Ahead of the World Cup in Russia, the campaign for the inclusion of more home-based players in the Super Eagles is on. Three local players -Ikechukwu Ezenwa, Stephen Eze, and Gabriel Okechukwu are hoping to grab their chances in the two friendly matches against Poland and Serbia. With Ezenwa having impressed during the World Cup qualifiers, the onus now is on Okechukwu to justify the campaign for the inclusion of more local players in the Russian party, writes Kunle Adewale
A fter an above average-performance at last month’s CHAN in Morocco, it came as no surprise that Gabriel Okechukwu was included in the list for Super Eagles’ upcoming friendly matches against Poland and Serbia. Though the campaign for the home-based players to be included in the Nigerian team to the World Cup has been on increase in recent times, Super Eagles Technical Adviser, Gernot Rohr’s position remains that the country’s best legs are outside the shores of the land.
“Our best players are playing in Europe. Senegal, who we played against in London, had no local player. The big teams don’t have local players,†the German tactician had said then.
However, after much criticism over the lack of opportunities to local players in his team, Rohr then declared that only exceptional players in the CHAN Eagles will be invited to the Super Eagles.
The 63-year-old German however insisted that the current Eagles squad had top quality players and charged the home-based players to prove they can do better.
Rohr said that he was keen on giving the NPFL players the opportunities to play for the team and as such, his assistants, Salisu Yusuf and Imama Amapakabo have been scouting the league for the best legs to represent the country in the CHAN tournament.
Okechukwu has vowed to justify his inclusion in the Super Eagles squad if he gets a chance to feature in the team’s international friendlies against Poland and Serbia.
The Akwa United attacker, who spoke to AOIFootball.com, said he remained grateful to Gernot Rohr for considering him worthy of a national team call-up.
“I feel excited to be invited among the players that will represent the country against Poland and Serbia. I want to use this medium to say a big thank you to the coach for giving me this opportunity to be a part of this team and I promise not to disappoint,†the CHAN hero said.
Gabriel further added that if given the chance in any of the games, he would grab the opportunity with both hands: “If given the opportunity by the coach, I will always have to come in and do what I know how to do best, which is to play and prove that I deserve to be a permanent member of the team.
“It’s a lifetime opportunity playing for Nigeria at this level and I’m prepared to take it. The World Cup is the biggest competition every player dreams of and I’m not an exception. The games will serve as a preparatory test for us and every player invited will be eager to prove their own class so I will be ready to prove that as well.
Okechukwu departed with the Super Eagles contingent from Abuja to Wroclaw on Tuesday for the game against Poland before they face Serbia four days later in London.
After his exploits at the CHAN competition, Okechukwu said he had got offers from some foreign clubs and that he doesn’t want to rush into any deal that could hamper his career growth.
In a chat with Brila.net, the Akwa United player revealed some of the offers he has been receiving though they were no concrete deals yet. “Yes, I have been getting some offers from foreign Clubs I won’t mention names because they are no concrete deals yet,†Gabriel stated.
He maintained that he remained committed to his Uyo-based Club and would simply take his time with the NPFL side rather than jump into any offer.
He was part of the home-based Super Eagles side which lost in the final of the WAFU cup to Ghana in September but kept his place for January’s African Nations Championships despite not doing anything out of the ordinary in Ghana.
Okechukwu sat out Nigeria’s first two games in Morocco and had to wait until the third game against Equatorial Guinea before he was handed his competition debut. He barely touched the ball in his six-minute cameo but his day was beckoning.
That day came in Nigeria’s next game – a quarter final match in Tangier – against Angola. The Eagles missed a number of scoring opportunities and were heading out of the competition when an injury to wonderkid Sunday Faleye prompted Salisu Yusuf to call on Okechukwu with about 30 minutes left to play.
He made his presence felt in the attack and although he missed a glorious chance to pull Nigeria level on 77 minute, his strike partner, Anthony Okpotu, redeemed himself with a late equaliser, sending the game to extra-time.
Cometh the hour, cometh the man! After a goalless first half of extra time where both teams looked jaded and seemingly settling for shootouts, Okechukwu took his destiny in his hand. Picking up a loose ball after Dayo Ojo’s free kick was deflected, he outpaced two Angolan defenders before shooting from the edge of the penalty box.
The luck that has trailed Okechukwu all his career also followed the ball as it took a deflection off Angolan defender Wilson and beyond his goalkeeper Landu Mavanga.
Okechukwu’s goal made the difference. It brought joy to millions of Nigerians back home.
The former Super Eagles and Flying Eagles fringe player is well famed in Nigeria after former coach of the Super Eagles, the late Stephen Keshi, handed him the number 10 jersey against Chad in Nigeria’s first AFCON 2017 qualifiers in Kaduna.
Keshi was queried by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) for including a player who doesn’t play in any level of Nigerian football league, in the national team.
Okechukwu was born August 28, 1995. He is a product of Water FC Academy in Abuja. In February 2016, he signed a contract with Ukrainian club FC Karpaty.
