Super Eagles: Vincent Enyeama Speaks On Returning To Team

Vincent Enyeama has refuted claims that he rejected a call to play for the Super Eagles at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, Naijaparry reports.

He retired unceremoniously from the national team in 2015 following a fallout with then-coach of the three-time African champions Sunday Oliseh.

The Nigerian side had issues with their goalkeeping department as Carl Ikeme was diagnosed with leukemia just few games into the qualification race for the World Cup.

Enyeama who featured for Lille in the French Ligue 1 during his in-form days was touted to make a return to the Eagles team ahead of the soccer showpiece in Vladimir Putin’s Russia.

Several pundits and former international had urged coach Gernot Rohr of Nigeria to recall the 2013 AFCON-winning player to the fold as his team prepared for the competition.

But Enyeama has denied being in contact with anybody about returning to the national team.

According to him, since he left the Eagles team, “nobody has contacted me,” describing the news as false.

“Since I left Nigeria football in 2015, nobody has contacted me,” he told Brila FM, Friday.

“All the things you heard about me turning down the Super Eagles is false and I just didn’t want to exacerbate it by joining issues with those peddling the story.”

He, noted that he is, however, ready to wear the Nigerian jersey if the team handlers call him up.

“I cannot say no to Nigeria,” the 37-year-old added. “If Nigeria tells me today that there’s a goalkeeping problem and they need me, I can’t say no.”

Nigeria did not make it out of Group D that had Argentina, Croatia and Iceland at the global soccer fiesta last year.

They only managed three points, no thanks to a 2-0 win over Iceland, in their three games in Russia.

A year later, the Eagles then finished third at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Egypt.