Aghahowa: Great Expectations
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Aghahowa: Great Expectations
Aghahowa: Great Expectations
Daily Champion (Lagos)
INTERVIEW
January 13, 2004
Posted to the web January 13, 2004
Lagos
JULIUS Aghahowa came into the national consciousness when he made the Nigeria Under-20 team to the 10th edition of the FIFA World Youth Championship which the country hosted in 1999.
The tournament provided the relatively unkown player from Insurance of Benin with a platform to launch himself into national and, to some degree, international recognition.
He caught the fancy of the FIFA Technical Committee who listed him alongside Brazil's Ronaldinho, Japan's Koji Nakata and Xavi of Spain as being among the rising stars to watch in the years to come.
The striker from Edo State has not disappointed on his rating. Barely a year after the World Youth Championship, he broke into the senior national team where great players like Sunday Oliseh, Finidi George, Austin Okocha, Taribo West and several others held sway.
He literally pulled Nigeria from the jaws of the Lions of Senegal at the 2000 African Cup of Nations that was jointly hosted by Nigeria and Ghana.
The Senegalese had taken 1-0 lead against the Super Eagles in a quarter-final match at the National Stadium in Lagos. With the Nigerians appearing to have lost ideas on how to handle their opponents, Aghahowa proved the saving grace of the team when coach Jo Bonfrere introduced him with about 10 minutes of regulation time left. He scored the two goals that saved the team from humiliation on their home ground in that memorable match.
The young international repeated the same heroics at Mali 2002 where he was a joint highest scorer with Cameroon's Patrick Mboma.
This season, at Shakhtar Donetok in the Ukraine, 'Aghahowa' is averaging a goal every two games as he gears himself for his third Nations Cup finals.
How would you assess your performance in the Ukraine so far this season?
I thank God for everything about my football career in this country. For one thing, I never expected to recover so soon from an injury that threatened my career. I'm grateful to God because I did not just recover from it, but I came back fitter and in better shape than ever before. I've scored a lot of goals for my club this season and I'm looking forward to my return to the national team so that I can contribute my quota to the Super Eagles and the country. I have been away for some time and am eager to return and to satisfy my fans who have missed me.
Can you confirm a report that Manchester United and other big clubs are gunning for you?
That's true. It's not only Manchester United, but others. My problem is not with the clubs seeking my services, but lies with my club president not agreeing to release me. Some time ago I sent a letter to the NFA asking them to send a top official to come and meet the club president and others here, but I have not had a reply. I want them to come and discuss my transfer to another club. You know Ukraine is extremely cold and my family cannot join me, so I'm extremely lonely here. My problem with the club could have easily been sorted out if the Nigerian football leaders had shown some interest in the situation. Shakhtar will obviously respect them since the NFA is affiliated to FIFA.
Although my morale has been dampened by the lukewarm attitude of the Nigeria officials, I will continue to give my best whenever I am called to represent my country.
How do you feel about making your third African Cup of Nations appearance?
Have I made the team?
No, but I don't think that you will have a problem making the playing squad.
If I make the team, I think I have the experience, with two Cup of Nations finals and a World Cup, to perform well. I pray that I won't be disappointment.
How fit are you, physically and mentally, for the 2004 Cup of Nations?
I think I'm fitter than I have been in the past two Nations Cups that I've attended. I need prayers to enable me to have a successful outing, because no matter what you plan as a human being, without God's support it will be difficult to accomplish anything. It's my intention to use this competition to pay back my fans with good football and results; to thank them for believing in me and, above all, for sanding by me during my trying moments.
What of your desire to emerge as the highest goalscorer of the championship?
That is still my dream but it is not a life or death matter. I am thinking more of working together with other members of the team to enable Nigeria to win their matches. In football, no matter how good you are, you cannot function effectively without the support of your teammates. If I'm assigned the striker's role and I get the support of my teammates, I can realise my dream. The most important thing is for the team to win and that's my priority. I want Nigerian football to go back to where it was in 1994 and 96; when we were feared by teams throughout Africa and beyond.
Are you satisfied with Nigeria's preparation for Tunisia 2004?
It is shocking to see Nigeria always building a team. This approach does not augur well for the development of the game and the national team, in particular. I don't think we are doing the right thing; inviting about 40 players for the preparation. To my mind this leads to confusion in the camp. Our preparations also have not been the best. We appear to be the only country that builds a new team every time there is a new competition. It seems that we are always building, building and building. There's no end to it.
How do you rate the Eagles' chances in such a strong group.
Yes, it is a strong group with teams like South Africa, Morocco and even Benin Republic. But I am happy that we have such a tough group because it will force us to work harder. But come what may, Nigeria will make it from the group. As far as who else will qualify, that's not my business.
Relevant Links
West Africa
Soccer
Nigeria
How do you think Tunisia 2004 will differ from the ones that you have already featured in?
Playing in Tunisia will be like returning home for me. I played my club soccer with Esperance there and I still have many fans in North Africa. The Super Eagles had luck when they won the tournament there in 1994 and I am looking forward to a repeat of that victory. There is no player that will want to disappoint in a competition of this stature and I'm looking forward to it with great hope and expectations. With God on our side, we will make ourselves and our nation proud.
well i hope he does well this anc and move from ukrain for good
Daily Champion (Lagos)
INTERVIEW
January 13, 2004
Posted to the web January 13, 2004
Lagos
JULIUS Aghahowa came into the national consciousness when he made the Nigeria Under-20 team to the 10th edition of the FIFA World Youth Championship which the country hosted in 1999.
The tournament provided the relatively unkown player from Insurance of Benin with a platform to launch himself into national and, to some degree, international recognition.
He caught the fancy of the FIFA Technical Committee who listed him alongside Brazil's Ronaldinho, Japan's Koji Nakata and Xavi of Spain as being among the rising stars to watch in the years to come.
The striker from Edo State has not disappointed on his rating. Barely a year after the World Youth Championship, he broke into the senior national team where great players like Sunday Oliseh, Finidi George, Austin Okocha, Taribo West and several others held sway.
He literally pulled Nigeria from the jaws of the Lions of Senegal at the 2000 African Cup of Nations that was jointly hosted by Nigeria and Ghana.
The Senegalese had taken 1-0 lead against the Super Eagles in a quarter-final match at the National Stadium in Lagos. With the Nigerians appearing to have lost ideas on how to handle their opponents, Aghahowa proved the saving grace of the team when coach Jo Bonfrere introduced him with about 10 minutes of regulation time left. He scored the two goals that saved the team from humiliation on their home ground in that memorable match.
The young international repeated the same heroics at Mali 2002 where he was a joint highest scorer with Cameroon's Patrick Mboma.
This season, at Shakhtar Donetok in the Ukraine, 'Aghahowa' is averaging a goal every two games as he gears himself for his third Nations Cup finals.
How would you assess your performance in the Ukraine so far this season?
I thank God for everything about my football career in this country. For one thing, I never expected to recover so soon from an injury that threatened my career. I'm grateful to God because I did not just recover from it, but I came back fitter and in better shape than ever before. I've scored a lot of goals for my club this season and I'm looking forward to my return to the national team so that I can contribute my quota to the Super Eagles and the country. I have been away for some time and am eager to return and to satisfy my fans who have missed me.
Can you confirm a report that Manchester United and other big clubs are gunning for you?
That's true. It's not only Manchester United, but others. My problem is not with the clubs seeking my services, but lies with my club president not agreeing to release me. Some time ago I sent a letter to the NFA asking them to send a top official to come and meet the club president and others here, but I have not had a reply. I want them to come and discuss my transfer to another club. You know Ukraine is extremely cold and my family cannot join me, so I'm extremely lonely here. My problem with the club could have easily been sorted out if the Nigerian football leaders had shown some interest in the situation. Shakhtar will obviously respect them since the NFA is affiliated to FIFA.
Although my morale has been dampened by the lukewarm attitude of the Nigeria officials, I will continue to give my best whenever I am called to represent my country.
How do you feel about making your third African Cup of Nations appearance?
Have I made the team?
No, but I don't think that you will have a problem making the playing squad.
If I make the team, I think I have the experience, with two Cup of Nations finals and a World Cup, to perform well. I pray that I won't be disappointment.
How fit are you, physically and mentally, for the 2004 Cup of Nations?
I think I'm fitter than I have been in the past two Nations Cups that I've attended. I need prayers to enable me to have a successful outing, because no matter what you plan as a human being, without God's support it will be difficult to accomplish anything. It's my intention to use this competition to pay back my fans with good football and results; to thank them for believing in me and, above all, for sanding by me during my trying moments.
What of your desire to emerge as the highest goalscorer of the championship?
That is still my dream but it is not a life or death matter. I am thinking more of working together with other members of the team to enable Nigeria to win their matches. In football, no matter how good you are, you cannot function effectively without the support of your teammates. If I'm assigned the striker's role and I get the support of my teammates, I can realise my dream. The most important thing is for the team to win and that's my priority. I want Nigerian football to go back to where it was in 1994 and 96; when we were feared by teams throughout Africa and beyond.
Are you satisfied with Nigeria's preparation for Tunisia 2004?
It is shocking to see Nigeria always building a team. This approach does not augur well for the development of the game and the national team, in particular. I don't think we are doing the right thing; inviting about 40 players for the preparation. To my mind this leads to confusion in the camp. Our preparations also have not been the best. We appear to be the only country that builds a new team every time there is a new competition. It seems that we are always building, building and building. There's no end to it.
How do you rate the Eagles' chances in such a strong group.
Yes, it is a strong group with teams like South Africa, Morocco and even Benin Republic. But I am happy that we have such a tough group because it will force us to work harder. But come what may, Nigeria will make it from the group. As far as who else will qualify, that's not my business.
Relevant Links
West Africa
Soccer
Nigeria
How do you think Tunisia 2004 will differ from the ones that you have already featured in?
Playing in Tunisia will be like returning home for me. I played my club soccer with Esperance there and I still have many fans in North Africa. The Super Eagles had luck when they won the tournament there in 1994 and I am looking forward to a repeat of that victory. There is no player that will want to disappoint in a competition of this stature and I'm looking forward to it with great hope and expectations. With God on our side, we will make ourselves and our nation proud.
well i hope he does well this anc and move from ukrain for good
I hope he wins the ANC golden boot this time around depending on the team going far and also should have won it Mali had he been allowed to take that PK against Senegal...
If JAG continues his scoring streak in the ANC, he will be on the verge of breaking Rashidi Yekini's and Laurent Poku's goals in the ANC and will be the all time goal scorer in the history of the ANC... while still active at the same time...
Laurent Poku, hmm he is either from CIV or Congo DR has 14-Goals
Baba Rashidi Yekini has 13-Goals
If JAG can get his goals tally to ten at least or more he could either come close to breaking the all time goal scoring chart in Tunisia or break it in Cairo'2006... Well done JAG and all the best to you....
If JAG continues his scoring streak in the ANC, he will be on the verge of breaking Rashidi Yekini's and Laurent Poku's goals in the ANC and will be the all time goal scorer in the history of the ANC... while still active at the same time...
Laurent Poku, hmm he is either from CIV or Congo DR has 14-Goals
Baba Rashidi Yekini has 13-Goals
If JAG can get his goals tally to ten at least or more he could either come close to breaking the all time goal scoring chart in Tunisia or break it in Cairo'2006... Well done JAG and all the best to you....
Last edited by MI5 on Wed Jan 14, 2004 1:31 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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