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I want Babayaro back
in Eagles
By JOE APU
Tuesday, April 3, 2007
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•Taye
Taiwo
Photo: Sun News Publishing |
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Super Eagles and Olympic Marseille of France defender, Taye
Taiwo, made a dramatic request penultimate week, when the
Super Eagles tackled the Cranes of Uganda in a Nations Cup
qualifier in Abeokuta.
His request was one that would surprise many players, given
the fact that he has called on the national team handlers
to make efforts in bringing back Newcastle of England defender,
Celestine Babayaro, as well as Ifeanyi Udeze of PAOC Thesaloniki.
Though he is currently enjoying a stranglehold on the left
full-back in the Super Eagles with a no contest situation,
Taiwo, who was one of the three best players at the World
Youth Championship in Holland 2005, said he was eager to have
the experienced duo back in the folds of the Eagles, as it
would offer him opportunity to learn from them.
The youthful defender told Daily Sunsport
at their Continental Suites Hotel in Abeokuta that he was
in dire need of competition to help him improve his game and
make a better player.
"Yes, at the moment I’m playing the position with
no contest from any player and I’m enjoying it, but
that does not mean I’m the best man for that spot. The
technical crew see me worthy for the position, and I thank
them for giving me the opportunity to play for the Super Eagles,”
he said.
Asked if players like Babayaro and Udeze were afraid of being
benched by him and, as such, would not want to honour national
call-ups, Taiwo said that would be far from the truth. "It
would be unfair for anyone to say that a player like Celestine
Babayaro or Ifeanyi Udeze are afraid of me and that is the
reason they don’t want to honour invitations to the
Super Eagles.
"These are players I have a great deal of respect for
in the national team. They have been there long before me
and, as a young player, there’s still so much I can
learn from them because their experience in that position
is one I stand to gain from," he said.
"If Babayaro returns to camp today and the technical
crew decide to put me on the bench, there’s no qualms.
I would gladly do so because there’s so much I would
learn from him. Moreso, I still have age on my side...and
a longer period to play for the country," he stated.
Reacting to public outcry that his overlapping runs leave
the rear open and that he does not fall back fast enough,
Taiwo, who began his career from Gabros of Nnewi, said he
had no regrets because that is his style of play and his coaches
at both club and national team are satisfied with it.
"Modern football does not allow for a player to be static
in a particular position,” he defends. “Football
is about forward play and not being restricted to one position
on the field of play. Back in my club in Marseille of France,
I play my defensive role well enough and move upfront, and
I have scored goals from that too.
"That is how I play and it has given me joy, and the
team appreciate as well, because I go for goals without as
much as putting my position in danger. Those I play with at
both club and national team levels understand me and cover
for me when I move upfront."
He asked his fans not to entertain fears that his position
would leak and give the opponents advantages.
Born April 16, 1985 in Lagos, Nigeria the defender, who currently
plays for Olympique de Marseille in the French league, noted
that he is ready to sacrifice his shirt, as long as it would
enable the Eagles to pick the Nations Cup ticket in 2008.
"I’m looking forward to playing in my second African
Nations Cup and I don’t think there’s any country
that can stop us from picking a ticket. The Eagles may not
be as strong as it used to be but I think things are gradually
getting better for us, and we can be as strong as we used
to be.
"Much as we would not underrate any country in our drive
to Ghana 2008, we want to play and qualify effectively to
make an impact at the Nations Cup."
Taiwo was part of the Nigerian team at the 2005 FIFA World
Youth Championship. He scored two decisive goals during the
competition, which enabled Nigeria to reach the final, where
she lost 2–1 to Argentina.
He was third best player of the tournament, behind John Obi
Mikel (Nigeria) and Lionel Messi (Argentina). After a successful
outing at the African Nations Cup in Egypt, Taiwo says he
is set to go places, as long as his legs can carry him. He’s
currently the African Young Player of the Year.
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