I wish i was part of the Squad that won the Nations Cup-Odemwingie

Good to have Odemwingie back.

Peter Odemwingie has said how he wished he was part of the team that won the Africa Nations cup for Nigeria.
I have always loved Peter Odemwingie and missed him when he was out of the team..I love his passion and his determination as well as skill and his ability to make things happen on the pitch.



There has been some controversy lately with him but i feel its part of his passion and wearing his heart on his sleeve.Theres nothing wrong with that and i am sure when you read this interview,you will be a fan of Peter if you were not and if you already are,you will be a bigger fan!

Peter Odemwingie has been recalling the days when he sat in front of his television set wearing the full Nigeria strip, “even socks and sometimes boots”, because he was so excited to see the Super Eagles play. It is one of those stories that most players at this summer’s World Cup finals could tell, except this one comes with a twist. “You can’t believe it, but I was still doing that at the age of 20, that’s how much of a fan I was,” Odemwingie says, breaking into laughter.

Sat in Nigeria’s team hotel, on the outskirts of London, Odemwingie is reminiscing for good reason. After 18 months in the international wilderness, during which the team won the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations, the Stoke City striker has patched up his differences with Stephen Keshi, the Nigeria coach, and is wearing the green jersey again, relishing what he describes as a fresh start, 12 years after he made his international debut. “I feel like a little boy now,” Odem-wingie says, smiling.

“In the past few years my only regret is that, as I’ve become a better player, I probably would have got more goals for myself and the country but I missed out a bit. I’ve missed a year and a half, missed out on the cup they won, unfortunately. I wish I was part of that squad because I’ve played in four Africa Nations and got three bronze medals, never a gold. But I can’t look back. This is another opportunity for me.”His presence in the Nigeria camp has created a buzz. “The return of the prodigal son,” is how one Nigerian TV station reported Odemwingie’s inclusion in the provisional 30-man World Cup squad that will be whittled down to 23 on Monday. “That ‘prodigal son’ was kind of joking,” Odemwingie says. “I tweeted about it and asked people to make up their own minds.”

The response, Odemwingie says, has been overwhelmingly positive. “Many people wanted to see me back in the national team, some wrote to me to say that they missed me in the green colours, because I’ve done pretty well for Nigeria. I’ve had a lot of man-of-the-match performances, and I’ve won player of the year.

He nods when asked whether he has something to prove. “I do. And I don’t want to go to Brazil, leaving my family – Noah, my son, a newborn baby, Theo, and Sarah, my wife – at home alone 

and go through the motions. I want to go there and, every minute I get to play, whether I start or don’t start, make the best out of it, because the moment leaving my family at the door, looking at me waving, was a bit emotional.”

While Odemwingie laughs off the idea that he has ever been high maintenance – “I honestly don’t think so” – he acknowledges that being a father and a husband has changed him. He talks about how he is now a “more patient” man, someone who is prepared “to let things slide” rather than “spend energy on too much saga outside”. Odemwingie turns 33 in July but there is

no sign that age is catching up with him – he has not ruled out the possibility of playing in the 2018 World Cup finals in Russia, where he spent a large chunk of his childhood. He was born in Uzbekistan but his family moved to Nigeria at the age of two and stayed there until he was seven, by which time he had already fallen in love with the game that means so much to so many people in the country.

“Football unites Nigeria,” Odemwingie says. “Politicians even say that whenever Super Eagles are playing, there is always peace, everyone loves each other, especially when we play well. The past victories that Nigeria achieved in tournaments, they keep showing the games again and again on TV up to when people know every pass and the commentary.”

As much as Odemwingie feels a great sense of pride playing for Nigeria, he has experienced his share of problems over the years. His falling-out with Keshi started after he was unhappy at being substituted against Rwanda in 2012 and escalated into a public row after Odemwingie was omitted from the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations squad. Older and wiser, and with the benefit of hindsight, Odemwingie accepts mistakes were made.

“Coach Keshi took over and in the first game I was subbed quite early, which I’ve never been used to because I always played 90 minutes, both for club and national team. So I felt: ‘OK, he’s probably not sure about me.’ I thought I should leave the national team for now. It could be that I misjudged the situation, and after watching how he does it … he made a lot of early substitutions during the qualifiers and the African Cup, so then I was like: ‘OK, I shouldn’t have taken it in the way I did.’

“I’m humble enough to admit that, because when the same things happen to other players, then clearly it’s not personal to you. So for me it was then a case of coming to him and saying: ‘Let’s hug it out and move on.’ He was happy to do that. The Nigeria team psychologist also played a big part. He came to see me in January, spoke to the coach and explained: ‘Peter’s an honest guy and, most importantly, he’s a good player who can help your team.’ The coach agreed with that and gave me a chance again.”

Full of confidence after finishing the season strongly, Odemwingie is desperate to make the most of his opportunity. After four seasons in the Premier League with West Bromwich, Cardiff and Stoke, during which time he has averaged close to a goal every three games, Odemwingie believes he is far better equipped to handle a World Cup than he was in 2010, when Nigeria were eliminated with one point. “I remember as soon as I came on against Argentina I just felt that the stage was so big. Your heart beats faster. So I understand why experience in situations like that is important.”

Nigeria are up against Argentina again this time around, with Bosnia-Herzegovina and Iran their other opponents in Group F. There is a quiet confidence about what they could achieve. “I look at Ghana in the last World Cup and they almost got to the semi-final and if you look at the names of the players, they’re not any better than our team we have today,” Odemwingie says. “They succeeded with their work ethic, with their determination, and Asamoah Gyan was in good form. So hopefully we can better our previous outings.”

There will be plenty of smiles back in Nigeria if that turns out to be the case. “That’s what it’s about,” Odemwingie says.   “There is not much entertainment in the country and this is the thing the people will look forward to. We know that because we were there once. That’s why sometimes I had a double feeling: ‘Shall I go back to the team or not?’ Then I remembered and thought: ‘There are many boys like you that dress up in the kit and watch.’ I thought: ‘To hell with all this negativity, I’m going.’”