Super Eagles midfielder, Raheem Lawal has accused the duo of Daniel Amokachi and Ike Shorunmu of sabotaging his dream of playing at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations.
Lawal made this allegation via his official Instagram handle, where he alleged that Amokachi, who was an assistant coach to late Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi preferred to select a player he could easily sell at the tournament.
He also blamed Shorunmu for not playing a brotherly role during the whole incident as they both came from Idi-Oro in Mushin, Lagos.
“Amokachi you denied me the MON title in 2013 AFCON. I still got the pain in my heart forever.
“Amokachi you dropped me last minute of 2013 AFCON because you want (sic) to sell some players to Super Eagles.
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“But remember that your children have started playing football. Keep resting in peace big boss Keshi.
“Funniest part is that they called the list three times because Amokachi wants (sic) me out from the squad.
“Even the Super Eagles goalkeeper trainer Ike Shorunmu from Idi Oro Mushin could not fight for me.
“Local Mushin boy and only Yoruba for (sic) the squad then who have (sic) nobody in the team then.”
By Augustine Akhilomen
8 Comments
I could still remember vividly your hat trick against Algeria in a dead rubber game for the failed under 23 team quest to London 2012 Olympics games,coached by former defence strong man Austin Eguavoen.
Lawal was a decent midfielder plying his trade in the Turkish first division.I wouldn’t think he was indispensable by his standards as at then because we have the likes of Nosa Igiebor,Ogenyi Onazi,John Obi Mikel,Sunday Mba,Fegor Ogude and Reuben Gabriel in his position though a versatile and decent midfielder.
Though lawal was good and could still make the squad but not outstanding his level then means he could be dropped without anyone crying a foul play yet his inclusion would still be accepted by football fans as a right call,he is in that category.
So I wouldn’t stick my neck out to support this allegation not saying there is no credence to Raheem’s claims either.
It looks like this guy does not consider Juwon Oshaniwa a Yoruba boy. Maybe because Juwon is from Ilorin. In any case, I’m usually not comfortable with people bringing tribalism or what-not into appointments or selections in football.
For a long time most of the coaches in the national team were from the old Bendel state and people hardly noticed – see Amodu Shuabu, Baldwin Bazuaye, Austin Eguavoen, Stephen Keshi, Sunday Oliseh etc. They also produced most of the coaches at local club level; a trend also prevalent in athletics coaching. Where the system works skill and fitness should be the overriding criteria. So I don’t see how Ike Shorunmu owes him anything.
In any case the team won the tournament, so not much to complain about really.
It’s not hidden that Edo and Delta States lead in sports generally in Nigeria… They always come tops in sports festival and have more individual representation going to the Olympics more often…
The sports festival I think athletes based in the state not particularly from the state,so Edo could have 70% athletes from other states but wins as Edo state not arguing with you though just needs clarification because you mentioned state not individuals,we may be on the same page,so in this case Edo state are good in sports development but not particularly its indigenes.
Meanwhile,sports in general,well for football not taking anything away from the aforementioned you can add the Igbos to that list
THANK GOD THAT R.LAWAL MENTIONED NAMES THIS TIME AROUND. WHEN OBASI RAISE ALARM LAST YEAR THAT OUR LOCAL COACHES DO NORMALLY REQUESTED FOR MONEY FOR PLAYERS TO BE INCLUDED IN A SQUAD. IKE SHORUNMU WAS COMPLAINING AS IF OBASI WAS LYING. CAN SOMEONE TELL HOW GABRIEL REUBEN MAKES 2014 WORLD CUP IF NOT BRIBING. EVEN KILMARNOCK COACH COMPLAIN THAT HOW A WORST PLAYER IN A CLUB COULD WORLD CUP.
***AND THIS IS ONE OF THE MAJOR REASON GERNOT ROHR DOESN’T LISTEN TO THE CRYING OF NIGERIANS WHEN IT COME TO INVITATION OF PLAYERS TO SUPER EAGLES. BECAUSE HE BELIEVES THAT MOST OF THIS LOCAL COACHES NORMALLY COLLECT BRIBE FROM PLAYERS FOR TO BE TO SUPER EAGLE. IF I LIE,DO NIGERIANS REMEMBER D CASE OF SALISU YUSUF VS OKORO,
**”ALSO, DOES NIGERIANS REMEMBER THE COMPLAIN OF SUNDAY OLISEH AS HOW HIS FORMER COLLEAGUES ARE PRESSURING HIM FOR THEIR TO BE INVITED TO SUPER EAGLE AND DO BUSINESS. IF I LIE, GO AND WATCH SUNDAY OLISEH TV ONLINE. U WILL SEE D DETAILS.
##$ GERNOT ROHR RIDE ON AND CONTINUE STANDING ON YOUR FEET BY INVITING MORE OF EBUEHI,OKOYE,ARIBO, e.t.c.
@@CORRECTIONS@@
THANK GOD THAT R.LAWAL MENTIONED NAMES THIS TIME AROUND. WHEN OBASI RAISE ALARM LAST YEAR THAT OUR LOCAL COACHES DO NORMALLY REQUESTED FOR MONEY FOR PLAYERS TO BE INCLUDED IN A SQUAD. IKE SHORUNMU WAS COMPLAINING AS IF OBASI WAS LYING. CAN SOMEONE TELL ME,HOW GABRIEL REUBEN MAKES 2014 WORLD CUP, IF NOT BRIBING. EVEN KILMARNOCK COACH COMPLAIN THAT HOW A WORST PLAYER IN A CLUB COULD MAKE A WORLD CUP.
***AND THIS IS ONE OF THE MAJOR REASON GERNOT ROHR DOESN’T LISTEN TO THE CRYING OF NIGERIANS WHEN IT COME TO INVITATION OF PLAYERS TO SUPER EAGLES. BECAUSE HE BELIEVES THAT MOST OF THIS LOCAL COACHES NORMALLY COLLECT BRIBE FROM PLAYERS FOR THEM TO BE INVITED TO SUPER EAGLE. IF I LIE,DO NIGERIANS REMEMBER D CASE OF SALISU YUSUF VS OSAS OKORO & RABIU ALI.
**”ALSO, DOES NIGERIANS REMEMBER THE COMPLAIN OF SUNDAY OLISEH AS HOW HIS FORMER COLLEAGUES ARE PRESSURING HIM FOR THEIR TO BE INVITED TO SUPER EAGLE AND DO BUSINESSES. IF I LIE, GO AND WATCH SUNDAY OLISEH TV ONLINE. U WILL SEE D DETAILS.
##$ GERNOT ROHR RIDE ON AND CONTINUE STANDING ON YOUR FEET BY INVITING MORE OF EBUEHI,OKOYE,ARIBO, e.t.c.
It is not in my character to comment on issues like this,but for some reasons I would like to take a stand on this.These professional footballers must have realized, that you cannot go to competitions with the entire team hence the normal 18/21 man squad with 3 reserves in most cases.This means, somebody must be dropped.Secondly,the idea of coming out to vent several years later, infact, annoys me.Must you wait for so long? Thirdly, I assure everyone here on this platform that being a coach in Nigeria,a local coach for that matter, is not as easy as it looks. Considering the power play at the top(NFF) and the satanic quota system.Thus my candid advice to whoever is offended for being left out,is to move on in good fate.As “it is too late to cry, when the head is already off” they say.Do not forget our society is want of uprightness,the very bane of the country’s sorry state today.It is difficult for things to be done based on merit in Nigeria.Gone are those days,if there was ever a time like that.I can not remember,I stand to be corrected,if an ex footballer has ever been the now NFF, president.. since the past three decades.So friends, things are really not as they appear.
Honestly, with the performance of Raheem Lawal at U23 afcon then, he deserved to be in 2013 afcon squad. Players like Obiora Nwankwo, Gabriel Rueben and co were unsed substitute till tournament end even when Fegour Ogude performed below expectations in our first two matches which he was replaced by Sunday MBA who eventually won the cupor us . In 2014 world cup against France when Onazi had injury, no good replacement from bench and that’s how France punished us cos our midfield collapsed. Player like Raheem would have been a good replacement in for Onazi that day. Our coaches should endeavor taken players to tournament on merit not cos of their selfish interest