The Nation Newspaper

Category: SOS

  • LEON BALOGUN: Nigeria can be a big surprise in Russia

    ENGLISH Premier League (EPL) side, Brighton & Hove Albion latest signing, Leon Balogun, may have been born in West Berlin, Germany, but he is through and through a Nigerian.

    He attributes his strong connection to Nigeria to his father, Cesar Balogun, who shared African details with him while growing up.  Beyond the colour of his skin, which he inherited from his German mother, the early life of the 29-year-old revolved around Nigeria and Africa.

    “There were a lot of mixed-race kids with a German mum and African dad or the other way round and at home we had some traditional African arts,” the former FC Mainz defender said in his most revealing interview yet published in the latest edition of global football magazine, World Soccer.

    “My father used to cook Nigerian food. There was some music but that’s about it. But he gave me his African vibes, his mentality and that’s the biggest part of me.”

    He noted that even though he was not physically linked with his father’s relatives, his father ensured that he was surrounded by Africans in Germany: “We met with a lot of friends, but not everyone was from Nigeria. We had friends from Ghana and Sierra Leone.”

    By the time the new Brighton signing had established himself as a professional player; he had fully developed his sentiment for Nigeria and Africa. Yet, he had never been to the continent.

    He did not land in his fatherland until the turn of the century, when he was invited to the Nigerian national team, the

     

    Super Eagles, by late coach Stephen Keshi. It was an eventful homecoming and a turning point in his fledgling career.

    “When I went to Nigeria for the first time, something stirred inside me. When I first touched down, I was, ”OK, this is Nigeria, I’m here for the first time…finally! I was also proud to be there. People show you a lot of love. It’s always amazing,” he offered.

    Sadly, his Nigerian relatives were not there to welcome him. “No (relatives came out to see me), because the relationships in my family are not too strong. That’s why I hadn’t been to Nigeria before I went to the national team. It’s like that sometimes. It’s either one big happy family or you have some fights. My father tried to keep me out of that. I have some cousins in London. That’s about it.”

    He continued: “It was really nice. I love the mentality, everyone is always happy; they have this relaxed approach. Sometimes, when you grow up in Germany and everything is really structured; then sometimes you can get a bit mad because in Nigeria, things can get a bit slow.

    “People are calmer, more relaxed when they do their things, but still they are very serious about everything. But, at the same time, I enjoy the happy times because no matter how little some people have got, they seem so happy. That always humbles me. And, of course, I like to be around the team because we always have fun.

    “It’s always nice, at the table for dinner, lunch, breakfast. We always laugh, make jokes. If we are training, we are very serious, very focused. But, yes, it’s just cool vibes all the time.”

    Balogun speaks further on his England move, his first game for the Eagles and the World Cup in Russia. Excerpts:

    Between Nigeria and Germany

    I was dreaming of that and I’m happy it worked out that way. It did happen and I just got a call from Stephen Keshi. He was the coach at that time. I was playing at [Fortuna] Dusseldorf at the same time. It was one night, about 11pm, I heard his voice and said to myself: “It’s about to happen now.” I was prepared a little because there was a journalist, who was a close friend of Keshi, who told me that he likes the way I play and that I’m going to get a call-up.

    Initial apprehension over cultural differences

    I was very excited because there were some big names in the squad, but also I wasn’t sure how they were going to react. Most of them wouldn’t know me, but I was going to be with them, sit around with them. It was kind of awkward when we met up for the first time and also we didn’t go first to Nigeria but met up in Atlanta, so that took a little bit away from the excitement. But just to be around all those experienced and big international players for Nigeria was very exciting; somehow intimidating, but I think I coped quite well. The first time everyone was quite distant but the second time it was Tony Ujah, who has joined our team [Mainz] and John Ogu, who plays in Israel.

    Mixed feelings on debut against Mexico in 2014

    I broke my foot. That cost me participation in the last World Cup, in 2014. It was quite tough, but I think I bounced back even better.  Yes (Keshi let me know I would be in future Nigeria plans) definitely. He called every two or three weeks to see how I was and how my recovery was going. They were still hoping for me to join the team [at the World Cup in Brazil] and I had hopes at first too, but I realised it would take me some time to heal. By the time the team went to the preparation camp, I knew I would have to miss out. After Nigeria were eliminated by France, he said at the press conference that he missed me, so that was a boost

    Making impression with the Nigeria fans on home debut

    Oh it was good, very, very good. I remember I played right full-back [against Chad in 2015], I got the ball deep in our own half, I did a small cross over, nothing special and the crowd went wild. I think they liked the way I interpreted my position because I always like to attack if I play in the right full-back position. And they were very happy. The coach was happy and satisfied, but ever since I made my debut against Mexico, Nigerians have really supported me. I can’t complain about a lack of support, or a lack of love, or whatever you want to call it. It was an honour (to have won the captain’s armband), amazing, and a great feeling. Everybody considers Nigeria a real football nation and if you consider there are 170 million watching you, leading the national team onto the field, that’ quite a big thing.

    Dealing with fans’ pressure

    It gives you a boost but it also gives you pressure because if you lose then the Nigerians are not happy. This could affect you. I don’t think they would harm us in any way, but you also don’t want them to be angry with you or mad at the situation! It always gives you a little extra boost to do your best. So it’s possible, but you also don’t want to get into trouble with the fans. We have 170 million football-loving people but also 170 million coaches.

    Qualifying for Russia 2018 ahead of Cameroon

    I wouldn’t say surprised, but the coach [Gernot Rohr], when he first came, told us “nobody is expecting us to survive and to come out of this group as a World Cup contestant.” But he told us from the beginning that it was all about team spirit because we have such quality in the side. From the start, he said we were at least on the same level as Algeria  and Cameroon, it’s just that people from outside were saying they are not going to make it, they haven’t qualified for the last two Nations Cup finals and Nigeria isn’t Nigeria anymore. I think we proved them wrong. As I said, our team spirit I think was the key and the coach, he really puts focus on that point, growing together as a strong unit, and that’s what we did. The rest I think is just the individual quality that everyone brings into this pot of the team game after game. Some games felt easy, in fact – once we were on the right track, after scoring one or two goals. But before every game, we were really, really focused. At the same time you could feel there was also huge respect towards Algeria, towards Cameroon and even towards Zambia. To me, Zambia was the toughest opponent of them all. I only played in the second game against them but they were young and ambitious and to me, they were the biggest surprise in this group.

    Beating African champions Cameroon 4-0

    Before that game we were like, ”wow this is going to be tough”. The excitement level was big. We knew we had a big chance and we did not want to go to the game in Yaoundé having lost. At the same time, we knew that we are very strong at our home ground, especially with the crowd behind us and yes, the way it went was unbelievable. Beating Cameroon 4-0 – they had just won the African Nations Cup – was like wow! But if I look back at the game we were so good that day.

    Gernot Rohr’s impact

    He’s different, he’s German, and it’s maybe something Africans are not used to; but he is very focused on discipline. He needs structures: his way of thinking, his way of working. I think it gets annoying for some of the players and some of the staff sometimes because they are just not used to it because everything has to be 100 percent on point. If one thing is a bit left, he’s like ‘no, no, I’m not having it’. But it gives us the structure in the games and I think you can clearly see his handwriting. I think he’s done very, very well. He’s very calm, he is experienced, and he also knows how to handle the African mentality

    Tears of joy after World Cup qualification

    I cried! It was just overwhelming. I don’t know, it was tears of joy. I think everybody can relate to that feeling. Still, even up to now, I can’t believe that it is going to happen, that I’m going to play in a World Cup. I think we’ve a lot of players who feel the same

    Russia 2018 World Cup draw

    I was outside on the pitch. I didn’t see the draw on TV live; I just checked my phone when I came back to the changing room. The physio and players who had stayed inside said to me: “Do you want to know? Do you want to know?” Then my Argentinian team-mate Pablo De Blasis said to me: “Hey Leon! We are playing in the same group again.” I said: “Oh no, come on, every time the same group, this is getting boring!” But seriously I think it’s a nice challenge. It’s similar to the group we had during the qualifiers, one of the most exciting groups I think and very competitive. Argentina are a team that stand for themselves if you look at their players and their individual quality, but they are beatable. I’m very optimistic.

    Balogun versus Messi

    Yes! It’s going to be interesting. I’m really looking forward to it. He’s one of my favourite players. I love to watch him play, but when we play them I have to forget about that. His (Messi) shirt a lot of players will ask for. I might have to bribe a few. We will have to find a solution. Maybe I can get a message to Messi that he mustn’t just bring one jersey but bring 11 so everybody is happy afterwards!

    Crunch task with Croatia and Iceland

    I think Iceland we’ll have to take very seriously. They had an amazing campaign during the qualifiers and at the European Championships they performed very well. They have been a big surprise. Croatia have great individual quality and on a good day can beat the best teams. It’s one of the toughest groups and we have to prove that we are tougher than Iceland and Croatia, and better also than Argentina. But it’s going to be hard work. We can be a big surprise. I’m not saying we are going to be the one but the chances are there. We have great individual quality as well, especially in the attack, and if we can fix a few things in certain areas of our game then we have a chance to go far. I know that a lot of Nigerians expect us to bring home the World Cup but you have to be realistic because there are a lot of teams with a legitimate claim to raise the trophy at the end of the tournament. We will see. The key will be that we perform as a team, and once that is achieved then the players can bring their individual quality. If the defence does a good job, the rest won’t have to focus too much on defending and can think about the attack.

    Moving to the English Premier League

    I always had a dream to play in the Premier League, and Brighton was one of the first teams to show an interest in me. I’ve been following English football as much as I can in Germany, and I saw how they got promoted from the Championship.

    I liked the way they played last season in the Premier League too and how they were able to maintain their status. It’s really impressive how they work, not just as individuals, but as a team too.

    I think the Premier League is more competitive. The Bundesliga is probably the most comparable to the Premier League. Every footballer wants to compete and I think that’s the biggest challenge. It’s more physical, which I personally like. It’s a bit quicker as well and the individual quality in each team is on another level in comparison to the Bundesliga. This is my first club outside of Germany, so there will be a lot of new stuff to adapt to. But I am looking forward to this new experience.

  • Anthony Joshua begged to get $80 million to fight Deontay Wilder in America

    PROMOTER Frank Warren has urged Anthony Joshua to accept Deontay Wilder’s offer to make their potential match-up happen in the US.

    Talks of a showdown between unified heavyweight champion Joshua and American Wilder have been materialising for some time.

    The fight will act as the first time a heavyweight contest will be competed for all four of the main organisation’s world titles, with Joshua owning the IBF, WBA, and WBO straps and Wilder the WBC belt.

    Both teams have claimed they want the fight while their rival do not, however Wilder took to social media to publicly offer Joshua £50million to fight him with details later emerging that the fight being hosted in the US must be part of the deal.

    Promoter Eddie Hearn responded to the offer by questioning whether the offer was genuine or a PR stunt, while Joshua claimed the fight must take place in the UK to reward his loyal fan base.

    Hearn’s rival promoter, Frank Warren, had his say on the matter when speaking with Boxing News, claiming team ‘AJ’ must accept an offer to travel stateside.

    Warren said: ‘They’re saying they don’t want to go to the States and Anthony is saying he owes a UK fight to his fans. I’ll tell you what, Ricky Hatton’s fans had the best days out in Vegas.

    ‘They loved it. Do they really want to do it? You can only assume the reason it’s not happening is because they’re paying him 80 million dollars for his next two fights in the UK.’

    Warren also commented on Hearn’s claim that the funds Wilder initially offered should be called into question.

    ‘First of all, there was a genuine offer made of a guarantee of 50 million dollars,’ Warren said. ‘Whatever happens, he’s going to get 50 million.

    ‘Then, in accordance to the rematch clause, he’d get 30 million. So, over the course of six months he could stand to make 80 million dollars, minimum. That was the deal.’

    Hearn recently signed a $1 billion deal with sports streaming company DAZN to broadcast events in the US and UK, and although Joshua was not part of the deal, Warren suggested the huge money partnership could be the reason behind rejecting a Wilder offer.Warren said: ‘I’d take it (an offer to fight Wilder) where’s he going to get a guaranteed 80 million dollars in the next six months? But they must be guaranteeing him that, otherwise why would they turn it down? They must have guaranteed Joshua 80 million out of that billion they’ve got.’

  • Dominic Solanke: I’m a ‘born winner’

    After completing his summer move from Chelsea, Liverpool youngster Dominic Solanke provided an insight into why he decided to join the Reds.

    Solanke arrives after sealing the U20 World Cup with England, also being awarded the Golden Ball as player of the tournament in South Korea.

    And having also won the FA Youth Cup twice and the UEFA Youth League once with Chelsea, as well as the European U17 Championship at international level, Solanke arrives with a proven pedigree.

    On sealing his switch to Merseyside, Solanke described himself as a “born winner,” as well as explaining the variety of roles he is able to perform in attack.

    “My favourite position would probably be the striker, No. 9,” he said.

    “But I can play behind the striker in the No. 10 position or out wide, so I’m quite versatile.” The Basingstoke native also revealed why he chose to join the Reds, having received some encouragement from two of his team-mates at the World Cup this summer.

    “As a young player you always want to see your club pushing through their young players and hoping you can do the same,” he explained.

    “I’m quite good friends with Joe Gomez, I’ve known him from quite young, and obviously Ovie [Ejaria] and Sheyi [Ojo] who were with us at the World Cup.

    “I think Liverpool have got a lot of good young players, so hopefully everyone can play their part.

    “We spoke a bit and they’ve only got good things to say, so I’m looking forward to enjoying it with them.”

    Naturally, the prospect of working under Klopp is also a major deciding factor for any young player, and Solanke is no different. “I’m so excited. Every time I see him he’s so enthusiastic and passionate,” he said of his new manager.

    “I think that’s what you need as a manager, so I’m really looking forward to working with him.

    “As a young player all you want to do is reach your full potential, so to have good players around you and a good manager to help that will be really good.

    “I just want to make an impact. Hopefully when I get my opportunity I can take it and help the team.”

    Solanke is expected to begin the campaign with the Liverpool U23s, but can expect to be given chances to perform at first-team level, too.

    His first opportunity could come this pre-season, with the friendly against Tranmere Rovers the ideal backdrop for the youngster to showcase his wares.

    Solanke was part of the England squad that won the 2014 UEFA European Under-17 Championship. He was the tournament’s joint top scorer with four goals in four appearances. Nigeria is yet to officially approach the 17-year-old player.

  • GARETH SOUTHGATE: Why we’re playing Nigeria at Wembley

    England manager, Gareth Southgate, speaks on the forthcoming duel between the Three Lions and Super Eagles at Wembley and his fond love for Nigerian legends, Nwankwo Kanu and Austin Jay Jay Okocha in an interview with MORAKINYO ABODUNRIN.

    England manager, Gareth Southgate, has spoken exclusively to The Nation about the choice of the Super Eagles for the prestige pre-FIFA World Cup Russia 2018 friendly against the Three Lions, to be played at Wembley Stadium in London on Saturday, 2nd June 2018.

    The match will be only the third international match between both countries at senior level since Nigeria and England first clashed in a post -USA’94 World Cup game at the old Wembley Stadium on 16th November 1994. Former England captain David Platt scored the only goal of the game off a late first half header.

    Both teams met again at the Nagai Stadium in Osaka, Japan on 12th June 2002 in a keenly-contested goalless encounter that saw the Super Eagles being eliminated at the group stage of the Korea/ Japan 2002 World Cup.

    “We didn’t choose Nigeria (for the June 2 friendly match)  just because we had an African team in our group at the World Cup finals (England are drawn against Tunisia, Panama and Belgium in Group G at Russia 2018),” the 47-year old Southgate told The Nation. “But the truth is that we don’t often have the opportunity of playing teams outside Europe and we thought it was a great opportunity playing against Nigeria.”

    Such has been Southgate’s familiarity with Nigerian football and her footballers after watching some of the country’s best exports to the English Premier League (EPL) over the years.

    He offered: “I was in the squad when we played them (Nigeria) in 2002 and there have been a lot of Nigerian players that have been successful in the Premier League. Like (Nwankwo) Kanu and (Austin) Jay Jay Okocha; both of them really made a great impact in our league and they are my favourite Nigerian players.”

    Southgate is one of the few relatively young managers heading  to Russia 2018 World Cup  but he  reckons the wisdom of coaching  at the international level has nothing to do with ‘the age of Methuselah,’ insisting all that is required  for such a high profile job as England manager is resilience.

    “I’ve gone through the baptism that I could go through and you must be resilient to be involved in the game for 37 years as a player and manager,” said the England manager who starred for Crystal Palace, Aston Villa and Middlesbrough in a career spanning almost two decades.

    A holder of the UEFA Pro Licence, Southgate has been in coaching since 2006 from Middlesbrough to the England U-21, to the Three Lions. He had a rough and tumble period at Middlesbrough where he was eased out in 2009. He was in-charge of the England Under-21 team and qualified the lads for the European Under-21 Championship in 2015 – where they were knocked out in the group stages after finishing last in their group. Southgate was put in temporary charge of the senior England team in 2016 when Sam Allardyce resigned after one game due to a ‘transfer bung’ scandal.

    After some impressive results including a 2–0 win against Malta, goalless draw with Slovenia; 3-0 thrashing of  Scotland 3–0 and a  2-2 draw against Spain; he was appointed substantive England manager on a four-year contract on 30 November 2016.

    “I have devoted over 30 years to the game; though I’m one of the young managers on the international scene, but all the same I don’t think being 47 years of age is a big thing. It’s not about your age but your experience and resilience,” he noted in the interview with The Nation.

    Meanwhile, Southgate has defended his 23-man England squad for the Russia 2018 World Cup following its announcement during the week.

    On the list were EPL players popular with Nigerian football fans like Harry Kane, Raheem Sterling, Dele Alli and Ruben Loftus-Cheek, amongst others.

    “I believe this is a squad which we can be excited about,” Southgate said. “We have a lot of energy and athleticism in the team, but players that are equally comfortable in possession of the ball and I think people can see the style of play we’ve been looking to develop.

    “It is a young group, but with some really important senior players so I feel the balance of the squad is good, both in terms of its experience, its character and also the positional balance.”

    He added: “The selection process has been over months really, it’s not just been the last few weeks. We feel the team are improving and we want to continue that momentum.

    “The first call up for Trent Alexander-Arnold is well deserved. When we pick young players, it’s not just because they are young, it’s because their performances deserve it.”

    The quality of some of these players Southgate says would be well tested come June 2 at Wembley.

    “We know that they (Nigeria) have great fantastic support in England and that would be a  fantastic atmosphere; and a good test for us  ahead of the World Cup finals.”

     

    Your transition from being a footballer to a manager has been so smooth. What premonition did you have about your current job as England manager?

    I don’t think it has been very smooth (general laughter); it has been a very complicated change because you are learning a whole new set of different skills. In terms of being a manager, it has  been interesting by first taking on the  England U-21 team and it’s a great grounding before becoming the manager; because most of the problem you  face (as England manager) are similar to that of the U-21 team. Of course, the profile (of the England national team) is higher; taking up the junior team was a good preparation to be England manager.

    Exactly, 20 years ago you featured for England at France’98. What are your memories of the tournament?

    In general terms it was brilliant. It was a great experience to be involved as a kid because you want to play for your country in the World Cup and I still have the memory of running out for warm up for the first game. But then I got a bit of personal disappointment because I got injured after the first match; having started the first match. After that I didn’t get to start in the team and only came on a substitute against Argentina; but looking back that was an incredible game to be involved in as well. In the end, it was a bit disappointing that we couldn’t go as far as we probably thought we could. We lost to Romania in the group game and that meant it was going to be a difficult route to the final because we had to meet Argentina in the second round stage, which we could have avoided if we hadn’t lost in the group.

    You will be one of the young managers at Russia 2018. How psychologically prepared are you for your World Cup baptism?

    I’ve gone through a lot of baptism that I could go through and to be in the game for37 years as a player and manager, you must be resilient. I have devoted over 30 years to the game; though I’m one of the young managers on the international scene, but all the same I don’t think being 47 years of age is a big thing. It’s not about your age but your experience and resilience.

    Neutrals believe England is in a fairly decent group along with Belgium, Panama and Tunisia, and should easily progress to the second round. What are your thoughts about your Group G rivals?

    Well, in terms of FIFA World Ranking, we have three teams that are ranked third (Belgium); 13th (England) and 14th (Tunisia) and that means it’s actually one of the most difficult groups at this World Cup.  Our first opponent is Tunisia and we shouldn’t look further than that. I’ve been very impressed with their style based on the games I’ve watched them play, and that is a tough opening game for us. We know that Panama has achieved an incredible result by qualifying for the World Cup for the first time; and they have a lot of pride and passion. We also know the quality that Belgium possess after seeing some of their players in our league (English Premier League).  It is not a straight forward Group, but that is what it should be in a World Cup final tournament.

    England will host Nigeria at Wembley Stadium. Why the choice of Nigeria knowing you have a North African, and not a West African side, in your Russia 2018 World Cup Group?

    We didn’t choose Nigeria just because we had an African team in our Group at the World Cup finals. The truth is that we don’t often have the opportunity of playing teams outside Europe. So, we thought it was a great opportunity playing against Nigeria and we know that they (Nigeria) have great fantastic support in England and that would be a fantastic atmosphere. It is a good test for us ahead of the World Cup finals.

    Which Nigerian players have impressed you over the years? What is your impression of the current team going to Russia 2018?

    I was in the squad when we played them in 2002 and there have been a lot of Nigerian players that have been successful in the Premier League.  Like (Nwankwo) Kanu and (Austin) Jay Jay Okocha; both of them really made a great impact in our league and they are my favourite Nigerian players.

    What will be a good tournament for England in Russia against the background that England are world champions at the U20 and U17 levels?

    Obviously, it has been a great 18 months for our junior teams. But that is a long progress for our junior teams because these players are not ready for the World Cup yet. It would be difficult for them to compete for places now because we have an exciting squad of young players in this current England national team. The victories of the junior national teams have given us a lot of enthusiasm but we shall see how far the senior team can go at the World Cup.

    What makes you happy as a person and manager?

    As a manager, winning makes me happy; really seeing the way   and style I want the team plays; being disciplined and seeing that everybody is involved. I enjoy working with all the players. As a person, taking time away from football to be with my family is very important.

    What’s your definition of fashion and what would be your lucky attire in Russia?

    I have no issue about what to put on in Russia. We have a team suit and track suits and I’m pretty comfortable with that, but by and large, everybody has their own style.

    Which player would be the star of Russia 2018? Which country would win the trophy?

    It is always difficult to say which player would be the star of the tournament because we have a lot of stars coming. Certainly, it’s a tournament that is difficult to predict the winner though we know that Brazil and Germany are the huge favourites because of their past record, coupled with the form of their current teams.  There are teams that could cause a lot of problems for everybody and we hope (England) would be one of them.

    What would be your parting message to your family before travelling to Russia 2918 World Cup?

    I want my family to enjoy the World Cup as well; we are going to do the work as best as we can. Everybody has to embrace the World Cup and the spectacle that it is; and I hope my family can embrace that as well.

  • SUPER SEVEN:Most expensive cars owned by African Footballers

    Footballers are known to spend huge sums of money to buy classy cars, which are perhaps their most expensive and glamorous purchases and African footballers are no exceptions. They are never afraid to splash heavy amounts on some elegant rides that match their class if you may like. Listed are the seven  most expensive cars owned by African footballers

    SAMUEL ETO’O ( CAMEROON): BUGATTI VEYRON

    Former Chelsea striker Samuel Eto’o wins the number one spot to lead this expensive list of cars driven by African footballers. While Eto’o owns an expensive fleet of cars that is approximately worth around £4 million, it is his Bugatti Veyron that stands out as the coolest and most expensive. For those who may not be aware, Bugatti Veyron holds the enviable position of the most expensive and fastest car in the world. And this man Samuel Eto’o is the only footballer of African descent who owns a Bugatti Veyron. He is a fan of good cars and is known to own a wide range of rides including a Maybach Xenatec worth around £750,000 and a Martin One-77 valued at £1.25 million.

    EL HADJI  DIOUF ( SENEGAL): MERCEDES MCLAREN SLR

    El Hadji Diouf is a very popular footballer in Africa where he has also emerged twice as the winner of the continent’s footballer of the year. The star owns an elegant Mercedes McLaren SLR that is estimated to be worth about £400,000. He has had stints at big clubs including Sunderland, Liverpool, Leeds United, Blackburn Rovers and Bolton Wanderers.

    OBAFEMI MARTINS ( NIGERIA): MERCEDES-BENZ SLR MCLAREN (CONVERTIBLE)

    Obafemi Martins owns a classy convertible Mercedes McLaren that is estimated to cost no less than £335,000. He loves the car so much, no wonder he was spotted showing it off some time back.

    DIDIER DROGBA (COTE D’IVOIRE): MERCEDES SL65

    Didier Drogba is a football legend who made his name at Chelsea Football Club. He is well-known for his remarkable scoring abilities and passion for the game. Chelsea fans voted him in 2012 as the club’s greatest player ever. A true hero of football, Drogba has a nice Mercedes SL65 to match his status. The car is sufficiently classy to equal the stature of a man who has inspired and entertained millions of fans around the world.

    EMMANUEL ADEBAYOR (TOGO): ASTON MARTIN DBS V12

    Emmanuel Adebayor owns a fleet of pricey luxury cars among them a Porsche Carrera, a Bentley, a Mercedes G-Class and a Fisker Karma. But his Aston Martin DBS (Volante) is the most expensive car in his fleet and probably the loveliest of all.

    JOHN MIKEL OBI ( NIGERIA): BENTLEY CONTINENTAL GT

    Mikel Obi’s form and quality when at Chelsea didn’t go down quite well with many of his fans but that in no way affected the balance on his account statement. The story is also different when it comes to the kind of car this African footballer drives. Mikel rides a 2008 model of the Bentley Continental GT among other top of the range cars. The high performance 2008 Bentley Continental GT features an equally high performance 12 cylinder engine, luxury interior and exterior details and standard 20” wheels. The cost is a whole £145,000.

    SULLEY MUNTARI (GHANA): LAMBORGHINI GALLARDO

    Sulley Muntari  was  part of the Portsmouth squad that lifted the FA cup during the two consecutive seasons of 2008/9 and 2009/10. He drives a sweet Lamborghini Gallardo with an estimated worth of about £135,000. He loves cars so much that he also runs a car pimping business.

  • MIKEL AGU: I used to dream of Range Rover, but I have one now

    Super Eagles’ midfielder, Mikel Ndubusi Aguhas revealed how much he coveted the exotic automobile, Range Rover. Last year,  the Range Rover – the luxury sport utility vehicle (SUV)-topped  the list of  racy automobiles  purchased by footballers with the others being  Lamborghini Aventador, Mercedes-Benz Onyx G6 GLE Coupe,Bentley Continental GT,Ferrari F12 Berlinetta,Lamborghini Huracan,Jeep Wrangler Kahn Sahara;Porsche 911 GTS;Bentley Bentayga and McLaren 675LT Spider.

    Indeed, top-notch automobiles have always being the dream of every dream footballer and Agu is now basking in the joy of owning a luxurious SUV-the Range Rover Spy.

    “I used to dream of having a Range Rover but I have one now, “the 24-year-old  Agu , a loanee from  FC  Porto to Turkish Superliga side, Bursaspor  told The Nation.

    “There is no big reason about having a Range Rover but it just happened to be my best choice.”

    Born and raised  in one of Nigeria’s football  capital cities (precisely  Benin City in Edo State), Agu reportedly started his career with grassroots team Megapp FC –the club that produced the likes of Victor Moses of Chelsea;  Elderson Echiejile of Cercle Brugge  amongst others.

    He caught the attention of scouts after he impressed during the 2009 Copa Coca-Cola where he was picked as the best player of the tournament. It was after the tournament that he  joined the youth academy of  Portuguese famous club, FC Porto to kick start  his  adventure in Europe.

    After impressing with the Porto U-19 where he played for two seasons, he was drafted into the main squad  and was handed his senior team  debut against Gil Vicente in a 2-1 win when he came on  as a substitute for Josué.

    But he was later sent back to Porto  Team B with whom he made 69 league appearances between 2012 and 2016. He completed over 30 appearances in each of the 2012/2013 and 2013/2014 seasons. At the start of 2015/2016 season, after making one appearance for Porto B, he went on loan to Club Brugge in the Belgian Jupiler league where he  made just two league appearances as  Club Brugge finished the season as league champions.

    Back on loan to Portugal for the 2016-2017 season, Agu turned to overnight sensation as he made an impressive 27 league appearances and 34 total appearances in all competitions for Vitória Setúbal and helped the club to the semi-finals of the Taça da Liga. He was several named in the Team of the Week in Portugal to underline his arrival on the big stage and deservedly earned a long awaited call up into the Super Eagles. He eventually made his senior international debut for Nigeria in a 3-0 friendly win over Togo on June 1, 2017.

    But last August 2017 Agu joined Turkish side Bursaspor on a season-long loan deal and he shares  his yoyo experience from Belgium to Turkey

    “ I would  say Belgium was my  real take off point in Europe but I had a very bad experience because of politics and I played only three official games after coming back from injury,”  admitted Agu in an interview with our correspondent.  “I decided to stay back in Portugal in the following season  and look for a lower level team (Vitoria Setubal)  to get playing time because I had many injury setbacks.

    “ I choose to play in Setubal  which was  the  team of late Rashid Yekini; there  I played a lot and had a very good season which got me opportunity to the national team.

    “It was good  playing in the same club that had the great Rashid Yekinibecause he made it big in Setubal and the whole city knew about him big time. His pictures were all over the stadium and playing at a club where they got respect for a fellow Nigerian made sense; it was a good decision I made.

    “Everyone was  always talking good about him(Yekini) ; one day at the shopping mall, a guy told me that most times he doesn’t  even  pay to get things from shops. According to him, he was getting them for free because everyone loved him in the city. So, it was really good feeling playing at Setubal.

    “Here in turkey, it has been very good and has played games before I got injured and was out for two  months and that was the  injury that ruled me  off from the game against Algeria.

    “So far I have enjoyed my stay here in Turkey and the conditions here in terms of finance is very good,” he explained.

    Indeed Turkey has been a delight for Agu following the arrival of his first baby from his wife with who, he had an octane wedding ceremony in Asaba last year.

    Like you  know, we (men)  try as much possible to make it (wedding ceremony)special  occasion for our women,” explained Agu.“ It’s once in a life time and  most time, it’s  the women  that loves it big.

    “My wife (Henrietta Omoriege Ogochukwu) is from Delta state and we met her during one of my holidays to Nigeria; her beauty of course first attracted me to her.

    “At first, one can’t just conclude she’s the  special one  and that is why it’s always good to spend time together since it helps both partners to understand themselves well.

    “We’ve had good and bad moments and then learnt from all that happened and today, we are perfect together.”

    The bond between Agu and Henrietta has been  blessed with a baby son which he describes as the centre of his world: “The feeling (of being blessed with a child)  is hard to explain and only people who already had one can exactly tell how it feels. If you got already, you will know what I’m talking about. I experienced  it all on that day and was there with my wife when he (my son) came.

    “His name is Stefano;  I have always liked the name but  his traditional name is Chukwukaima and it means: God will answer your prayer,” noted Agu as he speaks on other sundry issues.

     

    You were nicknamed Mikel after John Mikel Obi, how do you feel playing in the same team with the Super Eagles captain?

    It feels very good to be playing in same team with John Mikel Obi and for me, it was  a dream come true. Mikel has been my mentor since after he played in the Under-20 World Cup and then made a big move to Chelsea.

    You have had the opportunity of coming on as substitute for him in few matches, what encouragement has he given you?

    Normally this has helped  to make me more known in the team,substituting the captain of the team and also one of the biggest elements of the squad worldwide; this opportunity has really motivate me to work more and the expectation will always be big.

    What inspiration did that give you?

    To work hard and also keep a good mark there in the club and for the city also

    How did you make your breakthrough in football?

    Long journey and I can’t explain everythinghere. I played my youth football in Benin City, Edo state and luckilywas scouted in a tournament in Owerri. I was scouted and made my move to FC Porto

    What kind of player is Mikel Aguand what makes you happy as a person?

    Good with area balls and  also goodwith using the ball. I’m also aggressive but my style depends on what coachneeds because every coach is with different tactics.The thing that makes me happy is my family (son and wife) andtheyare always here with me

    Have you decided with your wife the number of children you are going to have?

    Yes, we’ve  planned for just two

    What has been your best moments playing for the Super Eagles?

    For me,  my best moment so far was when we qualified for the World Cup Russia 2018  after our victory  against Zambia in Uyo

    Russia 2018 World Cup is around the corner, what are your personal objectives?

    My personal objective is to give my best for the country if been given the opportunity

    What Will be a good World Cup performance for the Super Eagles in Russia?

    No one know yet what will be the best performance but  we all know the group is a tough one; so every game is very important.

    Is playing Croatia, Iceland and Argentina a difficult assignment?

    For sure,  all these countries in the group are all difficult games. We know that we have the best teams at the World Cup. Imagine how many countries we have in the world but only 32 countries made it,so you can see there won’t  be any pushovers.

    What are your plans at the end of this season in Turkey?

    My plan after the end of season is to represent the country at the World Cup in Russia.

    What’s your definition of fashion and what kind of dressing you don’t like?

    I like corporate dressing

    What would you have done if not being a professional footballer?

    To become an engineer; a mechanical engineer but most time you don’t know what I would have been doing right now, sometimes life gives you what you never wished for.

  • BITRUS BEWARANG: How I dumped pilot ambition for football

    Former Green Eagles and coach of Nigeria’s Olympic team, Bitrus Bewarang has revealed his childhood ambition to become a pilot.  Football, according, to him was an accident.

    “When I was growing up, my ambition was to become a successful pilot,” began  Bewarang in an interview with our correspondent.“I wasn’t good in mathematics and physics but liked geography. I had to relax and dumped my pilot ambition. Football was an accident to me. My captain in school encouraged me to play football.”

    Bewarang, who has been in the football circuit for almost five decades, is a folk hero in Plateau state, where he led the darling local team , Plateau United  at one time or the other as coach, team manager and general manager. “From school, I proceeded to play in regional and national competitions and I was promoted to the senior national team; the Green Eagles in 1977,” the amiable former Super Eagles’ assistant coach further explained.

    He continued: “ My contemporaries were Christian Chukwu, Segun Odegbami and Adokiye Amesimeka but my adventure in soccer ended when I sustained a career-threatening injury in the Jos derby on  December  17th 1977.

    “Following the creation of states, the Sports Council recruited me and I was made the coach of Plateau State. I was sent on a coaching course in Germany, where I did a nine-month coaching course and I later returned for a coaching course at the National Institute for Sports (NIS) in Nigeria where I was a pioneer student,” noted Bewarang as he speaks about his humble beginning and related matters in an interview with TUNDE SHAMSUDEEN. Excerpts…

     

    Brightest moment as a coach

    There were  many moments  to cherish and remember. Among them was  winning the 1999 Challenge Cup final with Plateau United. Before that time, teams from Plateau state had lost 12 times in the final. We were accorded good reception. God saw my efforts and I was made the coach of the national  U-23 team. The team qualified for the 2000 Olympic Games in Australia. Another good moment for me was when I was made the General Manager of Plateau United after the team spent seven years in the second tier division. Furthermore, the person I recommended as the General Manager of Plateau United went on to make history to help the Peace Boys win the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) for the first time in the history of the club in 2017.

    Super Eagles at  Russia 2018  FIFA World Cup

    There is no phobia at all. Our boys tend to perform whenever they are pitched against top teams in the Group of Death. At USA 1994 and France 1998, the Super Eagles qualified with a game to spare. There are no pushovers  in the World Cup. Don’t forget that the Super Eagles recently defeated Argentina 4-2 in a friendly match and that has sent fear to the spine of other teams in the Mundial. I believe that this current set of players have what it takes to surpass the second round at  Russia 2018.

    Legacy as NFF’s Technical Director

    Honesty, sincerity and professionalism are needed in life. In future, posterity will judge us. My plan is to ensure that Nigeria win laurels during my tenure as the technical director of the NFF.

    Children’s ties with football

    Education is the best legacy one can give his children. My children have been engaged in one way or the other in sports. One of them is a Chemical Engineer and played for Plateau United and Remo Stars in the past. I always pray for them to perform well in their chosen careers.

    Message to football fans

    They should stay close to God. When you do things with the fear of God, all will fall into place.

    Doing  domestic chores at home

    I must be sincere with you; my late wife took it upon herself to manage the home and tried her best to train the children. I didn’t really have the chance for domestic chores. I was given 10 hours to train as the state coach alongside James Peters. The result of my wife’s efforts is that my three children are graduates. I give special kudos to my dad, who was a Reverend father. I come from a royal family; a large and loving Christian home.

     

    .

  • ‘Nigeria Pitch Awards has come to stay’

    Organisers of the Nigeria Pitch Awards has reitreated yet again that  the annual event now in its sixth year  would be a permanent fixture on the Nigerian football calendar despite spate of prizes on the Nigerian football landscape.

    Speculations have been rife over the future of the novel Nigeria Pitch Awards (NPA) following the launching of The NFF Awards in February but Shina Phillips; CEO Match Consults said there is no cause for alarm over the NPA.

    “Frankly, we are not disturbed in any way about the launch of the NFF Awards, “Phillips told The Nation on the margins of the unveiling of nominees for the 2017 awards.“Every award has its uniqueness  and the beauty of Nigeria Pitch Awards are its unique assets and foremost is its  transparency.

    “ We are happy that the NFF for instance have put together its own awards but we are not bothered about glamour because essentially, each particular has its own quality. But I’m glad to say that nobody has faulted our choice of awardees over the years  and that itself speaks volume about Nigeria Pitch Awards.”

    In its opening remarks at the unveiling of nominees for the 2017 awards to be hosted in Lagos next month, Phillips said he could not be happier over the success of NPA  since it has become a veritable platform for recognising, rewarding and celebrating talented and industrious footballers and other stakeholders in Nigerian football.

    He further said: “Since the introduction of the awards five years ago, it has continued to grow to become a significant and essential part of our football society.

    “We thank the Federal Ministry of Sports and Nigeria Football Federation for their immense support and we thank SIAO Partners, Nigeria’s foremost accounting firm for being our independent vote collation body for displaying professionalism in the collation of results and the entire voting process.

    “We are also buoyed by the responses we have received from sports journalists, Nigerian footballers and administrators.”

    Notable personalities at the unveiling of nominees  during the week in Lagos included Pastor Ituah Ighodalo of  SIAO Partners;  Ms. Aisa Falode (Chairperson of Nigeria Women Football League); veteran thespian Segun Arinze; award-winning teenage actress, Esther-Whyte Bassey and a host of  other distinguished media personalities.

    Falode has described the Nigeria Pitch Awards  as a  unique platform in its own right even as she praised the organisers for its tenacity over the years despite lack of corporate support :“We must commend the organisers  for their efforts over the years because this is an awards we have known for its credibility  and perfect execution  and it has continued to wax stronger despite lack of corporate sponsorship. ”

    Aisha later canvassed for additional categories for women’s football and her request was promptly endorsed by the organisers promising to increase the slots from two to four in subsequent editions.

    On his part,  Pastor Ighodalo whose firm  SIAO Partners is in charge of the voting process, equally agreed that there should be an award category for the New Media for their huge presence on the internet, even as he heaped praises on Phillips and his team at Matchmakers Consult.

    “ We(SIAO Partners) got involved with Nigeria Pitch Awards  strictly on professional ground but I must commend Shina  because he has also tried to be professional about it,” explained  Ighodalo.

    “ One of the things he always says  is that ‘it takes a while before you can build a brand and that it’s after we have built the brand that the sponsors would come on the platform of the brand’ and others may have an agenda but this Nigeria Pitch Awards absolutely have no agenda other than to  reward excellence in a very strict transparent manner.”

    “ We have been with him since the second year and he told us that he want us to manage the voting process so that he even does not know the winner until it’s announced  and as we speak today  neither him nor I knows the winner amongst the nominees and I think this one of the uniqueness of Nigeria Pitch awards,” noted the renown clergyman.

  • Enyeama: From hero to World Cup outcast

    What has happened to Vincent Enyeama? Where is he and why he may be out of Nigeria’s World Cup list. CHIJIOKE EZEALI in this piece tries to fix the puzzle

    Nigeria was the first African Nation to qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia and seemingly achieved the proud feat with the youngest team in the world during the qualification process .

    The three-time African Champions under the tutelage of Gernot Rohr are playing with a renewed vigour, confidence and swagger good enough to raise the hopes of their teaming supporters who now expect the team to become the first African side to reach the semi-final of the Mundial.

    The friendly wins over two-time World Cup champions Argentina and Poland who had the presence of one of the best forwards in the world Robert Lewandowski, has further heightened expectations despite defeat against Serbia.

    However, the biggest worry for some section of the fans in Nigeria is the lack of a top notch goalkeeper for the national team as the likes of Ikechukwu Ezenwa, Daniel Akpeyi and Francis Uzoho have failed to cease the opportunity created with the absence of Carl Ikeme who is still in recovery following his battle with leukaemia.

    The Super Eagles 35-man list provisional list for the Mundial will be announced on May 14 and the name of veteran Lille goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama is almost certain not to be included judging by the words of the national team gaffer.

    “He (Enyeama) is not playing anywhere, so we cannot take players who are not playing,” Rohr told reporters at the Aiteo/Nigeria Football Federation Awards in February.

    “We are working hard to have the best of our legs taken to Russia and we don’t have the luxury of naming a player that has not been playing in recent time.

    “Each time we have a problem, there is always a good answer and I hope it will be the same for the World Cup. We currently have so many players in camp and we want to continue monitoring them. The most important thing is for them to be in best shape for the Mundial.”

    The 35-year-old is arguable Nigeria’s finest goalkeeper in history following successful careers for both club and country but despite calls from some quarters that he be re-invited into the Super Eagles squad, the former Enyimba goalie is yet to officially come out of retirement since 2015.

    Enyeama’s situation is not an easy one as he suffered a knee injury while playing for Lille on April 15, 2017 and only just came back to action for the B side following some intense rehabilitation.

    The Nigerian hasn’t been a part of Lille’s first squad since his return and may not until his contract runs out at the end of this season as the club’s current manager, Christophe Galtier recently revealed to France Football.

    “It’s a problem between Enyeama and the club, that’s the bottom line,” Galtier said. “It’s a problem between the club management and Enyeama.”

    Although the manager wasn’t explicit on what exactly transpired between Enyeama and the Lille management, it is very evident that he is out of the side not for pure football reasons and without him the former French champions have the fourth worst defensive record in Ligue1, having conceded 59 in 35 matches.

    Lille are currently languishing second from bottom with a very slim chance of surviving relegation. But why the cruelty on the highest capped goalkeeper in Nigeria’s history with 101 caps?

    ‘The real reason Enyeama is being banished from the first team is because the club is embarking on a new project which will see them groom and sell players,’ a source close to the player revealed to The Nation .

    ‘Let’s face it, Vinny doesn’t have a resale value because he is 35 now. The club wants a younger squad and players over 30 are mostly affected by this new project.

    ‘Enyeama is just waiting for the end of the season to find a new club but I can reliably inform you that he doesn’t want to leave France. It was a pity he suffered a long time injury, he could’ve moved before now.’

    Looking through the Lille squad, Mike Maignan 31, originally of Guyana before adopting France has been the club’s number one this season and kept for 31matches in Ligue 1.

    Kouakou Herve Koffi 21, from Burkina Faso, has made four appearances for Lille this season while 21-year-old Slovakian Adam Jakubech has been on the bench four times this season and all look like lost ships without the Nigerian to guide their progress at the club.

    When Enyeama signed for Hapoel Tel Aviv in 2007/08. They endured a poor season but he helped the team avoid relegation and reach the state cup final.

    During the 2008/09 season, Enyeama became Hapoel’s penalty kicker, won the “Player of The Year” award, and just missed leading Hapoel to the league title.

    On 8 December 2013, Enyeama conceded a goal for the first time after playing 1,062 minutes of Ligue 1 football in an away match against Bordeaux, during which he was beaten by Landry N’Guémo’s deflected strike in the 27th minute. He thus came within 114 minutes of equalling Gaëtan Huard’s Ligue 1 goalkeeping record, set in 1993, of playing 1,176 minutes without conceding a goal.

    On that form, he powered the Super Eagles to African Nations Cup glory in 2013 for the first time in 19years, playing a leading role with a lot of unforgettable moments created for fans.

    He was named among the top 10 goalkeepers in Europe for the 2015/16 season by the Swiss-based CIES Football Observatory and in the following season the Professional Union of French Players (UNFP) nominated him for the best goalkeeper award in the French Ligue 1 after brilliantly keeping 14 clean sheets in 21 matches.

    Interesting how Lille will risk relegation just to freeze experienced campaigners like Enyeama out of the club when 40-year-old Gianluigi “Gigi” Buffon is actively playing for Juventus and still nursing the ambition of winning the UEFA Champions League after recent elimination in the hands of Real Madrid in the quarter-final of this season’s competition.

    Enyeama may well play into his 40’s because of the longevity of goalkeepers as long as he watches after himself, takes the right diet and engage in the right training programs.

    At 35, Enyeama is still Nigeria’s best and it will make sense if Super Eagles manager Gernot Rohr tests him in the remaining friendlies before announcing his final squad for the World Cup. Some are against him returning to the team and argued that he will disrupt the harmony of the younger generation of players in camp.

    Some pundits even suggested that he may want the captaincy of the team but the player himself may not be bothered with that like a lot of people think.

    ‘Captaincy is not a problem for me because it’s not my birth right,’ Enyeama told Channels Television Sports Tonight program after he was stripped of the band under former Eagles Coach Sunday Oliseh.

    Enyeama gave the Super Eagles 13 quality years of service but the episode that led to his exit wasn’t the smoothest and he could be a very good mentor for the new goalkeepers in the current squad.

    Mikel Obi went to the African Nations Cup in 2006 despite not playing much football due to the Chelsea and Manchester United transfer sage at the time but showed why he is highly rated with a goal in Nigeria’s second game against Zimbabwe after creating the first goal for Christian Obodo. All that the former Chelsea star needed was a chance and must be grateful to Coach Augustine Eguavoen for not dropping him for the more active players.

    Age is just a number especially for a world class goalkeeper like Enyeama. Egyptian Essam El-Hadary at 45 could’ve been the oldest goalkeeper at the Mundial ever if injury had not ruled him out.

    But in football, there’s always a place for loyalty just like German national team boss Joachim Löw has shown towards Manuel Neuer who he has repeatedly named as his first choice for the 2018 World Cup despite the Bayern Munich star not playing a single minute this season so far due to injury.

    But just like Enyeama, 32-year-old Neuer returned to training in April but with the assurance that he will be between the sticks in Russia when hostilities resume for the biggest soccer fiesta.

    “When Manuel came to us on Tuesday, together with Andy Kopke [coach] and Dr [Hans-Wilhelm] Muller-Wohlfahrt [we] had a long conversation with him. Manuel is absolutely on schedule. It is planned that he will still play at Bayern this season,” he said on March 22, 2018.

    “The doctor has assured me that the condition of his scar and the growing together of the bones are absolutely fine and look very good.

    “However, at the current stage he is not allowed to [train] at maximum, he is currently training at 90 per cent and wants to increase to 100 per cent this week so that he is fully resilient.

    “Then he can still get the necessary security in the training sessions. I assume and am very optimistic that Manuel will be present at the World Cup.”

    Goalkeepers get better with age just like fine wine. At the FIFA World Cup in 2014, Faryd Mondragón became the oldest player to appear at the Mundial when he helped Colombia 4-1 win over Japan. He was aged 43 years and 3 days old.

    Joseph-Antoine Bell was 40, when he represented Cameroon at the USA 94′ World Cup and Thomas N’Kono was 38-year-old and Jacques Songo’o was the youngest was 30.

    Enyeama still remains a fantastic choice for the Super Eagles and will be a quality addition to the team if Gernot Rohr needs him because the current goalkeepers available to him are not in peak form if we are to be very sincere.

    The German tactician has done well since took charge of the three-time African Champions and if he feels he doesn’t need Enyeama’s experience and presence – that must be respected but as a fan that wants the best for his country. I see the Lille shot stopper as a very good addition for the senior national team.

  • HEIMIR HALLGRÍMSSON: ‘I STILL LOVE BEING A DENTIST’

    Iceland national football team manager, Heimir Hallgrímsson has spoken so well about his impetuous passion for football as well as his other professional calling as a dentist in an exclusive conversation with MORAKINYO ABODUNRIN.

    In modern era , football managers dedicate their time solely to the game  and hardly find time for  other pursuits but Hallgrímsson is a perfect  exception to  the rule.

    “Football in Iceland is mostly amateur, so people in football, coaches and players, more or less all have jobs,” Hallgrímsson, stated  exclusively  in an interview with The Nation .“Today, I am first and foremost a football coach, but once in a while, I like to spend a day or two doing dentist work, just to do something different.”

    Hallgrímsson is undoubtedly  a man on a mission and the 50-year-old made history last October ensuring Iceland qualification as the smallest country by population ever to  make  the World Cup  party at the forthcoming Russia 2018.

    “One thing after another ; and that has always been my  life (an  inspirational story); I coached junior teams  for about 17 years;  the men’s  team for five years and  women’s teams  for five years and seven years now with national team,” quipped Hallgrímsson on  iPod cast with MeninBlazers.“ It’s strange when you have done six years of university education and being a dentist which is a well-paid job.

    “But my passion has always been coaching; I’ve always worked  as a dentist along  with coaching. I jumped into it when I had the opportunity of full time coaching even though my mother was unhappy about it,” he added.

    Remarkably,  Hallgrímsson had served as  the dentist for his home village of Vestmannaeyjar  and he remained part-time in that profession until taking sole reign over the Icelandic national team after Euro 2016.

    As a player with  Höttur in 1993,  he coached their women team and  secured  the team promotion  in the Icelandic women  second tier league. He also  coached  the  women’s  senior team, ÍBV  with some marked success  at the top of  the Icelandic women Premier league.

    He served as assistant manager for the men team of ÍBV in 2002 and also the club’s women team in 2003 leading them to second-place finish  in two successive seasons. He led the ÍBV’s women team to cup glory in 2004.  He later took over as the manager for the ÍBV men team mid-season in 2006, managing the team in the last six matches but failing to prevent relegation. He remained this time as manager and got promoted with the team in the 2008 season, finishing 10th out of 12 in the top division in 2009 before managing two 3rd-place finishes in a row in 2010 and 2011.

    Hallgrímsson  worked as an assistant with Swede Lars Lagerbäck (the former Super Eagles’ manager to the  FIFA World Cup South Africa  2010) but they  missed  the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification by whiskers  to Croatia in the play-off stage.

    But they rebounded and ensured Iceland qualification for their first  major international tournament at  the 2016 UEFA European Championship  held in France  but it was  Hallgrímsson that singlehandedly ensured  Iceland’s qualification for Russia 2018.

    “The feeling (qualifying  Iceland for the World Cup for the first time) is obviously good,” Hallgrímsson enthused via electronic mail  exclusive to The Nation. “To qualify for the EURO 2016 tournament was a great achievement; when we had done that, no one could ever say that we are too few as a nation to qualify for a major tournament.”

    Yet the trained dentist is determined to drill more success in Russia 2018:“Now we have qualified for the World Cup; also a great achievement. But, having said that, it is very important to realize that success is not a destination, it is a continuous journey in the right direction, so we must think further than the World Cup and keep improving.”

    Incidentally, former Super Eagles captain  and manager, Sunday Oliseh recently on a  local radio  morning breakfast show gave a rare insight  into  the workings of  Hallgrímsson describing the man  with whom he  bagged  the UEFA Licenced certificate as a remarkable manager.

    “Nigeria against Iceland in Volgograd is a dangerous game,” noted Oliseh who represented Nigeria at USA’ 94 and scorer of a winning scorcher in the 3-2 defeat of Spain at France’98. “ The Iceland’s national team  coach, they call him Heimir was my classmate during my coaching course. He’s a dentist during the day and national team coach at night but he’s a very prudent man and that’s why it’s going to be a very difficult game for Nigeria  to manage because Iceland like their manager,  plays a very prudent game.

    “Heimir sees a lot of things; remember what they did at Euro 2016 and they did well by qualifying for Russia 2018 straight away and not from play-off,” noted Oliseh.

    Yet Hallgrímsson  said he was not losing any sleep about the prospects of facing some tough  challenges against  Argentina, Nigeria and Croatia at Russia 2018.

    On paper, Iceland does not have  the pedigree or boast of ‘world class’ players in their fold but Hallgrímsson believes impossibility is nothing, adding  the ‘ Boys from Reykjavik  can weather the Russia 2018 Group D storm through dedication, work ethic and persistence.

    “I sleep okay and I don’t know why I’m this type; but I sleep okay,” Hallgrímsson noted again @MeninBlazers. “But sometimes, you wake up in the middle of the night with a thought and you have to record such thought on the iPhone or put it into the paper.

    “Of course, everybody is terrified  about Lionel Messi because no matter what you do he could always find a way to hurt you; whether you put a player or two around him. But I have never been worried about one player especially Argentina because they have top players in Italy, Spain and England.

    “So, they can hurt us in many ways if we focus on one player.”

    Meanwhile, Hallgrímsson would further reinforced his beliefs while responding to enquiries from The Nation: “We go into every single match we play with a specific game plan, and we want to win every single match we play. This one (Iceland’s opener against Argentina complete with Lionel Messi) is no different. We defend as a team, and as a team we have to find a way to beat team Argentina, regardless of which players they will field.”

    After playing Argentina on June 16 in their opening Group D match of Russia 2018, Iceland face another daunting task against the Super Eagles of Nigeria at the Volgograd Arena on June 22 before their final group match against Croatia at Rostov-on-Don on June 26 but Hallgrímsson has equally hazard  guesses.

    “There are some really good players from Nigeria playing in strong European leagues. But to be honest, at this point we do not know much about team Nigeria; we will be prepared when we meet them in Russia.

    “We have played Croatia so many times in recent years; I think they are as tired of us as we are of them (joking). We have beaten them before, and (we) can beat them again.”

    In the meantime, a good a coach according to competitorspot.com must have at least seven good traits including: believe; pro-active; persistence; focus on what is working; team work, being positive and enjoying the process.

    “As a player, having the right attitude and mind-set is important, but as a coach it is essential, “argued the writer on competitorspot.com, adding : “In order to inspire others, create a positive environment, and develop confident players, a coach has to set the right tone for their team.

    “In addition to teaching soccer techniques and tactics, coaches have the opportunity to teach life lessons and shape the lives of their players. With this in mind, the game of soccer can be a great teaching tool for players to develop traits that will serve them in life beyond the pitch.”

    In the light of the above analyses, Hallgrímsson equally told The Nation matter-of-factly that it would be hard to categorize coaches either good or bad.

    “What makes a good and a bad coach?That is almost impossible to answer, as every coach and every team is different,” noted Hallgrímsson who will mark his 51st anniversary on June 10.“ I would think that a coach´s job is to get the best out of his players and his team, but it´s a dialogue, everyone has a voice, coaches and other staff, players, officials.

    “Not much different really (between coaching men and women teams); as a coach you still have to bring the same elements together, find the right tactics, the right mix of players, etc.”

    Over the years, Hallgrímsson has equally shown that he’s a team player since he  worked closely as an assistant  to veteran Swede, Lars Lagerback with some good  results .

    “ Soccer coaches must create a team first atmosphere where emphasis is placed on achieving goals together,” noted  the writer of 7 Habits of A Good  Coach on competitorspot.com, including:“ The importance of a single individual should never detract from your teams overall mission. Together everyone achieves more.”

    Indeed ,as joint managers (Lagerback  and Hallgrímsson), the  Icelandic national team won 13 out of 32 matches played between  2013 and 2016; drawing seven and losing 12 with an average of 40.63% and 62.50% record.

    “I am sure Lars had a great time as Nigeria coach,” Hallgrímsson told The Nation. “He is a very experienced man and what he learned as Nigeria coach only added to that experience; but the team (Iceland) is much changed now.”

    So, what will be a good tournament for Iceland and Hallgrímsson at Russia 2018?

    “We aim to qualify from the group stage and from there we will see what happens,” noted Hallgrímsson with a revelation about his humane side.   “I love my family more than anything, and if they are happy, we are happy together.”