Former Super Eagles defender, Okechukwu Uche, has revealed to KickOffNigeria.com how frustration drove him out of the national team.
Uche, who played for the Eagles between 1989 and 1998, retired from international football shortly after the World Cup in France, though he continued with his club, Fenerbahce until much later.
He told KickOffNigeria.com that he was no longer comfortable with things that went on in the camp of the Eagles.
“Many people try to adduce reasons why I quit the national team when I did and I think it is time for me to finally say it here.
“I was not injured and I was not old. If I was injured or old I wouldn’t have continued for so long with my club when I left the Eagles so I want to just say it was frustration that drove me from the team.
“I made my decision based on how I felt at that moment and I do not regret it one bit. So many things happened at the Eagles camp and I knew they would not change. I was fed up playing in a set up that was very wrong and disorganised.
“If I wanted I could have played more because I had a good relationship with the players and even the NFA but I just could not take it any more
“I was disappointed in the organisation and preparations for the World Cup in 1998. It was not even fifty percent of our preparation and organisation in 1994. We had good players but you had these crazy things happening around the team and it affected the players and morale.
“It is not because we lost. I have lost before and you get used to losing but so many things happened before that game and even before we got to France. God! Football is not just on the pitch but off the pitch too. I was fed up really.
“It really could have been better but it was not and we were disgraced out of the World Cup. I knew nothing would change so I made up my mind to leave because I had seen a lot of that disorganisation in Nigerian football.”
Even though there were reports of indiscipline in the team before and during the World Cup in France, Uche said it was not true and there was complete unity in the side during the World Cup but his anger stemmed from what happened weeks to the competition that disorganised the team.
He added that he turned down overtures from coaches to return to the national team just before the Africa Cup of Nations in 2000.
“When Keshi worked with Bonfrere in 2000 for the Cup of Nations he wanted me to come back but I really had to turn him down.
“I would have done anything for Keshi because he was a good friend and my room mate for a long time but he understood because he was also in the team. I have put the Eagles behind me now and I am looking ahead for other things in life.”
Uche is now a FIFA licenced agent and alongside his twin brother, Emeka they run an agency called World Wide Sports.
“That is what I do now. Not every one will coach like Keshi, Siasia or Iroha. I am even thinking of coaching. Maybe I will go into management later but for now I enjoy looking out for players and I tell you there are a lot of them in Nigeria that people have not seen.”
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