Kanu set for fight over his Olympic dream

ARSENAL could be heading for a new row with Nwankwo Kanu over the striker's latest plans to help Nigeria defend their Olympic title in Sydney this September.

Last season, the forward was fined 50,000 by Arsenal for delaying his return to High-bury following Nigeria's defeat by Cameroon in the African Nations Cup Final.

And, after linking up with his country at the end of last season, he was criticised by the Nigerian football authorities for promoting his new heart charity when he should have been training.

Arsenal, like all Premiership clubs, are resigned to handing over their expensive foreign imports for internationals, but Highbury manager Arsene Wenger will be dismayed at the thought of losing Kanu for what is essentially an Under-23 tournament in Sydney.

Olympic rules allow for one overage player and Kanu, 24 on 1 August, is reported to have said: "I have played at the Olympics before and would love to play there again."

Kanu, part of the Nigerian team that won gold in Atlanta four years ago, has not been in contact with Arsenal since the club lost to Galatasaray in the UEFA Cup Final last May.

He was Arsenal's second top scorer with 17 goals last season, during which time Wenger successfully argued with the Nigerian Football Association about delaying the player's departure on several occasions.

However, last March, Wenger fell out with Kanu, whom he signed for 4.5 million from Italian Serie A giants Inter-nazionale, when he reported back late from Nigeria's cup final defeat to Cameroon.

The dispute came just weeks before Kanu signed a new contract and he was fined two weeks' wages - thought to be 50,000 - by the club.

Wenger felt badly let down, especially after having given Kanu extended leave to stay in his homeland following the final.

He was upset that the only contact with Kanu came through a third party, rather than the player himself.

Kanu was ordered to a dressing down with Wenger at the club's London Colney training ground as soon as he arrived back in England.

It was reported that Arsenal had even contacted the Professional Footballers' Association to discuss such drastic measures as putting the player up for sale.

An Arsenal spokeswoman said: "We have had no contact with Kanu since May and he is not expected back until the weekend.

"First, and foremost, we would expect to receive notice from the player's nation and we have not received that."

Ironically, on his last international foray, Kanu, who managed to recover from a serious heart defect during his time with Inter, landed in hot water with the Nigerian authorities.

He was criticised by Nigerian FA chairman Dominic Oneya for "parading around the country promoting his heart foundation programme" rather than joining preparations for a World Cup match against Sierra Leone.

Oneya said: "Instead of joining his mates in camp in Lagos, Kanu has been parading himself in Abuja, promoting his own programme. This is not how to be patriotic."

That match ended in a 2-0 victory for Nigeria and, earlier this month, Kanu was on target for Nigeria in their second World Cup qualifying match.

However, another Arsenal striker stole the limelight.

Christopher Wreh, who spent the last four months of the season on loan to AEK Athens in Greece, struck twice to give Liberia a 2-1 victory.

That defeat leaves Nigeria third in the African Zone Group B table, behind Ghana and Sudan.

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