In his first Super Eagles squad, Sunday Oliseh included Wolverhampton Wanderers keeper, Carl Ikeme and it made headlines because it was so unexpected. Days before Ikeme flew out to Nigeria, he sat down for an interview with me. Towards the end, I said to him that nothing I say to him now will prepare him for what the Super Eagles are and what it means to play for Nigeria.
Finidi George has included two home based outfield players in his squad for these World Cup qualifiers against South Africa and Benin Republic. Remo Stars right-back, Ismail “Cafu” Sodiq and Rangers International of Enugu’s left-back, Kenneth Igboke. The inclusion of these players give me a warm fuzzy feeling, which was made even better when one saw the way both players were celebrated by their team mates at their respective football clubs.
Playing for the Super Eagles is a big deal. Representing your country at any sport is the ultimate for any athlete and it is why it should not be taken for granted the good vibes the presence of Sodiq and Igboke will give to players in the NPFL.
The only thing I held against Gernot Rohr during his time in charge of the Super Eagles was his disdain for players plying their trade in the Nigerian league. I did not blame him totally. He was working under implied or express instructions of his boss, Amaju Pinnick who shared the same disdain for the football inside Nigeria.
I remember asking questions when the game Bryan Idowu made a late dash into the squad for the 2018 World Cup in Russia. I wondered if it was impossible to find a left-footed defender in the NPFL that we needed to shoe-horn the right-footed Idowu at left-back. That team was very lopsided as there was no natural left-footer at the back and in midfield. That is history.
Growing up and playing football on the streets of Festac, Lagos Nigeria, we had a saying or chant for someone who is having a great game, “He don use all of una enter camp.” “Camp” was getting a call up to the Flying or Green Eagles. There was the hope and belief that as long as you played well, you stood a good chance of being in a squad announcement. That seemed to have been lost in the last decade or so.
As one who made his debut while playing in Nigeria before going on to tremendous success in Europe, George understands fully how Sodiq and Igboke would be feeling. As league title winner with Enyimba of Aba, he has also seen those players at close quarters and so knows what qualities they would provide for this his team.
Finidi George’s Super Eagles understand that these two games are must wins because of the poor start already made under the departed Jose Peseiro. The stakes are very high and there is actually very little margin for error from now on.
I trust George to pick a team that would be good enough to get maximum points in both games. It would be absolutely awesome for the NPFL, though, if one (or both NPFL based full backs) get enough game time in victories. He (George) is a product of the Nigerian league and it would be on-brand for him to carry on where the other last product of the league to coach the Super Eagles successfully, Stephen Keshi, stopped.
On his return from that first trip to the Super Eagles camp where he played the two games, Ikeme says to me, “You were right, you know. My goodness, it was crazy but I enjoyed it. Loved it and took it all in. Buzzing for the next set of games.” Perfect description of how it feels to play for the Nigeria Super Eagles.
What do you think?
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Calvin, reading the article just brought back memories of yore. Specifically my playing days. Imagine I had played against you “I for use you enter camp”.
I also share the sentiments that it is not possible that since Keshi left the SE, no NPFL player has been good enough to make the SE. As a matter of deliberate policy NPFL players should actually be included in the 23 man squad to ANC or WC.