Sports
I’ll Bring Energy, Physicality To Eagles’ Defence – Bassey
Glasgow Rangers defender, Calvin Bassey, has revealed what he hopes to bring to the Super Eagles team ahead of next year’s Africa Cup of Nations tournament in Cameroon.
Despite being eligible to play for both Italy and England, Bassey committed his international future to Nigeria and was called up for the country’s World Cup qualifiers earlier against Central African Republic where he was an unused substitute.
The 21-year-old is now desperate to be a part of the Nigeria squad for the AFCON.
The Eagle’s hopeful is currently flourishing under new Ibrox manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst, who took over the helm following the exit of Steven Gerrard to Premier League side, Aston Villa.
Bassey has managed five straight matches for Rangers under van Bronckhorst and now has aspirations of receiving a call up to Nigeria’s AFCON squad.
Tidesports source reports that, Bassey hoped to bring his qualities into play for Nigeria, adding that Nigeria legend Austin Okocha was his role model.
“There is no doubt we have plenty of quality in the national team. Joe Aribo plays with me and he knows what I can do,” Bassey said.
“I will bring energy and physicality to the Eagles’ defence and will also bring a bit of doggedness to African football.
“I know it will be physical, but I think that will play to my strengths. Growing up and watching the Super Eagles, Jay-Jay Okocha was my role model.
“He was so confident in the ball and that’s something I love to emulate. He was not scared to take on players and express himself and he was a joy to watch.”
The three-time African champions have been drawn in Group D of the competition alongside Egypt, Guinea-Bissau, and Sudan and will kick off their campaign with a game against the Pharaohs at Roumde Adjia Stadium on January 11; before taking on Sudan in their second fixture on January 15 with the final group game against Guinea-Bissau on January 19.
Iwobi spoke to Tidesports source ahead of Nigeria’s crunch playoff semi-final against Gabon on Thursday, November 13, in Rabat, Morocco.
The 28-year-old was reacting to Nigeria’s shaky World Cup qualifying campaign that saw the Eagles finish second in Group C behind South Africa’s Bafana Bafana.
“We’ve managed to rescue ourselves from the dead,” Iwobi told Tidesports source.
We know we have the players and the abilities to compete against any other country in the world.”
The Fulham star pointed to Nigeria’s star power, highlighting African Footballer of the Year winners Ademola Lookman and Victor Osimhen as proof of the squad’s quality.
“We have last year’s African best player (Ademola Lookman), the year before that (Victor Osimhen),” he said.
“It’ll be a shame if we don’t make it, but we have a lot of confidence. We just have to prove it to ourselves.”
Nigeria’s path to the United States, Canada and Mexico has been turbulent, with two coaches departing during the early stages of qualifying before Éric Chelle steadied the ship to steer the Super Eagles into November’s CAF playoffs.
Four nations from the continent – Nigeria, Cameroon, DR Congo and Gabon – will vie for a solitary spot to compete in next March’s inter-confederation playoffs, with a view to joining the already nine qualified African nations at the Finals.
It would mark Iwobi’s second appearance at the World Cup Finals and the Super Eagles’ first since the 2018 edition of the competition.
Back then, Iwobi featured in all three games as Nigeria was knocked out in the group stage.
The Chief Executive Officer(CEO) and Publisher of the Atlantic Bell Online medium, Mr. Celestine Ogolo has advised sports writers in Nigeria to diversify in sports writing and not to concentrate on football reporting alone.
The Deputy National President of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) Mr. Bonny Nyong has expressed commitment to support sports development and move SWAN forward.