The Nation’s reporter Taofeek Babalola sat down with the tallest player in the camp of the Super Eagles Paul Onuachu, at the team’s Pullman Hotel, Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire. The Trabzonspor star opened up on his second AFCON with Nigeria, Super Eagles, the Southampton debacle and more.
How did you feel playing in a second AFCON? Are you satisfied with your contribution to the team so far?
It was a great feeling for Nigerians and for us players here. It wasn’t easy. The pressure was high but thank God we scaled through in both matches.
You are playing in your second AFCON finals, is the experience of the first different from this one?
It’s a great experience and it’s a great honour to be here and representing the country. What you have to do is just to give back to the country and to make them proud and we did that against Ivory Coast, Guinea Bissau and Cameroon. As a team we have a target. Not just for me, for the country and the team. We had a target in Egypt and we won the bronze medal, third place.
We are here and we have a target and everybody want to do this again like our old Eagles to take the Cup of Nations, that is the target here but we have to start with one game at a time. Every game counts and our target is AFCON.
How would you describe the Super Eagles team?
It’s like a family, that why sometimes, some people, some fans don’t really understand the essence of the national team. National team is about family. It’s about being together. Off course sometimes, it is good to give chances to young players that are doing good and coming up. But the thing is that being among the team for years, it is easy to integrate yourself, so that is why it is the national team. The family is good. Everybody has been together for about three, four to five years. It’s family and we know the task ahead and we are really pushing to go far in the competition.
You were doing well before moving to the Premier League but you didn’t really do well with Southampton. What went wrong?
I have been asked this question lot of time. It’s all about the team. It’s all about stability. I went there when it wasn’t going good, when they were struggling and there were lot of crisis. But I chose to go there because I really want a change. I have played a lot in Belgium, I have won everything and i wanted to go and try something else and Premiership was a good change for any player.
I knew the situation. I knew the task and I knew it was 50-50. It’s either it goes good or it’s goes bad. They were at the bottom of the Premier League table when I went there and I took the chance. If you are a man, you have to take the opportunity. I took it and I knew it’s either good or bad. Eventually, it didn’t go as planned. That’s life. You move on.
How did your family react to the situation?
Off course, family is family, when you are not in a good state, the family always worried, asking, what’s happening, I would just tell them it’s football and we always have the days like this. Some coaches comes, they change patterns, especially when you play in a team where they play with the white striker that is not your strength. So you can’t do anything about it. They chose different kind of strikers. That’s the major problem.
Do you still wish to go back to the premier league?
Who wouldn’t want to play in the Premier League? But if it is going to be in the same situation like I had when I was there, I wouldn’t want to be there and be in the same situation. I am happy at Trabzonspor now, they play to my strength, and they play to my quality. As a player, you always have to choose a club where they play to your strength. Off course, you have to also work hard to earn it.
If not for football, what would you have done?
If not for football, to be honest, maybe I have to go back and think what I would have done. But right now, I don’t have the answer.
Do you think you have been given enough opportunity in the national team? Or do you think your position is very competitive?
I think it is really competitive in the national team now with my position. I think maybe about two years ago or so, I thought maybe I should have gotten more time. For me, I thought I came in at a struggling time, at a time when people don’t really get to see the best of you.
When you come-in in the second half, the struggle and the pressure, that is there. But right now, I think we have lots of strikers. I’m not being judgmental here, Victor Osimhen is Africa’s best, and Victor Boniface, Taiwo Awoniyi, are doing good. Off course, I am part of it, I have been doing well at my club Trabzonspor, at the end of the day, and it still comes to the coach to decide. All respect to the strikers. They are doing well but at the end of the day it comes to the coach to pick. For me, I am very happy and it is an honour to be in the 40-man list. At the end of the day, he chose the 25-man list and he chose the best.
Super Eagles in the next four years
We have a young team and if we build with this and with what we have done against Cote d’Ivoire, trust me, we are going to be unbeatable.
How supportive is your wife?
She is very supportive. Every wife wants their husband to be among the best and I think that’s the joy for her for me to be here. She is very supportive.
What are the things your wife use to do when you are going for game?
What my wife used to do sometimes, not every time, we pray on the match day and she comes to the stadium to support.
You mean, she follow you to the stadium to watch game?
Yes! Every game. But we meet first and she would stay with my friends.
Do you see any of your children playing football?
Off course, 100 percent, they have to follow in my step.
Has any member of your family played football before you?
No, I am the first person.
