Former Nigeria international goalkeeper Emmanuel Babayaro has criticised quotes attributed to the coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Gernot Rohr, and goalkeeper of the team Ikechukwu Ezenwa on Argentina super star Lionel Messi.
Nigeria are in the same World Cup group with Argentina , and ahead of their meeting, the coach of the Nigerian team Rohr and goalkeeper Ezenwa say they are not scared of the abilities of the five time winner of the best player in the world award.
Reacting to their statements, Babayaro said the best the duo should have done is to at least show respect to the Barcelona star, rather than play down his importance ahead of their clash at the World Cup.
” I read the quotes by Rohr and Ezenwa as well and I must say that was low coming from them. There is a level which a player like Messi is operating from that requires respect ahead of any potential meeting”, Babayaro told Owngoalnigeria.com.
” To see our coach play down his importance to the Argentina course when both teams clash in Russia can best be described as mind games, which I don’t expect Ezenwa to get involved in as a player. He has to show some respect to Messi”, Babayaro concluded.
Osas Mahawi
