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Former Super Eagles winger Peter Osaze Odemwingie has threatened legal action against a popular British television team as well as two English football clubs for “continually mocking him” over a botched transfer that occurred in 2013.
Sports247 reports that although it has been 13 years since Osaze’s infamous attempt to force a transfer from West Bromwich Albion to Queens Park Rangers, the former international, now a golfer, is angry that presenters are still referencing the incident.
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He accused the broadcast team, Sky Sports, of “spreading lies about the real events” that unfolded on that ignominious date of January 31, 2013, the winter transfer deadline day, and then criticized QPR for selling a shirt on which the club had already branded its name.
A report from the UK’s Daily Mail revealed: “Peter Odemwingie has warned Sky Sports, West Bromwich Albion and Queens Park Rangers that he is considering legal action over his infamous 2013 deadline day transfer bust.
“Odemwingie was at the center of one of the strangest deadline day stories of all time when he was interviewed by journalists through his car window outside QPR’s Loftus Road stadium, believing he had completed his move to the London club.
“It later emerged that QPR and West Brom, Odemwingie’s club at the time, had failed to agree a transfer fee for the Nigerian striker and the proposed move fell through just minutes before the 11pm deadline, ultimately sending him back to The Baggies.
“Footage of his infamous interview re-circulated on Sky Sports News ahead of deadline (last) Tuesday night, prompting Odemwingie to launch an attack on the broadcaster in a video on Instagram.”
Sports247 further learned that Osaze, now 45, reacted to the development by accusing Sky Sports of not telling the full extent of the story and criticized QPR for auctioning off an already branded shirt they had prepared for his arrival, in anticipation of a formal presentation the following day.
Osaze posited in a video via Instagram: “Sky Sports agents and employees from both clubs, West Brom and QPR, definitely have questions to answer, and I will be seeing a lawyer next week to make it official.
“What is the reason, the intention of showing this episode over and over again for so many years? In my opinion, the least it will be is the lack or absence of respect. Maybe they don’t like that it is half Nigerian and half Russian?
“I can only guess. It could be something else. Who really knows? The problem with this whole story is that no one is interested in the truth. Sky Sports took advantage of this situation for so many years. I think it’s just evil, really.”
Sports247 recalls that Osaze, who scored for Nigeria at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, drove approximately 125 miles from West Brom’s training ground to QPR’s Loftus Road in London to force the deal.
He believed both clubs had already agreed a fee and that his move was dependent only on a separate player transfer, but QPR did not have permission from West Brom to speak to him, so he was denied entry by stadium security.
Osaze, who was also a member of Nigeria’s under-23 team that won silver at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, made two appearances for the Super Eagles at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa and scored the team’s winning goal against Bosnia-Herzegovina at Brazil 2014.
Born in what is now Uzbekistan, Odemwingie began his career at AS Racines in Lagos, from where he moved to Benin City’s Bendel Insurance FC, then to La Louvière and Lille Metropole in France, as well as Lokomotiv Moscow in Russia.
After falling out with West Brom, Osaze later moved to Cardiff City of Wales, Stoke City, Bristol City and Rotherham United of England, as well as Madura United of Indonesia, where he announced his retirement on 3 April 2019.
