Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
For many soccer-loving Nigerians, the problem of Nigerian football apart from administrative, is the inability of the current talents to fit into the big boots retired legends like Nwankwo Kanu, Austin Jay-Jay Okocha among others left behind.
Nigerian coaches and administrators had made desperate searches at home and in the Diaspora with little or no success. They had equally harvested talents from the youth teams and even convinced foreign-based players, yet the vacuum still remained evidenced.
However, the continued search seemed to have yielded positive result, with the triumphant entry of a Canadian-based 16-year old skilful striker, Osinakachi Obasi. He had already rejected offers from Canada, Panama and other foreign countries to wear the green and white colours of fatherland.
Obasi, currently among his peers jostling for a permanent shirt in the Golden Eaglets team, told SportingSun in Abuja that his strength is his dribbling speed, promising to be the replacement many Nigerians had desired for long.
“My playing position is striking. I can play as an offensive and or support striker. My strength is in my speed. I am very fast,” he boasted.
Asked his role model among the retired and active Nigerian players, he said: “Kanu Nwankwo and Jay Jay Okocha stood out due to their gifted skills when they were still active players. I am always attack-minded. That is why I like scoring goals.”
For Obasi, playing football had been a dream he nursed from the cradle and he revealed that: “I have been playing since I was four years old and actually played competitive football when I turned six years.”
How hopeful has been his journey with the Golden Eaglets, he said: “I will say so far so good. I have done my best to prove myself, but at the end of the day, it is up to the technical crew to take the final decision. However, I am very optimistic,” he said.