Former Super Eagles star Emmanuel Emenike has reaffirmed Sunday Oliseh's assessment of his demeanour.
In a recent interview, Oliseh extolled Emenike's attitude as a player during his Super Eagles days, but he claimed that the 37-year-old could not cope with the criticism from the Nigerian media.
It will be recalled that Emenike featured for the Super Eagles from 2011 to 2015, making 37 appearances and scoring nine goals during this period.
Emenike played a crucial role for the Super Eagles leading up to their victory at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), contributing four goals and one assist in five matches to propel Nigeria into the final.
Sunday Oliseh's reflections on Emenike's retirement
Discussing his time with the national team, Oliseh highlighted three players in particular who were sources of both pride and frustration: Vincent Enyeama, John Obi Mikel, and Emmanuel Emenike.
His regret over Emenike's decision to retire from international football remains profound, as he shared in a revealing interview.
“The biggest regret I had as the coach of the Super Eagles was when Emenike called me and said, ‘coach I am retiring as a national team player.'
“Working with Emmanuel Emenike was one of the best things I had as the Super Eagles head coach. He was a great guy. When I saw all what some media people had written about this boy, I was shocked… he was totally opposite of what some people at the NFF have told me about him.”
Oliseh was appointed head coach of the Super Eagles in 2015.
Emmanuel Emenike's take on media perception and national pride
Reacting to Oliseh's comments, Emenike echoed his former coach's sentiment.
“I was respectful, humble, and gave everything for Naija (Nigeria), but you can never satisfy everyone,” the former Super Eagles no.9 wrote on his Instagram.
“Journalists did so much damage. I was never loved, and I know this because of the things they put out about me. The love for my country was my driving force.”
During his playing career, Emenike featured for West Ham, Fenerbahçe, Olympiacos, Spartak Moscow, and several other clubs.
