Yakubu fired up after World Cup fiasco
'The Yak' back for Eagles
11 NPL stars for Rwanda
Blackburn Rovers striker Yakubu Aiyegbeni has said he is determined to
do more for Nigeria after putting behind him arguably the miss of the 2010
World Cup.
‘The Yak’ trained Monday morning with the rest of the Eagles squad for the first time since he bungled a sitter against South Korea in a World Cup game in South Africa.
The experienced striker scoffed his shot from five yards out agonisingly off target in a game Nigeria needed to win to have any chance of advancing to the next round of the World Cup.
Yakubu then became Nigerian football’s Public Enemy No.1 and it was not until the arrival of new Eagles coach Stephen Keshi and 13 goals this season in the English Premier League that he has again been considered worthy of a place in the country’s team.
“It is normal to have critics everywhere, whether with your club or national team, so I don’t feel bad (by the criticisms after the miss),” Yakubu told MTNFootball.com soon after Eagles training in Abuja.
“The critics just make you to work harder, they make me to want to do more.
“So, I don’t have any problems with the public. You miss chances and you will be criticised, it’s normal.”
He said he is thrilled with his return to the national team.
“It’s good to back to play for your country,” he offered.
“Of course, I missed the team, it’s my country. You want to play for your country but there is nothing you can do if you don’t get the chance to do so. But I’m happy to be here to help the team.
“It is always a special feeling to wear the green-white-green colours again after almost two years.”
The Eagles will be counting on ‘The Yak’ to get the goals in Wednesday’s 2013 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Rwanda.
The game will most likely be played under a hot tropical weather, but the striker has insisted that as professionals, they must be able to cope with whatever conditions they face and still get the job done.
“It’s really hot (training under the early morning sun in Abuja) but we are not complaining about the weather because we are professionals,” he said.
“We just have to go out there and do our job. Cold or hot, we will be fine.”
‘The Yak’ trained Monday morning with the rest of the Eagles squad for the first time since he bungled a sitter against South Korea in a World Cup game in South Africa.
The experienced striker scoffed his shot from five yards out agonisingly off target in a game Nigeria needed to win to have any chance of advancing to the next round of the World Cup.
Yakubu then became Nigerian football’s Public Enemy No.1 and it was not until the arrival of new Eagles coach Stephen Keshi and 13 goals this season in the English Premier League that he has again been considered worthy of a place in the country’s team.
“It is normal to have critics everywhere, whether with your club or national team, so I don’t feel bad (by the criticisms after the miss),” Yakubu told MTNFootball.com soon after Eagles training in Abuja.
“The critics just make you to work harder, they make me to want to do more.
“So, I don’t have any problems with the public. You miss chances and you will be criticised, it’s normal.”
He said he is thrilled with his return to the national team.
“It’s good to back to play for your country,” he offered.
“Of course, I missed the team, it’s my country. You want to play for your country but there is nothing you can do if you don’t get the chance to do so. But I’m happy to be here to help the team.
“It is always a special feeling to wear the green-white-green colours again after almost two years.”
The Eagles will be counting on ‘The Yak’ to get the goals in Wednesday’s 2013 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Rwanda.
The game will most likely be played under a hot tropical weather, but the striker has insisted that as professionals, they must be able to cope with whatever conditions they face and still get the job done.
“It’s really hot (training under the early morning sun in Abuja) but we are not complaining about the weather because we are professionals,” he said.
“We just have to go out there and do our job. Cold or hot, we will be fine.”
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