I have been spending more time with my family now and helping scout and develop emerging talent in Oyo State. I help an academy here in Ibadan groom their players in the art of football.
I’ve been adapting to it. Starting my day training without games to look forward to at the weekend is strange for me except when I’m invited to novelty games. But I’m enjoying it though.
Well, I’m in the process of becoming a coach but it’s a step at a time. I have plans to do other things as well but my family comes first now and I’m happy to share more valuable times with them.
I was born in Ibadan but spent part of my early life in Lagos. I joined Taribo West’s defunct football academy, Tamuno Inaemi Nationale, where they developed my skills in playing football. From there, I played for Shooting Stars before I was called up to the Flying Eagles team where I was eventually selected to play for the country at the U-20 World Cup in Holland. We finished runner-up losing to Argentina 2-1 in the final.
My performance at the U-20 World Cup earned me a move to Sparta Rotterdam and thereafter, I played for Metallurg Donestk FC Tavriya, Kuban Krassnodar, Anzhi Makhachkala, Ergotelis and OFI Crete in Greece before moving to FC Aktobe in Kazakhstan. My last club in Europe was SKA Khabarovsk in Russia. I also played for the U-23 team and the Super Eagles.
Only the coach (Samson Siasia) can answer why I was dropped after the first game against Brazil and missed the remaining two games but I returned for the knockout stages and played through to the final.
We had a great chance to win that tournament but unfortunately, we fought against so many odds that denied us that victory. It was Nigeria against not just Argentina but everyone. We gave our best to win it for the first time ever because we believed. Our coach even told us that it was now or never for Nigeria to win the U-20 World Cup having come close in the past.
But in that final game, as a team we gave everything but Lionel Messi edged it for them (Argentina). The only consolatory moment for us at that tournament was that Mikel Obi and Taye Taiwo won the silver and bronze balls. We aimed for the title but finished runner-up.
I can’t even tell you which final defeat was more painful. Both final defeats were horrible, Messi just denied me two titles like that.
All the games were tough, even watching Nigeria play South Korea and Switzerland from the bench was tough. Do you know how many Nigerian hearts were beating abnormally during those games? The game against Holland was the toughest, as the final was also tough but playing against Messi was very tough.
We will always have different views on that. I was alleged to have made contact with him but I don’t think it was that bad for him to fly like that. He is a great player and I’m proud to say that I’m one of the defenders that gave him a hell of a time on the pitch.
Taibo West. He was very strong and reliable. I learnt a lot from him while I was at his academy. Marcel Desaily, Alessandro Nesta and Fabio Cannavaro are other defenders I also look up to.
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It simply meant I was ready for the business of the day. I saw playing football as a dedicated job to deliver because we were paid for it which was like leisure for me so I took it as a job on its own.
The coach happened. It was the coach’s decision but I featured in some games which will always be memorable to me. I was selected for the 2010 AFCON and the World Cup that year even if I didn’t play but I played a part in the team’s qualification for those tournaments.
Laughs… Yes, I did. I had a great start to my career with the Eagles playing against Ireland and France and some qualifying games but I wished I played more games for the national team. No regrets though because it has always been a lifetime dream emulating Taribo West. He is my idol.
We have a great chance. First, we need to qualify from the AFCON group. We just need to take our games seriously and avoid defeat. For the World Cup, we must avoid slips or defeat away from home during the qualifiers. I believe we will qualify for the World Cup but the Eagles must be careful of any slip-ups.
My biggest regret was that I didn’t play in the Premier League. I had concrete offers from Everton and Southampton but it fell through because of transfer agreements from both clubs.
