Nnamdi Oduamadi is a former junior international but he has developed into the integral part of the Nigeria’s senior national team. He is presently plying his trade in Varese in Italy on loan from AC Milan. SPORTINGLIFE’S TUNDE LIADI speaks with the soft spoken attacking midfielder on his club form and the Eagles build up to the Brazil 2014 World Cup and he makes startling remarks on what should be done for Nigeria to make an impact at the Mundial. Excerpts…
ODUAMADI, your team defeated Juve Stabia 4-2 and you were also among the scorers. How do you feel getting on the scoresheet after a while?
It was an important win for because we needed to win that game to continue our push for a play off spot. We have had it that good this season but we are happy with this win and just like we have been told by our coach, we will continue to exert ourselves probably luck may smile on us before the end of the season.
You are a player of AC Milan but on loan to Varese in the Serie B just like it was last season, when will you like to get to play for the main team of Milan?
For now, I am not in the best position to answer questions concerning my future or otherwise. I will be patient till the end of the season to see what the future holds for me. I am in Varese presently and all my thoughts are with Varese and their push to qualify for the Serie A. We have had bad spells but we are picking up at the right time. Let’s see what the end of the season has for us.
AC Milan are presently struggling in the Serie A and they have changed the former tactician, Massimiliano Allegri and In his place comes, Clarence Seedorf, a former player of the club. What do you think is responsible for the Rossoneri’s unimpressive statistics this season?
I don’t think I have much to say regarding that but what I’m sure of is that clubs have time that they are considered superpowers and they also have time to take back-seat to re-strategize. AC Milan have remained relevant in Europe and World over for so long but they are going through some trying times now but very soon things will take shape as it supposed to be. Seedorf is a good coach even though he is new to the terrain with time he will get used to it and take AC Milan to the top. I hope I will be part of that when the time comes.
Varese are far from the play off spot and are even more than 20 points below first placed team. Do you still believe that the club can work miracle this season and gain an unlikely berth in the play off spot?
Well, we are in a tight corner now but we can’t give up. We will continue to push for it until it is all over. We won’t relent at all. If we are able to win our remaining games and those ahead of us stumble, it is still very possible.
In football anything can happen. I won’t surrender because we are fighters. We will go and meet Bari and play with all we have and thereafter see what we are going to end up with. We are training very hard and all points is what we crave for.
You have had issues with injuries in the past and only recently you were out for sometime before you bounced back. Have you at anytime developed fear that injury may end your World Cup aspirations?
No, as a footballer you must be ready at all time to give your best. Injuries are part of the game but we are always praying to stay out of injuries to ensure that we offer our best to our clubs. It is my dream to make it to the World Cup but that won’t make me slow down so that I don’t get injured. What will be will be. I will continue to play well for my club whenever I’m called upon but it is only God that can determine if I will be on the plane to Brazil or not.
What do you have to say about the Super Eagles’ build up to the World Cup?
Not much. It is the work of the Nigeria Football Federation(NFF) and the coaches to tell us what we should do. From what I have heard so far, I can confidently say that we are headed for the right direction.
I will only implore the NFF and the coaches and other stakeholders in the round leather game to ensure that internal bickering and crises do not halt our chances at the World Cup. A house that divided against itself shall not stand. We all must stick together and remain united in our push to make meaningful impact at the World Cup.
Are you comfortable with the Eagles’ choice of friendly matches enroute to the World Cup too?
Yes to some extent I am satisfied. We as players can’t decide games we are to play. We depend on the instructions of the NFF and the coaches.
Our preparation has outlined by the Federation is okay and I don’t have problem with it at all.
How far do you think the Eagles can go at the World Cup?
We must set realistic targets. We must not deceive ourselves. I will not tell you here the stage I will like to get to because it will heap unnecessary pressure on the players. Let’s have the best of preparation and the rest we be history at the World Cup. Ghana and Cameroon have got to the quarter final of the World Cup before they were eliminated. The Eagles too have got to the second round on a number of occasions. Let’s see where our preparation will lead us to, this time around.
Argentina, Iran and Bosnia are Eagles’ opponents in Brazil, do you think Nigeria have the wherewithal to brittle these countries?
Argentina are not new to us at all. We have met them at almost all our World Cup outings except one. They should not be new to us again. Iran and Bosnia are no pushovers at all. Iran are in Asia and we know that Asian teams are always very tough. Bosnia are also a force to reckon with in Europe and they boast of good players featuring for some of the best Clubs in Europe. We don’t have to be concerned about our opponents. We need to concentrate on our preparations and after a good build up to the World Cup we won’t have problem dealing with all our first round foes in Brazil.
