In an earlier write up above, I identified no less than 15 mini under age tournaments between 2019 and the present day where opportunities were missed to unearth capable goalkeepers for Nigeria.
Think about it, for those tournaments, no less than 3 goalkeepers would have been shortlisted for each. Let's do the maths, shall we?
15*3=45. Yes at least 45 goalkeepers would have been tracked, scoped, monitored and selected for various age grade to tournaments since 2019. Yet we are left to manage Uzoho and Okoye who, like the rest of us, can only give what they are endowed with.
Where is England born Under-20 Daniel Jinadu? Oh yes, in England warming the bench in division 5 for Maidenhead fc.
Where is Under-20 Italy born Jonathan Zaccala? No be that one wey dey find his feet in Croatia division 2.
What is the story behind the continued blatant snubbing of Swiss born Sebastian Osigwe? Your guess is as good as mine.
Why just give up on Dele Alampasu just because he plays in French division 4? The 2013 Under-17 World Cup hero remains bitter about his Super Eagles snub.
Does the name Olawale Oremade still rings a bell? Who be dat wan? deo u don come again o!
What about 22 year old England born Tottenham Hotspurs one time Super Eagles Joshua Oluwayemi? Oh that one, he plays with Chelmsford fc in the English 6th division.
If we don't have goalkeepers playing in credible clubs, why not select the ones we have based on 'potentials' and allow them use the national team as springboard to greatness. After all we are willing to use the same national team to promote mediocre home based players. Also, Uzoho and Okoye paid up members of their clubs' bench warmers association.
So what do we have to lose in looking at the direction of Alampasu, Oluwayemi or Jinadu? After all Okoye was playing in division 10 in Germany when Gernot Rohr shoved him down our throats.
With this goalkeeping issue I just feel we need to do something different, something unconventional. If that means sticking with Uzoho and Okoye and providing them avant-garde tactical support, love, measured criticism and ongoing development, so be it. If not, waiting to select a Nigerian goalkeeper playing week in and week out for Real Madrid or Manchester City will be tantamount to expecting Abuja to become the financial capital of the world.
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