Babayaro tips Odemwingie as Nigeria’s World Cup joker

The former international has rated the Stoke City forward’s return to the Super Eagles as a good thing ahead of the World Cup
EXCLUSIVE
By Shemmy Sholabomi
Former Nigeria goalkeeper Emmanuel Babayaro has tipped Stoke City forward Osaze Odemwingie to impress at the World Cup if he makes the final list of 23 players.
The Atlanta Olympics football gold medalist told Goal that the forward has great qualities that the Super Eagles need and he would help the team to success in Brazil.
“Osaze has confidence, experience and dedication which are the major ingredients and qualities needed to survive and achieve success at the World Cup,” Babayaro told Goal.
“I am very happy that the striker is in the team right now and he would prove himself in the three friendly matches lined up for the team as from tomorrow when the Eagles confront the Scotland national team in England,” he said.
Babayaro reasoned that the World Cup is not a place where Nigeria’s best should be left out and that he was happy that coach Stephen Keshi pardoned the player and included him in his list of 30.
“Osaze we all know has great qualities as a player and his experience and skills alone would pose threat to opponents. He also enjoyed a tremendous season most especially since he teamed up with Stoke City he has been in tremendous form. If he is picked for the World Cup, he will definitely prove all his doubters wrong.
“You can also see the beauty of having him alongside Emmanuel Emenike, Ahmed Musa and Victor Moses. These are very fast players and that is the tempo the modern game is played now and their combination would prove much more difficult for the team’s opponents to handle,” he explained.