The Sun News On-line

Super Eagles’ skipper, Nwankwo Kanu, has admitted that Nigeria’s campaign at the Ghana 2008 Nations Cup was every inch a nightmare.Kanu watched with starry-eyes, as his teammates went down 2–1 to 10-man Black Stars of Ghana at the quarterfinal stage of the just concluded continental championship.

For the leggy Portsmouth of England forward, the 90 minutes encounter was one of the saddest days in his career. He told Sunday Sunsport that sitting on the bench from where he watched the proceedings was one of the most difficult things to do, as he said that he felt too uncomfortable throughout the encounter.

“It would take decades for me to forget my experience while on the bench in Ghana 2008. When I was going to the championship, I never dreamt of sitting on the bench watching my teammates play.
“I came with the hope of leading the Eagles to victory as the captain. Even when journalists asked me whether I would score goals at the championship, I told them that the essential thing was to win the trophy, that it does not matter whether I register a goal or not but to win the trophy. However, the reverse was the case.

“I sustained injury during the warm up before our opening game against Cote d’Ivoire, which led to my sitting on the bench all through our matches in Ghana.
“In fact, in my widest dream, I never knew that the Eagles would be booted out of the Nations Cup in the manner it happened. At a time in one of the matches, I discovered that it was difficult for me to continue to sit on the bench. It was as if my heart was about to jump out. I felt I was quarrelling with the chair when it became so hot for me, though it was all because of tension.

“I now know what it takes to sit on the bench while watching a tensed match, especially when one needed a win to qualify for the next stage of a competition. I don’t pray in my life to witness such a moment again. I would have jumped into the field if I had not held myself,” Kanu revealed.