Roeder slams Nigeria FA
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Newcastle boss Glenn Roeder has hit out at a Nigerian FA member for "poking his nose in" after Obafemi Martins was urged to quit St James Park.
With the Magpies struggling badly in the Premiership, Waidi Akanni, a former midfielder for the Nigerian national side and member of the country's FA, urged striker Martins to leave Newcastle just months after his move from Inter Milan.
However, under-pressure Roeder has blasted back, telling the Newcastle Evening Chronicle: "Who is this guy? I have never even heard of him.
"Like everyone else in football he is entitled to his opinions, but who wants to hear them? He should keep them to himself.
"As far as we are concerned, he is just making trouble and I do not like him poking his nose into Newcastle United's affairs. All it does is cause unrest.
"He has never been to St James' Park and seen what it is like to play in front of 52,000 fans in their black-and-white shirts.
"What I can tell this guy is that Oba Martins is very happy here with us. He has been miserable all the time he has been injured.
"But he has trained all week and he cannot wait to get back and on to that plane for Arsenal on Saturday.
"I can tell the Nigerian FA that the comments of one of their officials are most unwelcome at a time when we need everyone pulling together."
With the Magpies struggling badly in the Premiership, Waidi Akanni, a former midfielder for the Nigerian national side and member of the country's FA, urged striker Martins to leave Newcastle just months after his move from Inter Milan.
However, under-pressure Roeder has blasted back, telling the Newcastle Evening Chronicle: "Who is this guy? I have never even heard of him.
"Like everyone else in football he is entitled to his opinions, but who wants to hear them? He should keep them to himself.
"As far as we are concerned, he is just making trouble and I do not like him poking his nose into Newcastle United's affairs. All it does is cause unrest.
"He has never been to St James' Park and seen what it is like to play in front of 52,000 fans in their black-and-white shirts.
"What I can tell this guy is that Oba Martins is very happy here with us. He has been miserable all the time he has been injured.
"But he has trained all week and he cannot wait to get back and on to that plane for Arsenal on Saturday.
"I can tell the Nigerian FA that the comments of one of their officials are most unwelcome at a time when we need everyone pulling together."
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