After having rejected invitations to
play for Spain and Romania at junior and senior levels, France-bound
Nigerian youngster, Anthony Ozoh, is ready to contribute his quota to
coach Stephen Keshi’s rebuilding process, reports
Barely four years ago, then Real Madrid B
team striker, Anthony Ozoh, looked set to turn his back on Nigeria
after he was offered invitation by Spanish officials to play for the
European giants’ youth national team.
The invitation was coming after another
Nigerian-born striker, Sunday Stephen, had represented Spain at the
Canada 2007 U-20 World Cup.
The offer was “irresistible and tempting” admitted the player born on May 6, 1990.
But Ozoh, who just joined French Ligue 2
side, Le Havre, on a two-year deal, was not one to let down his
fatherland. He would rather bide his time with the Nigerian national
teams than ditch them for another country. And so he “politely turned
down the offer” and instead, resolved to fight his way into Nigeria’s
teams.
Then Flying Eagles coach, Samson Siasia,
spotted the tricky youngster and immediately handed him an invite to
the national U-20 team.
He didn’t disappoint.
“Siasia invited me to camp in 2009
during the preparation for the Egypt 2009 U-20 World Cup. Actually I
came late but I was the highest goal scorer in camp in the friendly
matches we played,” Ozoh said.
Although left out of the final squad for the World Cup, the 23-year-old had already created a positive impression.
“I don’t know why I was dropped from the
U-20 World Cup squad because I performed very well and coach Siasia
gave me a good recommendation.”
He would soon be faced with another ‘tempting offer’ after he moved from Spain to top Romanian club side, FC Brasov.
He became an instant fans favourite
after he scored in each game he played for Brasov and ended the season
with 18 goals in 15 matches.
The fans nicknamed him (Didier) Drogba
because of a similar style of play to the deadly Ivoirian striker.
Impressed Romanian officials extended an invite to him in 2011 to play
for their senior national team.
However, Ozoh turned down the invitation
once more. “Yes they did invite me but I can’t play for them; I want to
play for my country, Nigeria,” he says.
He adds that he is not under pressure to perform despite being likened to a big player like Drogba.
He says, “I feel great being compared with such a great player but I don’t let it get into my head.
“I have learnt a lot from him (Drogba)
and will like to follow his footsteps. But I am Anthony Ozoh and I
always try to be myself and play my own game.”
In the 2010/11 season, Brasov loaned
Ozoh to CFR Cluj to garner UEFA Champions League experience and he now
hopes to get a chance to stake a claim in coach Stephen Keshi’s forward
line.
“I believe my Champions League
experience as well as my transfer to France will help me in breaking
into the Super Eagles. It has always been my dream to play and score
goals for Nigeria.
“Nigerians follow French football unlike
in Eastern Europe. I am hoping to score goals as usual in France and
help Le Havre gain promotion to Ligue 1.
“I also hope to play my way into the
heart of coach Stephen Keshi but first of all, I know I must prove my
worth in Ligue 2,” he admits.
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Good move Nigerian Drogba,that's a nice one!but hope u won't be let down cz the way its, somehow its more like a curse,the country seems to always forget their heroes!check or go through history, this keeps repeating so if I were u, ill think twice but since ur corageous, go ahead but please when the country let's u down don't go ranting!!!
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