At a time when Nigeria is desperately looking for a new football hero and talking point, Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Carl Ikeme has stepped in to fill the vacancy, reports TAIWO ALIMI .
CARL Onuora Ikeme can trace his roots to Onitsha, the most populous city in eastern Nigeria, but the Wolverhampton Wanderers goalkeeper has been little known among his countrymen until now.
That is not a surprise, given the 29-year-old has spent his entire life abroad. Born in Sutton Coldfield, in the West Midlands, Ikeme cut his teeth at Wolves’ academy and progressed to the first-team squad for their 200304 Premier League season.
Back in Nigeria, not many football fans and there are many could identify with the career and history of a player whose tongue is completely anglophone. This, despite Nigerians’ love of the Premier League and devotion to its teams.
Clubs such as Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City, Tottenham, Everton and even Stoke, Bolton, Portsmouth and AFC Wimbledon have remarkable following in Nigeria, either because of their successes or because one or two Nigerian players have passed through or are there. Wolves do not fall into these two categories, leaving Ikeme outside the consciousness of the average football follower. All that changed after the Africa Cup of Nations qualifier between Tanzania and Nigeria on 5 September this year. Carl Ikeme is now on everyone’s lips.
Ikeme made his debut for the Super Eagles and won the hearts of millions of Nigerians. The game finished goal less and Ikeme was the difference between a point and defeat for the three-time Africa champions as Tanzania’s Taifa Stars played them off the park in Dar es Salaam. At a time when a football-loving nation is desperately looking for a new football hero, Ikeme stepped in to fill the vacancy created by poor international results.
A month ago, when told of his first call-up, the 6ft 3in keeper thought it was a joke. Ikeme was not sure of the validity of the phone call. “I thought someone was winding me up to start with,” he said. “I spoke to the coach and it started to make more sense and I realised it was none of my cousins winding me up or anything like that.”
After the game, he said it was not easy to step into the shoes of Vincent Enyeama, Nigeria’s No1 keeper for 12 years, who missed the Tanzania game due to the death of his mother but probably would not have started anyway.
“Playing in your first game for a team like Nigeria is not easy because there are many expectations that include filling the big shoes left by Vincent Enyeama, who has been amazing for us. I am glad I kept a clean sheet and wish to take time out to thank my team-mates who have been amazing and welcomed me from the moment I arrived.”
Ikeme is discovering more about his ancestry, a good feeling, he says, given the affectionate nature of his people, the taste of the food and the football tradition in Nigeria. “I have settled in well [with the Super Eagles]. My family are from Nigeria and it’s not like I dropped from the moon or something. I try a lot of Nigerian food and I feel very Nigerian.”
It is easy for him to feel this way, given the back slapping and accolades that have come his way since his debut. The former Arsenal and Nigeria forward, Nwankwo Kanu, was dramatic in his assessment of Ikeme after the game: “It is true that we did not win the match but we gained a son.”
Jay Jay Okocha said Nigeria’s search for a keeper to take over from Enyeama had ended. “He was wonderful,” the former Bolton player said of Ikeme. “We finally got the keeper we have been waiting for. We know Enyeama will not be around forever, so it is good that he was discovered now. I wish him well.”
The new Super Eagles coach, Sunday Oliseh, was grateful to Ikeme for saving him from serious embarrassment. “I don’t like to single out players from the team but I have to admit that Carl Ikeme had a great game for us. He saved us from defeat.”
Lille’s Enyeama similarly paid tribute. “Ikeme is a good keeper and I have to give him credit for the draw in Dares Salaam.”
Ikeme also started Tuesday’s 2-0 win over Niger and has been named in the squad for a friendly against Benin Republic in a fortnight, in preparation for the next Africa Cup qualifier, against Egypt. He will not allow the accolades to affect him.
“I hope to continue from where I left off if given the chance,” he said. “All I can say is it was indeed a great feeling putting on that jersey for Nigeria and a dream come true for me. The team is young so we can expect better results as we go along.”
