Skipper Nwankwo Kanu is bitter that Coach Shuaibu Amodu may have scuttled his childhood dream to score a goal in the Africa Cup of Nations.

The Super Eagles captain is not hiding his annoyance over what he described as an unfortunate decision by Amodu, who ensured that he sat out of the crucial matches played by the Nigerian team at the recently concluded Angola 2010 Nations Cup.

Kanu has been unlucky in all the six Cup of Nations he played for Nigeria. However, the Portsmouth of England’s player thinks his dream to score a goal in the biggest African football fiesta may have gone by the wind, while he also feels that coach Amodu has ended his ambition to win a Nations Cup gold medal.

“In as much as I should not give up any hope in whatever I do as a player, I think it’s time to face the realities because my Cup of Nations’ dreams may have been over now.

“My main regret as a Nigerian and captain of the senior national team is that I never scored any goal for the country in the Africa Cup of Nations. I’m afraid the Angola Cup of Nations may have been my last for Nigeria, and it will be sad if I had to retire without scoring in the competition,” Kanu said in Luanda after the third place match against Algeria.

Worse still, the Eagles gangling skipper, whose goals helped Nigeria’s Dream Team to win the Atlanta ‘96 Olympics soccer gold, has no Nations Cup title in his medals’ cabinet.

“I’m unhappy about how things went for me in Angola. It would have been great to play for my country and scored at least one goal at the Nations Cup, but this remains a dream, no thanks to coach Amodu, who benched me throughout our campaign,” he lamented.

Kanu said it was strange for him to warm the bench throughout a competition of that magnitude. “I think Amodu and his assistants knew why they treated me as like that in Angola. I felt terrible not having enough playing time in the Nations Cup. But I do not understand why I was not even played from the opening game against Egypt.”

Recalling how he fared with the Eagles during their training tour of Duban before they arrived the Cup of Nations venue, Kanu said: “I trained very well hard and performed well against Zambia in a friendly before the tournament.

“However, I could not leave the camp with annoyance or cause disharmony in the team because I’m the captain and the younger players were looking on to me. What would they say? That the captain is fighting the coach? That’s what put me in the difficult situation.”

The former Ajax and Arsenal player concluded by saying that his love for fatherland, Nigeria remains intact despite the poor treatment metted out to him in Angola.

“Many people have been asking me if I was tired, whether I won’t play again. But, I keep telling them that I’m still playing and will only think of retirement after the 2010 World Cup finals in South Africa.”

Comments (1)

http://thepmnews.com/2010/02/18/amodu-ruined-my-dream-%e2%80%94kanu

Skipper Nwankwo Kanu is bitter that Coach Shuaibu Amodu may have scuttled his childhood dream to score a goal in the Africa Cup of Nations.

Kanu has been unlucky in all the six Cup of Nations he played for Nigeria.

Unlucky? A striker that has gone to 6 nation cups and has failed to score, is unlucky. What kind of flawed logic is that. Ogbuke scored in his first nations cup.

i hate it when people blame their misfortunes on other people
has Amodu been coaching the team for all the nation's cup where he couldnt score?
even if he had played those matches, what are that the chances that he would have scored?
he should go siddon and stop being a cry baby.

Kanu is a fu/ck spunk tard. . . .
and as for Amodu -DUDE is daft beyond description

lol, Amodu this, Amodu that, did Amodu seize your legs from going forward to score in the first and last match?

6 Nations cup with a goal. . . . .simply Pathetic! Better forget the past and pray you make the World cup team with the retirement football you're playing at Portsmouth.

Next
Let the blame game continue

N-E-X-T

all in all. . . Kanu played and did lotta things for this country football wize. . . .maybe or mabye not. . .i fink he's truly unlucky to get a goal in the Nations cup!

OK amodu took charge of 2 Nations cup what about the other 4? I could remember bottling the chance to take a Penalty against Senegal in 02, he was a total flop at the tournament in Nigeria in 2000 relying Okocha to carry the whole team

He should stop blaming his misfortune on Amodu. The penalty shoot against cameroon, he lost it. He would have lost the one against Tunisia in 2008,the hand of the Gk deflected in.

He has scored in every other tourney, how come he never scored in a world and a nation cup game? E be like say na jazz. Kanu abeg go check up.

kanu beta shut up his mouth

@ omar22 ,my thought exactly, but he always get my respect for all hes done in the game and for 9ja

Na by force to score in Nations Cup?, Abeg, make hin go sit down jare, go dey drink PEAK MILK,

who knows may be na 2 much of peak milk cause am

na true oo,might be the peak milk overdose lol

Score or not, Kanu still remain football icon in this country and this continent.

My blame goes to Amodu, for God sake when Amodu knew that Kanu was not in his plan for the nation cup why did select him ahead of energetic Enaramo.

Can u all see that amodu was always scared of dropping big players like Kanu, Yobo, and Yakubu

Kanu is funny o. So was it Amodu who also killed him dream to score in Nations cup 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2008 as well?

lnstead of him to agree that he cannot score important tournament goals for Nigeria again since Atlanta 96, he is looking for who to blame. Look at Osaze, Obinna, Martins, Yakubu, Aghahowa, every other striker has scored apart from this 50 year old townsman of mine.

Shio.

furacao:

Kanu is funny o. So was it Amodu who also killed him dream to score in Nations cup 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2008 as well?

lnstead of him to agree that he cannot score important tournament goals for Nigeria again since Atlanta 96, he is looking for who to blame. Look at Osaze, Obinna, Martins, Yakubu, Aghahowa, every other striker has scored apart from this 50 year old townsman of mine.

Shio.

You can say that again

femmy2010:

na true oo,might be the peak milk overdose lol

azeeza:

who knows may be na 2 much of peak milk cause am

ogbongzky:

Na by force to score in Nations Cup?, Abeg, make hin go sit down jare, go dey drink PEAK MILK,

My thought exactly.
Tell him to concentrate more on his contract with PEAK MILK and NUNU Contract he signed with AMAKA ( His Wife )

Hey, this might actually be bad for Peak milk o.

Drink Peak and you wont score in Nations cup, ! Drink Red bull instead!!

How stupid, senseless and irritating to read some comments made here about Kanu, this is a guy who served, won medals for his country and put Nigeria on the football map,  but trust ungrateful nigerians they have forgotten that, the same was said about Okocha towards the end of his playing career little wonder why we have no footballers or sportsperson willing to die for that country when what they get is insults and ungrateful comments.

I guess thats just Nigerians for you, we rather sing the praises of  David Beckham or some useless European players, Prophet Fela AKA baba 70  put it right when he coined the word colonial mentality.

@ Prophet. who did you see hear praising David Beckham?? Who by the way has scored in three world cups.

Haba Kanoooou. I thought you were DATAMEjavascript:void(0);ENED! to succeed please ignore Amodu and his strategies and play till you are 30 then retire

If u've never scored in this competition, then count your assists, and move on.
then plan your retirement.

Kanu Hapuya,

Builder:

How silly, senseless and irritating to read some comments made here about Kanu, this is a guy who served, won medals for his country and put Nigeria on the football map,   but trust ungrateful nigerians they have forgotten that,  the same was said about Okocha towards the end of his playing career little wonder why we have no footballers or sportsperson willing to die for that country when what they get is insults and ungrateful comments.

I guess thats just Nigerians for you, we rather sing the praises of  David Beckham or some useless European players, Prophet Fela AKA baba 70  put it right when he coined the word colonial mentality.

I don't see anyone saying Kanu hasn't done well for the country, but what people are saying is simply put: either leave when the ovation is loudest or simply shut up, his comments above is not bad. Blaming a naitonal team coach. 6 nations cups, thats less than 20% probability.

If u've never scored in this competition, then count your assists, and move on.
then plan your retirement.

Even when he had the opportunity to score in a penalty shoot out in 2002 nations cup he goofed. Kanu used to be d man, now he is a ghost of himself. He needs to hang up his boots or his boots will hang him!

MrCrackles:

Kanu is a fu/ck spunk tard. . . .
and as for Amodu -DUDE is daft beyond description

If Kanu is all that. . .What else is left for Amodu.

You guys should just shut up and talk sense! Amodu ruined everything in that Nations Cup and we all know that. Kanu is the most respected African Player that has won everything in Europe and remember he is not a selfish Player. All those years he hasnt scored, he had the highest Assists so what are you childish contributors talking about? Either by force or whatever, yu guys should never insult Kanu! He's not my brother, but he's a great Niegrian who has brought us smiles, I have come to realise that so many contributors that come to this Nairaland are either students or un-employed people who stay myopic and dont know what to talk about and the only time you get an opportunity to talk, you talk RUBBISH under the anonymity of Internet!

Nwankwo Kanu. . . . . no worry one day you you go make us proud  
why are u crying over spilled milk when u have got peak milk all to yourself. . . .
You have done the best you can to Nigerian soccer so pls just move on. . . . Thanx!