Nigeria may be locked in a long, unwinnable battle with England as the European nation continues to pluck some of Nigeria’s most talented youngsters, the latest of which is mesmerizing attacking midfielder and Queens Park Rangers playmaker Ebere Eze.
Mere weeks after watching England call up the fantastic duo of Chelsea’s Tammy Abraham and Fikayo Tomori, Nigeria may yet see another star of the future, QPR’s Ebere Eze, snapped up by the 1966 World Cup champions.
The dynamic 21-year-old ball joggler, drawing accolades from various quarters as the ‘new JJ Okocha because of his dribbling skills, dazzling runs and love for stunning goals, has accepted a call-up to feature for England U21s in upcoming matches against Albania and the Netherlands.
The Greenwich-born lad, who has been in scintillating form for QPR this season, scoring six times in the championship already this season, had attracted attentions from football loving Nigerian fans.
Eze, due to his Nigerian ancestry, is believed to be opened to the idea of playing for the three-time African champions having previously trained with the Nigeria national team and is friends with Everton playmaker Alex Iwobi.
Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr once revealed that the 5ft 8in midfield wonder was under the watch list of the national team handlers but later hinted that the midfielder turned down the opportunity to play for Nigeria in the forthcoming 2021 Afcon qualifying matches against Benin Republic and Lesotho.
However, should Eze play for England against the Albanians in an U21 EURO qualifier on Friday 15 November, he would have to apply to FIFA to change his association if he decides to play for the Super Eagles in future.
This post was last modified on %s = human-readable time difference 5:54 am
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What goes around comes around. Alhaji Sanusi, the former CBN governor, said recently that you do not go to war to prepare for war; Rather, you prepare your ammunitions , like polishing your guns etc beforehand .
Our Super country, Nigeria would have been excelling in various fields of human endeavor but for those in positions of authorities who do not know their right from their left - and do they really care?
Now, to the main issue. Nigerians should understand that we are loosing the best of our talents due to our leaders' lack of seriousness to do the right things and until the right people, especially regarding the NFF, are put in place, nothing, l repeat, nothing will ever be accomplised. Our dreams of getting to the top will continue to remain a mirage.
Recently, Nigeria's own Tammy Abraham and Fikayo Tomori both pledged their allegiance to England over Nigeria. Now there is every likelihood that Ebere Eze will follow suit. I feel very SAD indeed! Watching this young attacking midfieder called Ebere move on the pitch is like watching our very own J J Okocha -Both of them have got the same move, same style, same everything that leaves one in no doubt that this is the king Nigerians have been waiting for to fill the BIG boots JJ left behind.
Now, have we asked ourselves the important question why these Nigerian players living or playing abroad are opting to represent other countries ahead of Nigeria? The reason is not farfetched. The system is upside down in Nigeria. Nigeria is not organised enough and things are not properly managed. There is no plan and no vision and all you find rather is "gra gra" and "fire- brigade" plans.
For instance, look at our local league. Under normal circumstances, our football league should be the best in Africa. What stops the Minister of sports, if we have one, and the NFF from bringing back Schools' sports and Principals' Cup and make it a regular yearly programme? Nigeria stands to gain immensely in sports generally if we do this, but our "oversabby" Excellencies and Ogas at the top who are suppossed to direct affairs and put things straight like is done elsewhere are not alive to their responsibilities.
In England, when a footballer hangs his boots, he generally retires into security and peace. They have put in place concrete plans to cater for that footballer's future. Yes, his future is quarrantteed, that is, if he does not missuse his money, and that very English football federation's plilosophy cuts across other human endeavours in the United Kingdom.
My dear people, if someone puts honey in your mouth and ask you to swallow it and another puts bitter leaf in your mouth and ask you to chew and take it in, which one of them will you choose smilling?
Until we/our so-called leaders answer this and other questions, until we build our system and learn to encourage our talents, we do not have to lament when we lose our talents to other countries that are doing just that. The question is : Will our leaders listen ?
Thumbs up to you Bruv .Brilliant .
The saying "do not ask what your country will do for you..." has become dated and irrelevant in today's world. These days, especially in the sporting arena, it is the country that "seeks" which makes the sacrifices and genuine promises regarding the benefits the player stands to reap if they should choose to represent say, England, the US, Canada or Australia. Even smaller countries on the Mediterranean coast, like Cyprus, are now poaching Nigerian footballers by dangling real carrots before them.
The point is, what is Nigeria prepared to give to these athletes in return for their representation? That thing that must include the quality of stadia etc. that represent a commitment?
A Nigerian risk life and scarce resources escaping from the hell created by parochial and self-seeking leaders, or from Boko Haram, against whom he had been promised protection (ex: Victor Moses?). They arrive as refugees in say England where, as teenagers, they are housed, clothed and fed for free; they attend school for free and at the expense of the state and have their careers well guided, etc. A better blend of the oyibo language we are struggling to pay millions for is taught them for free! When this child grows up under such conditions and begins to display his God-given talent honed on the anvil that was funded with England's money, expertise, and time, we pop up from Nigeria that never cared about him in the first place, and have the audacity to ask him to "come play for fatherland"! Fatherland ko, motherland ni. Does this not prove that we are an insensitive and wicked people?
And having been convinced to represent the fatherland, what does "fatherland" end up paying them with? Let me attempt an answer: humiliation, disrespect and a rip off by Nigeria's sporting czars who sit posh in glass houses and drive around in black glass-tinted Toyo SUVs. Next, the president presents him with a worthless certificate along with a Greek gift couched in fake news! And while still within the confines of fatherland, if they got to survive from being kidnapped for ransom by envious brothers demanding for their share, some itchy fingered customs and immigration officials at the "last chance" bus stop are waiting to ensure he surrenders something "for the boys" before escaping! We have not contributed anything to these footballers' development. Let's stop carrying on as if they owe us something, because they don't. Me, I don talk finish. You talk ya own...