Keshi explains Yobo absence

Yobo

Yobo

Head coach of the Nigerian national team, Stephen Keshi has moved to explain his decision for leaving out captain, Joseph Yobo from the squad to face Kenya in a 2014 Fifa World Cup qualifier in Calabar on March 23.

Keshi released a list of overseas-based Nigerian players to face the Harambee Stars on Thursday for Matchday Three of the qualifying campaign with Yobo’s name conspicuously missing.

Keshi has now moved to explain the reasons he did not invite the 32-year-old to the squad.

“I don’t need Yobo for this game (against Kenya). He is an excellent footballer like we all know but he is not needed for this game,” Keshi exclusively told supersport.com on Friday.

The news will come as a shock to many as Yobo was in sterling form on Thursday night for his Turkish club, Fenerbahce in the Uefa Europa League as he played all 90 minutes in the 1-0 win away to Viktoria Plzen.

The former Everton defender is also Nigeria’s most capped player and needs five more appearances to complete his century of caps.