Oduamadi I Have To Queue Behind Robinho, Ibrahimovic
Posted: Mar 15, 2011
AC Millan forward, Nnamdi Oduamadi, admits to JOHNNY EDWARD
that the arrival of superstars Robinho, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and
Antonio Cassano have limited his chances at the Serie A leaders.
He also speaks on his return to international duty.
How do you feel making the Super Eagles 24 man list for the crucial ANC qualifying game against Ethiopia on the 27th of March?
It would be unfair for me to start talking about the game as the coach is yet to pick the final 18 man team for the game. I have to work hard to make the cut before I start talking about the crucial game that could make or mar our chances of qualifying for the Nations Cup next year in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.
Anyway, I was so surprised when I heard the news about my invitation. I have been working so hard since the pre-season games to at least break into the first team of AC Milan but the arrival of Antonio Cassano, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Robinho has made it really difficult for a youngster like me to make the star studded team. But I know that with God and time, I’ll be where Nigerians really want me to be.
You failed to make the final team of the U-20 team to the World Youth Championship in Egypt in 2009 with coach Samson Siasia in charge due to injury, now that he is in charge of the senior national team, how do you intend to prove a point to him that it was no fluke picking you once again?
That’s one moment of my football career that I think I would have made a big statement on the international level. I was sidelined due to injury prior to the WYC and he (coach Siasia) was not ready to gamble on me then. But now that I’m fully fit, I want to show Nigerians what they missed at the WYC in Egypt in 2009. I know that lots of soccer pundits would argue that I’ve not been regular with AC Milan and as such I should not be considered for any of the national teams, but this is a big opportunity for me to prove to them that my non-playing at my club is not down to my inability to perform on the pitch but due to the foreign players quota and also for them to understand that it’s not easy for a young player from Africa to get an opportunity ahead of the kind of strikers we have at Milan. Dominic Adiyah of Ghana had to leave the club because there was no place for him in the team. I know lots of Nigerians would have been disappointed having watched me play regularly in Milan’s pre-season games only for the arrivals of Robinho, Zlatan and Cassano to blight my dreams of regular action on the pitch.
But that’s not going to hurt my confidence at all because I’m fit and eager to prove my coach was wrong on his choices.
Most Nigerian players in recent times have failed to make an appreciable impact on their debut. Are you not scared of such happening to you?
No, not at all. I’ll want my football to do the talking rather than me telling you how well I’m good. My aim now is to prove my critics wrong. This is my chance and I will grab it with both hands, God granting us good health and injury free, I’ll make it impossible for my coach and mentor, Samson Siasia, to drop me from the final 18 man team for the Ethipioa clash.
At 20, you are equally eligible to play for the Olympic Eagles. Do you nurse that ambition?
Yea, Johnny, I I’m prepared to play for my country at any level if invited. It’s the dream of every player to live that dream of playing for any cadre of his national teams. That’s why missing Egypt 2009 is still haunting me. But it’s gone and now and this is a bigger opportunity to show my talent.
How do you fancy the team’s chances of qualifying for the Nations Cup next year?
The key is simple; win all our remaining games and we’d be there. This is a must and I believe that the Nigeria Football Federation hired the right man to achieve that. I don’t want to think otherwise because it would be unheard of.
So what do you think is the major reason why you’ve been overlooked at Milan?
The coach has refused to give me the needed chance to prove myself and I’m glad with this call up because if I perform well, it might be the turning point in my career. Milan did not allow me leave on a loan in January and there was nothing I could do to change that.
Lots of clubs in Italy wanted me but my coach promised to afford me some playing time until Cassano arrived from Sampdoria. His arrival made it pretty difficult for me but I’m not match rusty at all as I train hard with the main team everyday at the club. Milan have big stars in the attack line but I know that my time will come to prove that they were wrong to have underrated me. I’m not in a rush as I know that my time will definitely come to stake a claim for a place in the team’s attack.
Coming to the Super Eagles, does the likes of Nsofor, Ike Uche, Martins and Osaze, scare you as a player?
Well, as a young player who is growing, I should be scared but at Milan here, I equally play alongside big stars, so that won’t affect my game with them. There is nothing to be scared of. I’ll be there to justify my inclusion in the team and I pray the coach gives me the chance to prove my mettle.
This call-up ‘ll definitely offer me the opportunity to prove that I’m not just in AC Milan to make up the numbers but to add quality options to the team. It’s a big challenge for me as a young player and I want to use it as a spring board to my career. My coming to the star studded Eagles is also to give the coaches some options in the attack as other players have at once time or the other been given their opportunity to stake their claim.
As an upcoming player, which player would you say you always looked up to?
John Utaka. I loved the way he played with passion and depth during his first stinct at RC Lens and Stade Rennes before he moved to England. He was really amazing on the flanks then and did so many tricks with the ball. Robinho here also inspires me too at Milan. I always wanted to play like him but he is never my role model.
So who is your role model?
Lots of people in Italy claim that I play like Robinho because of my step-over style but my role model is Ronaldo da Lima. I was playing regularly in the Primavera league when he joined Milan then but I remember always waiting behind to see him torment defenders at the club then.
Also the coming to Robinho from Man City was also a dream come true for me because that’s my nickname in Nigeria. It was a dream come true for me and I can say that I’ve learnt a lot from all these wonderful strikers. He is one player that tells me that I’m too good to be left out of the main team. His encouragement consoles me alot and I’m still waiting for my time to come to prove my critics wrong.
that the arrival of superstars Robinho, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and
Antonio Cassano have limited his chances at the Serie A leaders.
He also speaks on his return to international duty.
How do you feel making the Super Eagles 24 man list for the crucial ANC qualifying game against Ethiopia on the 27th of March?
It would be unfair for me to start talking about the game as the coach is yet to pick the final 18 man team for the game. I have to work hard to make the cut before I start talking about the crucial game that could make or mar our chances of qualifying for the Nations Cup next year in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.
Anyway, I was so surprised when I heard the news about my invitation. I have been working so hard since the pre-season games to at least break into the first team of AC Milan but the arrival of Antonio Cassano, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Robinho has made it really difficult for a youngster like me to make the star studded team. But I know that with God and time, I’ll be where Nigerians really want me to be.
You failed to make the final team of the U-20 team to the World Youth Championship in Egypt in 2009 with coach Samson Siasia in charge due to injury, now that he is in charge of the senior national team, how do you intend to prove a point to him that it was no fluke picking you once again?
That’s one moment of my football career that I think I would have made a big statement on the international level. I was sidelined due to injury prior to the WYC and he (coach Siasia) was not ready to gamble on me then. But now that I’m fully fit, I want to show Nigerians what they missed at the WYC in Egypt in 2009. I know that lots of soccer pundits would argue that I’ve not been regular with AC Milan and as such I should not be considered for any of the national teams, but this is a big opportunity for me to prove to them that my non-playing at my club is not down to my inability to perform on the pitch but due to the foreign players quota and also for them to understand that it’s not easy for a young player from Africa to get an opportunity ahead of the kind of strikers we have at Milan. Dominic Adiyah of Ghana had to leave the club because there was no place for him in the team. I know lots of Nigerians would have been disappointed having watched me play regularly in Milan’s pre-season games only for the arrivals of Robinho, Zlatan and Cassano to blight my dreams of regular action on the pitch.
But that’s not going to hurt my confidence at all because I’m fit and eager to prove my coach was wrong on his choices.
Most Nigerian players in recent times have failed to make an appreciable impact on their debut. Are you not scared of such happening to you?
No, not at all. I’ll want my football to do the talking rather than me telling you how well I’m good. My aim now is to prove my critics wrong. This is my chance and I will grab it with both hands, God granting us good health and injury free, I’ll make it impossible for my coach and mentor, Samson Siasia, to drop me from the final 18 man team for the Ethipioa clash.
At 20, you are equally eligible to play for the Olympic Eagles. Do you nurse that ambition?
Yea, Johnny, I I’m prepared to play for my country at any level if invited. It’s the dream of every player to live that dream of playing for any cadre of his national teams. That’s why missing Egypt 2009 is still haunting me. But it’s gone and now and this is a bigger opportunity to show my talent.
How do you fancy the team’s chances of qualifying for the Nations Cup next year?
The key is simple; win all our remaining games and we’d be there. This is a must and I believe that the Nigeria Football Federation hired the right man to achieve that. I don’t want to think otherwise because it would be unheard of.
So what do you think is the major reason why you’ve been overlooked at Milan?
The coach has refused to give me the needed chance to prove myself and I’m glad with this call up because if I perform well, it might be the turning point in my career. Milan did not allow me leave on a loan in January and there was nothing I could do to change that.
Lots of clubs in Italy wanted me but my coach promised to afford me some playing time until Cassano arrived from Sampdoria. His arrival made it pretty difficult for me but I’m not match rusty at all as I train hard with the main team everyday at the club. Milan have big stars in the attack line but I know that my time will come to prove that they were wrong to have underrated me. I’m not in a rush as I know that my time will definitely come to stake a claim for a place in the team’s attack.
Coming to the Super Eagles, does the likes of Nsofor, Ike Uche, Martins and Osaze, scare you as a player?
Well, as a young player who is growing, I should be scared but at Milan here, I equally play alongside big stars, so that won’t affect my game with them. There is nothing to be scared of. I’ll be there to justify my inclusion in the team and I pray the coach gives me the chance to prove my mettle.
This call-up ‘ll definitely offer me the opportunity to prove that I’m not just in AC Milan to make up the numbers but to add quality options to the team. It’s a big challenge for me as a young player and I want to use it as a spring board to my career. My coming to the star studded Eagles is also to give the coaches some options in the attack as other players have at once time or the other been given their opportunity to stake their claim.
As an upcoming player, which player would you say you always looked up to?
John Utaka. I loved the way he played with passion and depth during his first stinct at RC Lens and Stade Rennes before he moved to England. He was really amazing on the flanks then and did so many tricks with the ball. Robinho here also inspires me too at Milan. I always wanted to play like him but he is never my role model.
So who is your role model?
Lots of people in Italy claim that I play like Robinho because of my step-over style but my role model is Ronaldo da Lima. I was playing regularly in the Primavera league when he joined Milan then but I remember always waiting behind to see him torment defenders at the club then.
Also the coming to Robinho from Man City was also a dream come true for me because that’s my nickname in Nigeria. It was a dream come true for me and I can say that I’ve learnt a lot from all these wonderful strikers. He is one player that tells me that I’m too good to be left out of the main team. His encouragement consoles me alot and I’m still waiting for my time to come to prove my critics wrong.
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