OBAFEMI MARTINS has gone AWOL again and this time the Nigerian Football Association are on the verge of demanding action from Newcastle United.
Martins was issued with an ultimatum from Super Eagles coach Berti Vogts last week. He was ordered to turn up for a training camp by the weekend or risk losing his international place.
Ahead of last night's friendly with Kenya in Nairobi, the Newcastle forward was still ignoring his country's demands, so Vogts is planning for African Nations Cup qualifiers without him.
But the Nigerians are not completely happy with Newcastle's involvement, and they will make contact in the coming days after becoming frustrated with the Magpies' star for the second time inside a few months.
"We organised this friendly match mainly for the England-based players and the local players to keep them in shape as their league ended early. But Martins for two, three weeks has not played football and he is not here," said Vogts, whose side play Uganda on June 2 in an important qualifier.
Martins infuriated the Africans when he failed to turn up for a February friendly with Ghana at Brentford.
The 22-year-old has been playing truant with national team officials. His plane ticket was sent to Newcastle, only for the player to call to say he was in Italy receiving treatment from Inter Milan doctors.
But since being asked by the NFA for a referral letter from Newcastle illustrating that he has been given permission to receive treatment outside the North-East he has refrained from making contact with Vogts and his staff.
By the time his ticket was re-routed to Italy, he was no longer there, and despite being in the Nigerian capital Lagos he has remained incommunicado.
"Can you ask him why he has been in Lagos since and has not reported to camp?" said Vogts, who is looking for some clarity from St James' Park about Martins' injury. "We know that the FIFA rules say players should be in camp five days before a match, but this is a player that has been released by his club since and he has been in Lagos when he should be in camp."
This latest controversy will annoy Newcastle officials, who may accept this summer that if the right offer arrives then Martins could be offloaded. Juventus are known to be interested in taking him back to Serie A.
New Newcastle boss Sam Allardyce, who could try to lure David Beckham on loan when LA Galaxy's season has ended in October, has cash to spend.
And, despite the imminent battle for power on Tyneside between chairman Freddy Shepherd and the club's largest share holder Mike Ashley, who will meet this week, he will still be given the funding to recruit.
Bagging around £12m for Martins would benefit Allardyce, who has also not given up hope of retaining the services of Michael Owen.
Owen made his England return in the win over Albania at Turf Moor on Friday night and, although showing a lack of sharpness, clubmate Steven Taylor is no doubt about the striker's worth.
It is expected Owen will start against Brazil on Friday and be part of Steve McClaren's side, also including Beckham, which tries to secure a victory in Estonia.
"It was great to see Michael get through the 90 minutes," said Taylor. "If he could have scored it would have topped things off, but I have absolutely no doubt that the goals will come.
"He's looked strong in training ever since he's come back, but this week with England was probably the sharpest that I've ever seen him. He's probably better now that any other time that I've played with him, and Newcastle will reap the benefit."
Taylor, who played for England B on Friday, feels that sharing the same training ground with the likes of Owen is aiding his development into an international defender.
"Training with the likes of Michael Owen every day can only bring me on," said the 21-year-old, who will this summer be playing for the Under-21s in the European Championships.
"International football is a different game because you're playing against the best players from all over the world. I think I'm used to the Premiership now, but all of this is something new and I'm sure I'll improve even more from it."
Allardyce has been alerted to the news that West Ham's Nigel Reo-Coker has submitted a transfer request at Upton Park and the Newcastle boss could be about to make a move for the Hammers' midfielder.
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