Former Super Eagles professional, Chinedu Obasi, says that he was left out of the 2014 world cup squad for refusing to pay bribe.
The former Schalke 04 player disclosed this during an Instagram live chat with Kelechi Bernard on Friday, said he felt it was wrong to pay bribe to be included in the then late Stephen Okechukwu Keshi team.
“I was playing for Schalke, I was playing in the Champions League and I was doing well. Two days before the list came out, I was asked to pay some money if I want to be in the team,” Obasi said.
“I felt like I’ve paid my dues for the country, I shouldn’t do this. If I was a young player, maybe I would have done that, but it was a bit personal for me and I felt very heartbroken.
“Now a competition is coming up, you’re inviting me to the national team. I’ve exhausted my own money and you want me to pay, which is a slap in the face for me.
“I said I’m not comfortable doing that. They said I should know the system, and I should act like I’m a Nigerian. I said it’s not about being a Nigerian but doing the right thing.
“I’ve kept it close to my chest since 2014 because you’d have unnecessary enemies when you talk. People who played in lower leagues went to that World Cup. I’m not taking jab at anyone.
“If you’re good for the World Cup, then you should go, but I feel like if you have to take the best and at the time, I was playing for a top team, Schalke 04 which was among the top team in Europe at the time.
“Funny enough, after the conversation, it got a bit more personal. They told me that even if I end up going as part of the team, their own agent will negotiate that deal. I said it doesn’t sound good to me.”
The 33-year-old, who was part of the Samson Siasia’s squad that won silver medal at the 2008 summer Olympic Games in Beijing, China, also bemoaned the injury that denied him a chance to move to England.
“I was supposed to move from Hoffeinheim to England and I got injured playing for Nigeria at the World Cup (2010 in South Africa),” he said.
“After that competition, nobody called me to know how I am doing. I spent a lot of money to get fit. All people talked about was the injury. They don’t care to know what I went through on a daily basis making sure I get my body in shape.
“It takes a lot of dedication, money, investing in myself and my body. I went through surgery, did everything I can.”
