The Chelsea forward, who days ago opted to play for England, will surely find comfort in the words of Nigerian born former Polish striker Emmanuel Olisadebe after the one-time Jasper United goal machine revealed he retains no regrets playing for his adopted nation.
His was the biggest name in Polish football in the early 2000s after his goals helped Polonia Warsaw claim the Ekstraklasa, Ekstraklasa Cup and the Polish SuperCup all at the turn of the millennium.
Once Olisadebe became a Polish citizen in 2000, he was selected by the Poland national team, where he grabbed eight goals in ten qualification matches as coach Jerzy Engel's team reached the 2002 FIFA World Cup, their first since 1986.
And the Nigerian striker became the first ever Black player to represent the Polish national team, a move he insists he does not despite his short stint with the team.
“I don’t have any regrets playing for Poland, I still have very cordial relationship with the people. It was my decision to represent them and also mine to leave,” the former forward told www.brila.net.
Olisadebe, who earned 25 caps in four years scoring 11 goals including the opener in the 3-1 win over USA at the 2002 World Cup, recalled how he was approached by his team Manager Jerzy Engel, at Polonia Warsaw to pledge for the European Country.
“It was a personal decision; my state of mind and my position at the time, it just felt ideal.
“In football you always had a mentor or someone looking out for you, who guides you, for me it was my Coach.
“Back then we had won a domestic treble and my Coach, who was arguably the best in the Country at the time, was appointed as the national team Manager.
“He told them he needed me because we had achieved everything together. Then he brought up the matter with.
“Initially, I was skeptical because no Black man had ever played for the Polish national team. So one day, during practice Press men beseeched me, they wrapped me up with a muffler and I just went with the flow; they already heard the news before I did.”
who is this idiot blabbing?
parrot, must you talk everything, go ahead and tell us how you makes love with your girlfriend, mumu.
You call him idiot ? Stay there and live in self deceit. How many Nigerians preferred other countries to Nigeria ? When Buhari your leader has completely destroyed the little reputation Nigeria has, then you expect these guys to play for a country that doesn’t know nor care for it’s citizens. Put the country in order and people will be proud to represent Nigeria. Nobody represents a failed state like Buhari’s Nigeria