OBINNA Nwaneri, made his international debut with the Super Eagles against Zimbabwe in Harare on Sunday, September 5 in a World Cup Africa Group D qualifying game and immediately stole the headlines back home following his first class showing. Now, he is a ‘no-put-down’ with the fans in Nigeria. Chigozie Chukwuleta, nigeriasports.com Eastern Regional Correspondent caught up with this ebullient Enyimba of Aba FC central defender in Aba recently and spoke on a number of issues.
Q: How long have you being playing football?
A: I have played what is called professional football for about six years. But all my life from the cradle I have always played and loved football. Q: Where did you start your professional career? A: I began with Enyimba but never played any league match then because I was quite young and to them cannot match the strength of those in the league. They saw my potentials despite the fact that I was in school then. But I wanted action, so I left for Gabros in 1998 and from Gabros went to Julius Berger on loan and later back to Enyimba in 2002.
Q: How many are you in the family? A: We are three. Two boys and a girl and I am the first. Q: What or who inspired you into football?
A: When I look at myself and think about myself and what the future holds for me , I get inspired. Football is something I love so much. My Mother never like football but today she is encouraging me probably because she has discovered that I am determined and not ready to submit to her wishes of quitting football. It was only my younger sister who really stood by me especially when Mummy gets crossed with me. She hated the idea of my playing football with a passion.
Q: Do you know why your Mother never liked your playing football?
A: You know I am the first child and my father is late. So my mother wanted me to go to school and become somebody in the academic world. She felt football in Nigeria is for school “dropouts” and “never-do-wells.” Moreover, she felt that the football world is too wide and it will take me so long a time to make it. At a point she begged me to join business. Even now despite my status, she still wish I am in school. I know she is now encouraging me just because she is my mother and wants me to be happy and at least do well in my chosen career.
Q: Have you experienced any difficulty in your six years of playing professional?
A: As a professional footballer no. I really thank God for that. The only period I had difficulties was in my early days. You know nothing good comes easy. It was really tough coupled with Mum’s rejection of my idea of playing football. But I think my determination and perseverance paid off.
Q: Who is your role model?
A: Uche Okechukwu.
Q: Having played in the professional league for about six years do you think the league is making progress, and what is the way forward?
A: If I say that the league is not making progress at all, that will be unfair. Before now people depend solely on home victories and accidental away draw or win that will leave both the players and match officials with battered faces to win the league. But now the trend is gradually fading away. One thing I would want to suggest is for NFA to care for officials even if it is going to be the clubs responsibility, let NFA do the disbursement. Poverty is endemic in Nigeria so when clubs dangle hundreds of thousands of naira before a referee who wants to complete his housing project, you don’t expect him or her to say no. That is why a referee will lose his teeth, have himself beaten to a pulp or even his ankle broken and you will not find it in his official report to NFA. The referees should be adequately protected. Not to engage the services of police supporters club arm of the home team. The referees are human beings, you see sometimes they misbehave not because of money but because of their lives. Premier league without adequate security is not better than amateur league anywhere.
Q: Enyimba began the league on a very poor note and today they are struggling to be in the first two why? A: You see the reason for that is simple. The success of last year entered into our heads and that kind of rubbed off on our league performance at the beginning. But now that we’ve realised that over confidence is not the best approach and decided to cool down and concentrate, we’ve not lost any match carelessly. When we lose, we lose like champions.
Q: What was it like losing in Tunisia when you had counted the match an away draw?
A: Well that’s football for you. You can’t predict football. Football is all about winning, losing and drawing and we found ourselves in the middle losing. To me that’s the way God wanted it to be because we had more chances than the Tunisians to win the game. Nobody should blame Vincent (Enyeama, Goalkeeper) because he saved a lot of goals. You can’t play for 90 minutes without one mistake and unfortunately his one mistake caused a goal. You can’t kill him for that. Above all, I give God the glory because we lost like champions. At the end of the game, their fans were cheering us, which is an indication that we did not fumble.
Q: Do you think Eyimba will win the African title again?
A: Yes, I hope so.
Q: It was learnt that the club refused to release you to play outside Nigeria because of the Champions League. Do you still want to win the Globacom Premier League title and probably play the Champions League again?
A: One thing is clear, I want to play outside Nigeria. I also want to win the league, which will be a plus for me. But you know that if I win the Premier League 50 times without playing outside, then it will be meaningless because our league is not properly developed. It cannot compete with other premier leagues like that of South Africa, Europe or even Asia. If it were okay, one can say to hell with Europe. It will be unfair if I win the league again and they still refuse to let me go. I have to go away to give others chance to come up. There is always another Obinna there, the only thing is to give him chance at least I was given a chance.
Q: Do you have plans of leaving soon at the close of the season?
A: Yes. I have a contract with Orlando Pirates of South Africa, but Enyimba refused to release me because I had signed earlier for the Champions League. I am not embittered anyway, that is what it should be because they want to achieve something. At first I felt bad but on a second thought I took it to be encouragement believing that the next one will be better.
Q: What do you think about the Champion League?
A: You know Champions League is not an easy competition. But the way things are going for now, I think we will retain the cup, the result in Tunisia not withstanding.
Q: Are you married or do you intend doing that when you are out?
A: I am not married yet. But I don’t intend marrying ‘oyibo.’ I will marry a Nigerian and by the special grace of God, I will marry soon. I am still young, my father is late, we are not many in the family, and I will marry early. I want to do all I can to prove to Mum that footballers are responsible people.
Q: What is your favourite food that makes you strong?
A: I enjoy eating Eba (garri) with good soup right before every match and on the match day I take light food. But it must be “Eba” a day to the match.
Q: What puts you off? A: Lies and I hate people cheating others or worst still cheat me. Q: What puts on?
A: If you are straight forward with me and sincere, that makes me happy.
Q: How do you see invitation to the Super Eagles?
A: Well it is the prayer of any footballer to wear the colours of his country at any level especially the senior level. I was in the Olympic team that did not qualify for the Athens Games, but this invitation excites me the more because I had longed for it. I told you before now that God’s time is the best and today my patience and hard work had paid off.. I thank God the coaches remembered me. Again it has shown that we have coaches who believe in the materials at home and giving them chance will further enhance their performance. My joy is not only being called to the camp, but given the opportunity to play against Zimbabwe and be part of history against the boisterous Zimbabweans.
Nigeriasports.com: Thank you very much.
Chigozie Chukwuleta
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