Lagos — Super Eagles' defender Mohammed Yusuf has lashed out at teammate Obafemi Martins for making statements in the media to the effect that the Nigeria Football Federation has abandoned him (Yusuf) to his fate after he sustained injury in the semi finals of the African Cup of Nations in Angola in January. Germany-based forward Martins was quoted generously in the media as saying that Nigerian internationals would not want to give their all on the pitch because the NFF does not care about their welfare.

But in reacting to the statement, as it concerns him, Yusuf said: "I don't know what Obafemi Martins wants to achieve making that kind of statement. I never told him that I was at anytime abandoned by the NFF. As far as I am concerned, anytime I go on the pitch wearing the white and green, I want to give my best for my country.

"Martins did not bother to call me on phone all these weeks since I got injured during the semi final match against Ghana at the Cup of Nations. It was only recently that he called me and was asking whether the NFF abandoned me here. I was surprised. He was now calling me only after those wrong statements," Yusuf said from South Africa.

The day after he got injured in the match against Ghana in Luanda, the Nigeria Football Federation flew the 25-year old Eagle to Johannesburg, where he promptly underwent surgery, done by one of the best hands on Achilles tendon in the world. He has since been recuperating in the town.

Adding, the player said days after he arrived in Johannesburg, the NFF flew his pregnant wife to join him, and that the federation has been taking care of all his bills since then. He also said that each time federation officials were passing through South Africa to any destination, they always made it a point to look in on him.

Yusuf now walks without the aid of crutches and doctors have assured him that he can start light exercises by the end of this month.