By Daily Sports on October 16, 2018

Jamilu Collins admits having been taken aback after receiving news of his first ever call-up to the Nigeria national side ahead of last month’s international duties against Seychelles and Liberia.

The 24-year-old turns out for Paderborn SC in the 2. Bundesliga in Germany and his invite to join the Super Eagles came as a surprise as he never expected being on the radar of coach Gernot Rohr and his scouts.

“At first, it was surprising, despite the fact that I've been working really hard in Paderborn,” Collins told Goal.

“Secondly, I’ve been praying for it to come and when I got the call-up, I was a little bit surprise – surprise of happiness and it was a joy for me to see that I've my country watching over me while playing. I never expected it that they watched me.

“It was a great feeling and I was happy about it.”

News of players from obscure leagues in Europe and ‘China’ getting invites to represent the Super Eagles are not always met with great reception by fans and the media.

Collins, who plies his trade in the second tier of the German league, was the latest to get that treatment.

Asked if he read into reactions – and criticisms – on the social media, the former Rijeka defender said: “No, I didn’t because usually before people can react [they have to follow the football there].

“I know that if you follow football very well you'd never react [badly to a player invited from the 2. Bundesliga].

“When you don’t follow football, you can’t [have a] say… but it’s normal. This is not the first time, we have such everywhere.”

Aged 18, the Kaduna native was called up by John Obuh for the 2013 Toulon Tournament where he made no appearance.

 Five years later after surviving five loan spells from his first professional club Rijeka in Croatia and a promotion from German third-tier league, he was handed his maiden national team invite, alongside England born centre-back Semi Ajayi, also part of Obuh’s set-up in 2013.

Also, Super Eagles mainstays Wilfred Ndidi, Moses Simon and Shehu Abdullahi were on the party to France.

Collins showed perhaps what Elderson Echiejile and Co. lacked, going fully on the offensive after being let loose by a clever reverse pass from Alex Iwobi.

The ‘quick’ left-back showed great composure to dart into the Mediterranean Knights’ box before seeing his deft chip cannon off the crossbar, thus denying him a first Super Eagles goal.

He admitted to being able to carry out whatever the coach's ‘instructions’ were.

“My style of play; I play to instructions, I play to what the coach wants. We are all professionals, we have quality,” he continued.

“The way the coach asks me to do, I do.”

•Photo shows Jamiu Collins

Source Daily Sports

Posted October 16, 2018

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