Gone are the days when Nigerian players plying their trade in Europe commanded authority and first team places at their various clubs. The team sheets before kickoff always carried their names. It was common to see Finidi George, Austin Okocha, Kanu Nwankwo, Victor Ikpeba, Celestine Babayaro and a host of others starting for their teams. Today, Nigeria’s star players are among the most loaned in Europe. As it stands, out of the star players that carried the hopes of the nation during the FIFA World Cup in Brazil, only Vincent Enyeama at Lille, Ahmed Musa in CSKA, Ogenyi Onazi with Lazio, Emmanuel Emenike with Fernabche and Efe Ambrose with Celtic are confirmed starters for their respective European clubs. The rest are either “bench warmers’ or have been declared surplus to requirements and loaned out for the new season. Let’s look at some of Nigeria’s 2014 World Cup stars on the fringes.
Kenneth Omeruo – The former ADO den Haag defender who was one of Nigeria’s most impressive players at the recently concluded FIFA World Cup in Brazil was looking forward to staking a claim at the heart of Chelsea’s defence this season before the decision by Jose Mourinho to extend his loan deal with Middlesbrough. This means he has been on loan for all his three years at Stamford Bridge. For someone as good as he is, tipped to captain the Super Eagles in few years’ time, shouldn’t he be playing top level football elsewhere instead of Boro in the Championship? [eap_ad_1] Shola Ameobi – Super Eagles striker, Shola Ameobi signed a one-year deal with Turkish second division side, Gaziantep Buyuksehir Belediyespor. (Guess even the name is difficult to grasp). Manager Alan Pardew is trying inject fresh blood into his team this season and feels Ameobi at 32 is way past his best hence the decision to release him for the Turkish club. The Nigerian international who was always a second string striker at Newcastle in a career that spanned 14 years at St James’ Park where he amassed 312 appearances for the English side scoring 53 goals in the process, hoping his brother Sammy Ameobi will have a more memorable time with the Tyneside club
Joseph Yobo – Former Eagles captain Yobo has tasted his fair share of unused appearances and loan deals in his career, from Marseille to Everton to Fenerbahce and Norwich City. The 33-year old who finally left England for Turkey in August 2012 found himself back in the English Premier League with Norwich in January 2014 that loan deal is set to be extended as his parent club Fenerbahce has indicated no interest in keeping the former Anderlecht defender.
Victor Moses – This Super Eagles winger who was one of the players that failed to impress at the World Cup spent last season on loan at Liverpool but struggled for game time in Brendan Rodgers’ title-chasing side. This season, he has found himself tasting another loan deal with Stoke City due to the array of indisposable talents at Manager Mourinho’s Chelsea. (It’s difficult competing for places with Eden Hazard and World Cup winner Andre Schurlle) Recently, his National team manager Stephen didn’t help his case by admitting that the Kaduna born winger has lost form since his move to Anfield last season. Will the end of this season bring to an end Moses woes? Time will tell. (Weekly Trust)
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