Sports
Nigerian Players Not Second Choice – Mikel
Former Super Eagles skipper, Mikel John Obi has seriously kicked against some foreign-born players, using Nigeria as a second option when considering which country to represent at the senior international level.
Speaking to Tidesports source on Friday, the Chelsea legend urged them to be proud of their Nigerian roots and not wait until age has taken a toll on them before using the country as a last resort.
He said, “They want to play for England, France, whatever it is, and then they wait. When they get to 25 or 26 and they do not get a call up from England, then, they call Nigeria. We shouldn’t be treated as a second option. You should be proud of your African roots. You should be proud to represent your African country.
“If you decide you want to play for England, stick to it. Sit and wait, but don’t wait till 29 or 30, you have passed your best, then, you are like, ‘Oh Nigeria FA, I’m ready to play for you now’. No, f…k off, mate.”
Mikel has every right to address this issue, having served Nigeria with every fibre in him, representing the country at U17, U20, and U23 levels before graduating to the senior level, playing 91 matches from 2005 to 2019, and serving as captain of the Super Eagles for several years.
Some of the players who resorted to Nigeria after failed bids to play for their countries of birth, especially England, include Shola Ameobi, a striker overlooked by England after representing the country at the U20 level. He beckoned on Nigeria at age 32 and ended up scoring twice in 10 appearances from 2012 to 2014.There is also Reuben Agboola, who did not consider Nigeria while making waves in the Premier League as ‘Agboola the Rock’. After being ignored by England, the then-right-back decided to play for Nigeria at 29 and earned nine caps from 1991 to 1993.
Prominent on this list is striker Dickson Etuhu, who turned to Nigeria at 25 and ended up with 19 caps from 2007 to 2011.
A well-known football pundit in the State, Chief Christopher Okonkwo has lauded the efforts and vision of the Super Eagles Coach Eric Chelle for going from one venue of the Nigeria Domestic Nigeria Professional Football League match to the other in monitoring Nigerian players, with a view to invite some exceptional good one discovered into the main stream of the Super Eagles team.
Okonkwo, who made the commendation in an interview at the Port Harcourt Club recently, described the positive move by Coach Chelle as a good step in the right direction, noting that the practice was how its been done in the past among any contracted coach assigned to tinker the Super Eagles team.
“Truly, it has been an old tradition in the country seeing any newly engaged Coach to lead the National team, visiting some our Nigeria League venues during the league matches to spot light some good talents that could be used to beef up some grey areas in the department of Eagles team”
He, however, frowned at the current situation where our coaches had continously been over depending on the use of foreign based players during invitation of players to the National camp, thereby, relegating the domestic home based league players to the background as if they have nothing much to offer to the team.
“I can vividly recall that the likes of great players in the mode of Finidi George, Taribo West, Kanu Nwankwo, Austin Okocha, Richard Owobokiri, Emmanuel Osuigwe among others started from Nigeria football league before they graduated to play in Europe through which they later invited to Super Eagles camp to represent Nigeria”
“Besides, I’m also of the view that going to secondary school football competitive games could equally serves as a a good platform to discover budding talents that could be nurtured to become great stars in near future”, Okonkwo frankly added.
Okonkwo, therefore, prayed that any football coach to be engaged by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to tinker the Super Eagles should be told not to confine himself in staying in big hotel alone but to be visiting some of our local league match venues, with a view to discover some good players that can be drafted into the Super Eagles team.
“Indeed, I stand to be challenged that there some young good players in the Nigeria Professional League. If spotted and exposed, could give the some of the invited foreign based players a stiff competitive fight in securing a postion in the team”, Okonkwo emphatically stated.
Ezechukwu, one of the youngest members of the Nigerian contingent at the championship in Ghana, said her ambition was to win the 100m title in style and cap it with a new personal record.
The fresh secondary school graduate explained that she is fully focused on contributing to Team Nigeria’s medal hopes and is determined to deliver strong performances across her events.
“My main objective in Ghana is to clinch the 100m title and the 4×100m,” Ezechukwu told Tidesports source.
“Nigeria can be assured of my very best and my commitment to the Team. I would love to set a new personal best in Ghana, but anything that comes, I will take it. The spirit in the team is high, and I think we are ready to go,” she said.
Ezechukwu, who was part of Nigeria’s women’s 4x100m relay squad at the World Relays in Botswana, said the experience gained from that competition has strengthened her mindset heading into the continental championships.
She admitted that she learned valuable lessons from her previous outing, including a difficult moment during the relay where an early error affected the team’s rhythm, but said she has used the experience to improve her discipline and composure.
“The secret is just being disciplined, training hard and trusting my coach and believing in God, and the result will show,” she added.
The teenager is part of a 41-member Nigerian team comprising 24 female and 17 male athletes competing at the championships, which begin today at the University of Ghana, Legon.
Nigeria are expected to compete across multiple track and field events as they aim for a strong finish against the continent’s elite athletes.
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