Umar Sadiq has been included in Real Sociedad’s 22-man squad for Wednesday’s Copa del Rey round of 16 fixture at Osasuna.
Sociedad announced the squad for the Cup game on their X handle on Tuesday.
Sadiq’s inclusion in the squad will raise eyebrows in Nigeria since he was released from the Super Eagles AFCON 2023 camp due to injury.
Also, he replaced by Trabzonspor striker Paul Onuachu, who was in action in the 1-1 draw against Equatorial Guinea.
There were reports on social media questioning the hastiness in which Sadiq was allowed to leave the team’s camp only for him to resume training with his club teammates.
Reacting to the reports, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) released a statement to address the issue concerning Sadiq’s exit from the camp.
“The camp of Nigeria’s senior men football team, Super Eagles has decried reports in sections of the media that have continued to garnish the medical case of Spain-based forward Sadiq Umar with conspiracy theories, incorrect assumptions and unbecoming insinuations.
“The camp has released a statement with regards to how the player was withdrawn from Nigeria’s squad for the 34th Africa Cup of Nations finals ongoing in Cote d’Ivoire.
“We are surprised at the news trending on social media concerning Sadiq Umar and how he was withdrawn from the team camp.
“The fact is that our medical team meticulously abided by the best medical procedures and were diligent in their processes and conclusions before advising Head Coach José Peseiro that the player be withdrawn from the squad.
“The player, Sadiq Umar, was okay when he arrived at camp; he had to undergo the standard pre-competition medical assessment and he was good. He started to train with the team.
“Unfortunately, he copped an injury on the back of his left knee during our friendly match against Guinea in Abu Dhabi on 8th January, that led to a penalty against our opponents.
“The medical team advised that he substituted, as a cautionary measure, but he said he was fine and could continue the game. At half time, he said he reiterated that he was good to continue playing, and he played the entire 90 minutes.
“However, the following day, he woke up to see the knee swelling, and the medical team had to apply ice which is the normal thing. The same day, we had to travel to Lagos and on the 10th January, flew to Abidjan. Then, the swelling became worse.“
14 Comments
Have said the truth and I will say it again. He was replaced because Peseiro after seeing him in training knew he wasn’t needed ,they just capitalized on the slight injury to send him.back to his club and Peseiro brought back Onuach who is more balanced unlike the one that’s used to falling .
I prefer Onuachu too, but this is really embarrassing to the NFF and its medical team. It also shows Paseiro doesn’t really know the players available to him. Yusuf and Onuachu should have made the initial 25-man list and not as replacement materials. There are other better options out there that he didn’t even consider, especially in the midfield department.
You’re right, Kel, for saying the coach didn’t know the players enough, and I’ll tell why. Yusuf and Onuachu weren’t given any chance at all since Peseiro came on board, not even in friendly matches. Im not sure he has done enough to trying to know who they are by checking them out in their club matches. He seems to stick to the players he has alwaya called to camp, which to me limited his choices to just 40 and 25 respectively. There are a lot like that that I belive Peseiro hasn’t given enough chance to, chief among who are Dessers, Akpoguma and Nwakali. His friendly matches aren’t serving their purposes. And it’s a shame,I must say.
This country no go KEE me sometimes…..dis one na MEDICAL ABRACADABRA LeemaO
Oboy na wa o!
See this story here…so what is really going on? I need to know because there’s no way Sadiq could have recovered from an injury that took him out of contention in a short -form tournament in such quick time as to be healed up, fit and ready to go again in under 1 week.
So from initial appearances and with nothing further or stronger to go on – the suggestion must be that either the SE’s assessing team are not fit for their jobs or there is something untoward that has gone on – Without more facts we may never have enough information to discern what has truly transpired here – Is Sadiq irreplaceable in the team? Maybe not but that is besides the point as no one knows what impact he might have had, so I am not even trying to go there – yet this whole matter is leaving a sour taste and really needs to be addressed going forward – It is clear that he may not be coming back, I don’t even know if he would be allowed to do so if that were his wish, but going forward, understanding what has gone on here will allow us to know who’s who and what’s what – Is there some sort of conspiracy? If there is, who is complicit? Sadiq? the medical team? someone in the NFF? One thing we do know though by a process of elimination, weened from this article is that we might be able to exclude Peseiro at this stage because as the article says, it was the medical team who advised the head coach that Sadiq should be withdrawn.
Ngwa! We need clarification.
Onuachu a top 5 league flop who could not score a goal in EPL is now being compared to Sadiq.
Why was Dessers not selected ?
Is Onuachu better than Desser, Gift, or the guy in the French league ?
When corruption and incompetence leads an organization stuffs like this happen.
It’s hight time we start realizing that African football and national team assignments are different from club football…A lot of players from third divisions are shinning in this Afcon and holding big teams by their balls…..A clear example is the equatorial Guinea team is filled with 3rd division players in Spain some of them are even in the fourth division. The goal scorer Iban plays in division 3.
@Footballfanatic let us not got there. Those teams with 3rd division ball players I guarantee will not make it past round of 16. the eventual winners will be a solid team with top players. Look at Guinea and the confidence of having Keita and bundesliga second top scorer Guissor in their team. Let us not be deceiving ourselves bros. again alot of this team don’t have the their Football federations telling their coach who to select alot of these teams have better team chemistry and cohesion than Nigeria because select on merit and the bulk of thier players understand each other better than Super Eagles who always select on sentiment.
“Larry” point of correction Yusuf is playing in Belgium but he’s better than iwobi onyeka and co better keep quiet
The World already know guys like you and the fingerprint is very clear. Always fighting hard to justify delusions. Even with Super Eagles matches Onuachu has not justified his invitation, he is not up there.
Yusuf has played and scored at the highest level of club competition. His case is not new to some of us but a big shame on those on this forum who only see things from ethnicity and blinded illusion of I better past my neighbor.
Bro, don’t mind them, most of their overhyped players are turning out to be the biggest flops so far. Tella was dropped for who again?
It still doesn’t make sense to me that the NFF went with 25 players. It’s a no Brainerd for me, tbh
Who ever is suprised by this is a JOKER!!.. This just epitomises the One after the other Bad and foolish decisions the NFF keeps making on a daily… IF I was NFF now I would be so ashamed to show face. I am suprised by this FOCK Up NFF in a Nutshell. Otherwise how can this be the case that the player is training and will play. Meaninig that he only needed to sit out the EQ Guinea game (a weaker opposition than the Host Ivory Coast who are strong away from home but even stronger at home in thier own backyard) and would be back in the Next and most important match yet he will be playing for club and not Nigeria who needed him most with the injuries to Victor Boniface and Taiwo Awoniyi.
And those of you who are saying Onuachu is better than Umar Sadiq. Please my friends you need your eyes Checked. Onuachu cannot even Lace Umar Sadiq’s Boots.
Oh Nigeria, my country. What a shame. I have said it before. Nigeria government has no choice but to put an end to this NFF show of shame. The government has to scrap the NFF and set up a new face of Nigeria Football Association[NFA].
and the government shouldn’t allow none sports persons to be among the new NFA members.
doing this with rules and regulations, everyone will behave and do the right thing.
How could Umar Sodiq play for his clubside when he has been asked to leave the Super Eagles camp because he was injured?
Maybe Umar Sodiq was forced on Oga Paseiro, who knows.
All in all, it is a shame if NFF doesn’t know. How can people take us seriously in this country called Nigeria?
Something is fishy about this, and if Nigeria is where everything is in order, a proper investigation would follow immediately but nobody cares. Fingers crossed. Ire o. God bless Nigeria!!!