The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Saviour Godwin

  • SAVIOUR GODWIN: Yes, I have found love!

    Former youth international, Saviour Godwin, has been in excellent form in the current Belgian Jupiler League season and the KSV Roeselare’s winger-cum-striker here shares few things about himself away from the pitch in this conversation with MORAKINYO ABODUNRIN.

    HE may still be discreet about admitting it even on social media where he has a huge presence, future Super Eagles’ prospect and erstwhile youth international, Saviour Godwin, has admitted that he has indeed found the woman of his dreams.

    While some of his teammates that wrought victory for Nigeria at the 2013 FIFA U-17 World Cup in the UAE have since settled down to marital life, Godwin who would be 22 on August 22 has stated matter-of-factly that he is no longer searching.

    Yet the fleet-footed winger cum striker with Belgian Jupiler side KSV Roeselare seemed not to be in a hurry to reveal the identity of the gal that has so much caught his admiration and fancy.

    “Every man with his own plans but my wedding is coming very soon,” Godwin, an indigene of Cross River State, stated when pressed about his marital plans. “Yes, I have found love and she has every quality I need in a woman.”

    One can only guess how beautiful the choice of Saviour could be, given his antecedent as a suave guy with cosmopolitan outlook since he grew up mostly in the northern part of Nigeria.

    Born in one of Nigeria’s ‘mad’ soccer cities of Jos, Godwin  would be the first to admit that he was truly a pen in the hands of God since he started pacing the street as a budding footballer with FC Sports Jos, amongst other grassroots teams.

    But it was with the national U-20 set of 2015 that Godwin got attention after his blistering performances especially in  the tie against Korea where he scored a brace in the 3-1 win over the Asians.

    “He’s (Godwin) a lad I know well because he was in our squad when we won the U-17 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates in 2013,” said the then Flying Eagles coach, Manu Garba. I put him in my starting XI today for tactical reasons.

    “He’s quick, holds the ball up well and he can shoot with both feet. His qualities seemed useful for taking on Korea DPR.

    “Saviour responded in the right way, even if he can still do more. But it’s true that his two goals did us a lot of good.”

    Godwin was so good in the aforementioned match at the U20 Wold Cup held in New Zealand to warrant interests from many European clubs but he headed out to Belgium during the summer of 2015 and landed at KV Oostende.

    “I choose to play in Belgium because it a good place to start (my career) from,” Godwin told The Nation in a file interview.

    “Belgium is an interesting and a lovelycountry. It’s also a good place for young players to start their careers and I really find it interesting playing for my club, KV Oostende.

    “Playing football (as a profession) has always been my dream.  I have always taken football serious and one thing that keeps me going is the fact that I want to get to the top so I have to work extra hard and double my efforts. I am a growing fast winger who emulates and aspires to be like Ronaldo, Pedro and Victor Moses.”

    Between 2015 and now, Godwin has evolved to be one of the future players for the national team and he further explained that the Belgian Jupiler League has  since improved his quality.

    He was a surprise omission in the national U23 side to the 2016 Rio Olympic Games in Brazil and that episode still seemed to disturb his psyche. “I represented Nigeria at the U17 & U20 levels and I felt bad missing out (of the U23 side to Rio no doubt, but I will be with the national team (Super Eagles) soon, very soon.”

    Of course, it would be good to mark Godwin’s words on his resolve to be part of the Super Eagles in a foreseeable future because he’s a guy with a lion’s heart, which he has proved time and time again at different levels of the national teams.

    Ahead of both the FIFA U17 UAE 2013 ad FIFA U20 New Zealand 205, Godwin was not reckoned with as a possible member of the squad but his capacity to turn lemon into lemonade has undoubtedly contributed for his knack to survive even when the odds are stacked against him.

    “Every day and year in my life count ,”Godwin stated matter-of-factly. “ I will be 22 on August 22; and it means a lot to me knowing how far I have come and the journey ahead of me. So much plans for my future and I am gradually executing them one after the other.”

    Of course, Godwin is the kind of guy that loves life on the fast lane with all the attached refinements.

    “If not football, I would have probably been an actor because I have this keen acting skill in me,” he said. “For me, fashion is a way of expressing one’s personality with appearances and I love pop music; Rihanna is my favourite

    “Though I am not a fashionista, I make sure I appear presentable and Luchino Camicie is my favourite designer, affordable and reliable.

    “I like fashion a lot .if I had my way, maybe I would have been a model too. What I wear depends on the occasion I want to attend but generally I love looking good and classy.

    “Apart from football, I spend most of my time listening to music. I can’t really say what life after football would be for me, but I’m determined to do my best now.

    “Playing football doesn’t last forever and I have to learn from the mistakes of others. My target is to see that I grow more; sign more contracts earn good money and invest,” he hinted.

    But for now, it’s on the field of play that Godwin wants to build more consistency with Roeselare to increase his chances of donning the Super Eagles’ shirt. He has been one of the mainstay of the Belgian side since his arrival in 2016 and this season, he has contributed four goals in 13 appearances in the on-going Jupiler season

    “As a professional footballer, Belgian league has made me a better player,” he said with some smiles. “As a footballer, winning makes me happy and losing makes me sad; but both are inevitable because sometimes we win and sometimes we lose but we keep going,” noted Godwin, a huge fan of five-time FIFA World Player of the Year, Cristiano Ronaldo, who has been on fire since his arrival to Juventus last summer.

    “Ronaldo is my favourite footballer and I like his style of play from the days of Manchester United.”

    But one other person that has immensely contributed to the metamorphosis of Godwin is no other person than his first love in the shape of his mom.

    “I also get inspiration from my mom because she really sacrificed for me to get to where I am today,” Godwin had long ago hinted in an interview with The Nation.” People like other members of my family, my manager and many others have also been very supportive but my mom will always remain special to me.”

  • Iheanacho’s Golden Eaglets beg for Calabar houses

    Iheanacho’s Golden Eaglets beg for Calabar houses

    Three years after they conquered the world in the UAE , Golden Eaglets class of 2013 have yet begged the incumbent  Cross River State Executive Governor Prof. Ben Ayade  to redeem the pledge of houses made to officials and players of the national U-17 team.

    On Tuesday (November 8), it would be exactly three years after the Golden Eaglets massacre Mexico 3-0 in Abu Dhabi to lift the FIFA World Cup for the fourth time in the presence of Immediate past Governor of the state,Senator Liyel Imoke.

    An impressed Governor Imoke later hosted the team on November 15 2013 inside the state’s council chamber at the Governor’s office in Calabar where he magnanimously pledged houses for players and officials to be located within the state’s new housing estate scheme in Akpabuyo in Calabar.

    The amiable Governor said then it was necessary to break away from the norm in order to give a befitting future to players and officials hence the state’s was duty-bound in rewarding the team with properties instead of monetary largess.

    “We want to partner and invest in you because we believe this kind of investment (house property) would yield better dividends in the future even if you no longer want anything to do with football,” Imoke told the victorious team in the presence of top officials of Nigeria Football Federation(NFF) and other state’s executives.

    ” It is three years now that we won the World Cup and the then Governor Imoke pledged all the 21 players and 10 officials houses as rewards but it is unfortunate that we are yet to be given these houses despite several appeals,” stated coach Manu Garba.

    In the team was new Super Eagles sensation Kelechi Iheanacho who was the tournament’s MVP as well Saviour Godwin and Denis Okon who are both indigenes of Cross River State.

    “It’s really painful that we don’t have our houses  even after three years and I wonder why they are yet to give us the houses promised by former  Governor Imoke ,” lamented who is now with Belgian club, Roeselare.

    ” We just have to keep begging our new Governor and pray they give us these houses because we did the state and Nigeria proud in 2013,” added Godwin.

  • SAVIOUR GODWIN – My mum, my jewel

    SAVIOUR GODWIN – My mum, my jewel

    Saviour Godwin, KV  Oostende’s Nigerian striker  has described his mother as his greatest  inspiration ; adding without her support over the years, he won’t be where he is today.

    Some two years ago, the fast-paced winger was  struggling out there  until destiny  smiled on him  and was finally included in the Golden Eaglets  to the FIFA Under-17 World  Cup UAE  2013.

    Yet he  was a bit player  coming from the bench in six matches  when Nigeria  clinched her fourth title following a 3-0 spanking of Mexico  in Abu Dhabi. He was not included  in  the Flying Eagles’ squad to the 2015 African Under-20 Nations Cup in Senegal where Nigeria ended on the podium for the Gold Medal.

    But Godwin  is a sort of player that believes in his own ability and he naturally picked up the gauntlet  to force his way into the  FIFA Under-20 World Cup New Zealand 2015 team  and has been an integral part of the National Under-23 Team ( Dream Team Six) under coach Samson Siasia.  No wonder, he is regarded  today regarded as  one of the country’s most promising  youngster.

    “ My mum has really been helpful to my career even  with all the drama that  I have seen in life,” Godwin, a happy-go lad  told MORAKINYO ABODUNRIN.

    “ She has always been there to take away the pressure off me.

    “I remember when she  used to give me money to transport myself to training and also feed myself; she is fair  in complexion  and  a very good-hearted  beautiful woman  who gave birth to three boys and one girl.

    “She has really sacrificed for me to get where I am today;  I got Inspiration from my mum and family also.  A lot of other  people like my manager and many others have also been very supportive  and  when I was down , they always talk to me but my mum will always remain special to me,” he noted.

    Apart from his mum, Godwin  has   coaches like Manu Garba and Samson Siasia to thank for  fast tracking his career  at the national team level.

    At the FIFA Under-20 World Cup New Zealand 2015, Godwin caught the eyes of everyone with his effervescent play  in the 3-1 thrashing of North Korea  to the delight of Garba who showered him with praise: “He’s a lad I know well because he was in our squad when we won the U-17 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates in 2013.

    “I put him in my starting XI today for tactical reasons. He’s quick, holds the ball up well and he can shoot with both feet. His qualities seemed useful for taking on Korea DPR. Saviour responded in the right way, even if he can still do more. But it’s true that his two goals did us a lot of good.”

    On a personal note, Godwin  has been faithful to himself too.  In the summer , the 19-year-old Godwin  fulfilled his  long time dream of playing in Europe when he was snapped up by Belgian Jupiler  side,  KV Oostende  and he promptly took to his Facebook page  on August 22nd to give glory to God:“Today , I say thank u JEHOVAH for ur Favour in my life, thank u lord for the best birthday gift ever.hbd to me.”

    Time and again, Godwin reckons Jehovah has been his saviour and most often than not, he’s always on the social media singing and dancing to celebrate his progressing football career.

    ” You don’t know what I have been through,” Godwin recently on his Facebook Timeline; “U don’t know where I go, u don’t know what I do. Plz just listen cause God is the secret. ”

    Here is another sampler:”They ask me y am too obsessed with God, then I reply, cause he gave his life for me to be alive, take all I have lord but accept me in your kingdom.”

    He equally admitted that he has been blessed with unmerited favour from when he started pacing the street odf Jos as a budding footballer with EI-Kanemi Junior Team amongst other grassroots teams before hitting stardom with the national teams.

    From Under -17 to Under-23

    It was great to be in the 2013 Under-17 team that won the World Cup and it was good moving a step forward from there with  most of the technical staffs of the Under-17 who graduated to  Under-20,  the likes of  coach Manu  Garba and Nduka Ugbade. A lot of  them I must really appreciate;  all the crew who made it possible for us to win the World Cup because without them I wouldn’t realize my lapses and work on them; and it really made a lot of significance to my career.  In the Under-20  it was a different ball game entirely; but thanks to a great man of honour Samson Siasia who has helped me tremendously in my career. He gave me the opportunity to play with the Under-23 team ; to play and work on myself without pressure. He has also been some one very important in building my career. Would  have loved to be in Senegal (for the CAF U-23 Olympic Tournament) but everything had to do with my club because the league is getting tougher.

    Belgian best

    First and foremost I play my professional football in Belgium with KV  Oostende.  I choose to play  in Belgium because it a good place to start (my career ) from. Well , Belgium is an interesting and a  lovely country . It’s  also a good place for young players to start their careers  and I really find  it interesting playing for my club,  KV Oostende.  Playing football (as a profession)  has always been my dream  in my life.  I have always taken football serious from day one intending to end a living; and one thing that keeps me going is the fact that I want to get to the top so I have to work extra hard and double my efforts.

    I am a growing fast winger who emulates and aspire to be like Ronaldo ; Pedro and Victor Moses.    I think it’s really important to respect my club a lot cause of the programs  they have  on ground which will help me develop even more.

     

    My Style

    Aside football ,   I like fashion a lot .if I have my way I would  have been  a model  because I’m  a fashion freak.   I wear native clothes;  suits and some time casual wears ; what I wear depends on the occasion I want to attend but generally, I love looking good and classy. Well,  apart from football , I spend most of my time listening to music.

    I can’t really say what life after football would be for me  but I’m determined to do my best now. Playing football doesn’t last forever  and I have to learn from the mistakes of others.   My target is to  see that I grow more; sign more contracts end good money and invest.

  • Love has kept us together — Godwin

    Super sub, Saviour Godwin has hinted that the bond of love, togetherness and unity that radiates through the Eaglets have been the greatest weapon the Nigerians have been using to beat their opponents in the ongoing FIFA U-17 World Cup.

    The Eaglets are the only team yet to be beaten in UAE after the other finalists, Mexico fell to the superior fireworks of their final opponents, Nigeria 6-1 at the Khaifa Bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain.

    Speaking with SportingLife at the Rashid Stadium in Dubai on Tuesday, Godwin said the Mexicans would fall the same way they did during the group stage when they play on Friday because the Eaglets have resolved to win the title for Nigerians.

    “The togetherness and love in our camp is lovely. We are all happy to be in this fold because there is nothing we do not know about ourselves. We eat, drink and sleep like one big family. It is our greatest magic and we are going to use that to beat the Mexicans on Friday, “Godwin said.