ‘you must call this, you must call that.

He also added "If you appoint him as a coach, you have to allow him to do his job. He has to take responsibility because he chooses his players, himself’".

Nigeria has been drawn in Group F with Argentina, Iran and Bosnia-Herzegovina in the World Cup scheduled to take place between June 12 and July 13.

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