News on Top"EAGLES CAN QUALIFY NIGERIA FOR 2013 N/CUP"

Dolphins FC holding midfielder Chidi Osuchukwu who was invited to the Super Eagles camp before the friendly against Liberia looks forward to being part of the team again. In this interview with IZUCHUKWU OKOSI, the former Flying Eagles star boasts that the home-based Eagles can qualify Nigeria for next year’s African Nations Cup without the foreign-based stars
You must be looking forward to getting an invitation again to the Super Eagles, now that home based players are getting more opportunities in the team under coach Stephen Keshi?
Yes, I was invited to the Super Eagles before the team traveled to Monrovia to play Liberia, so I still regard myself as a member of the Eagles. I believe I’ve got a future with the senior national team and I
can’t wait to start playing.

Really? So you had a chance to play some games? How do you see the chances of the team against Rwanda in the second leg after the 1-1 draw in Kigali?

I hope to be part of the camping exercise by month end ahead of the next game but I don’t know for now though. The issue of who plays rests with the coach but I’m confident that he (Stephen Keshi) will give me a chance to express myself in the team. As I can see, he is a man that believes in the ability of the home-based players so I hope to be part of his team when the players regroup.
Now that Super Eagles coach gives opportunities to more home based players in the national team, do you think you guys can qualify Nigeria for the 2013 African Nations Cup without the foreign based players?
Yes we can do it! For so long ,the home-based players craved for a coach that will have faith in them and thankfully the NFF appointed a man who sees a lot of prospects in the players in our domestic league.
Which established Super Eagles player is your role model?
I’m a midfielder and draw inspiration from a lot of them. Joel Obi, Mikel Obi, Fegor Ogude…they are all good
From other leagues across the world?
Manchester City’s David Silva. He is very crafty with the ball and a big threat going forward, his passes are great.
Many of your fans don’t know.Are you a defensive midfielder or attacking midfielder?
I’m a defensive midfielder but I can equally fit in any other position.
Which games would you say are your best and worst for Dolphins and what were the results?
This season I had so many good games that I cannot even pinpoint the best now
How many goals have you scored for your team Dolphins this season?
I’ve scored four league goals, then one goal in the CAF Champions League.
You were part of the African U-20 African Youth
Championship in South Africa last year but did not make the Flying Eagles team to the U-20 World Cup in Colombia. How difficult was it for you to accept?
I was very sad to be dropped from the team to Colombia but that was the decision of the chief coach. I cried my eyes out but what could I do? He was in charge of the team after all.
But despite failing to make the U- 20 World Cup squad,you had rave reviews for your performances in South Africa. There must have been several offers that came your way, right?
I was adjudged the best player for our team in one of our matches, but nothing concrete came after the tournament. I played all the games, in fact, I started all and a lot of nice things were said about me.
Which country abroad do you intend playing in?
Any of the good leagues in Europe will do for a start. One thing I believe is this: What will be will be.
It’s not about where you play and sometimes what you played. It’s by the favour of God that we achieve great things in our lives
How would you describe the standard of the Nigerian league?
The standard is rapidly improving in terms of quality of players but other factors can still be improved
Most Nigerians wonder why a lot of you guys don’t get good deals after representing Nigeria. Why is this so ?
I answered this question earlier. Its by the grace of God that we do things in life. What is yours will definitely be yours ,it’s just a matter of time. Some of the great players in Europe easily made it because it’s their place sometimes you can push someone out to better or worst things.
What was going through your mind during the 2012 Nations Cup without Nigeria?
I was thinking how could the Nations Cup go on without Nigeria, it was annoying but I hope we can bounce back because this is just a phase.
Most Nigerians want to see the U-20 and U-23 teams combined plus few experienced players to play in the new Super Eagles. What do you think?
If the coach of the Super Eagles would do it then that will be great. It will bode well for the national team because we need young, committed players to take the team to the next level. Every national team goes through a circle and we must also improve.
Mikel is not playing regularly for Chelsea these days. Do you think he should go on loan or find another club since Michael Essien, Ramires, Meireles and Oriol Romeu are his competitors for the defensive midfield role?
Mikel is one of the longest serving Chelsea players and if he wasn’t good enough,would not be making the first team of each coach that came to the club. Infact he wouldn’t have been signed in the first instance. He will get over this setback. He lost his first team place due to injury and perhaps the tactics of the coach
Can you tell us how you started your career,past clubs etc?
I started my football career in 2005 and my first club was Paulson Academy in Benin, then my second club was Gateway F.C. Now I play for Dolphins FC of Port Harcourt
Did your family support your choice of career?
My father didn’t buy the idea of me playing football. He wanted me to go to school, my mum and my brothers were the ones that supported me to play football.
Does your mum watch you play live? Can she bear to see you injured?
During the African Youth Championship, they won’t go out for the day just to watch me on Television.She does watch me when she has the time.