Danny Mills goofs on England-born Nigerian youngsters

By Daily Sports on June 8, 2017

England is basking in the euphoria of winning the Under-21 World Cup which recently ended in South Korea. Since winning the 1966 senior World Cup which it hosted, they hadn’t won any major international competition until now. Disappointment after disappointment had been the order of things with English football for many years as generations of very good players failed to bring home a major cup. Now the country is hoping that winning the under 21 world cup will be the beginning of an era of triumphs in major international competitions.

One thing that was remarkable about England’s under-21 team’s success, at least from Nigeria’s perspective, was the fact that the England squad was made up of six Nigerian players who were central to that country’s successful outing in the

These players, who are eligible to represent Nigeria at the senior level, include Dominic Solanke, who emerged as the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the tournament.

Others are Ademola Lookman, Josh Onomah, Fikayo Tomori, Seyi Ojo and Ovie Ejaria, who even trained with Nigeria’s U-17 team of 2013, but left the camp because of pressure from his former team, Arsenal.

Now the international future of these players has become an inevitable topic of discussion. One opinion that struck me was the call made by former England player Danny Mills to the players to shun Nigeria and opt to play for the England senior team of the opportunity arises.

Danny Mills, who was a guest analyst of the BBC during the final game against Venezuela, said: “Again, I’m going to be biased but if you have the opportunity to play for England, you have to take it.

“The quality of England, for me, far outweighs the chances you will have for Nigeria. OK, you might go to the African Cup of Nations, you might pick up a medal.

But in terms of competitions that really matter on the world stage, the Europeans, the World Cup…England would be your first port of call.”

I simply have to say in response that though I think it’s natural for these Nigerians to always want to play for England having been born and bred in the English society which they see as home, there’s nothing to suggest that choosing England would guarantee them a better international future than opting for their fatherland.

While I concede that English senior team football have got a good foundation for progress with better administration of the game there and a number of good players , they’ve not been able to leverage that into international success and winning the Under-21 World Cup could well be a swallow that doesn’t make a summer.

Suggesting that winning the African Nations Cup is somewhat more glamorous than winning the African nations cup is a disrespect to football in the black continent.

Source Daily Sports

Posted June 15, 2017


 

You may also like...
How grassroots clubs are being outwitted by rich...

Premier League Hopeful Of June 8 Restart

Real Madrid Plotting Free Transfer Move For Rudiger...

U17 World Cup: Buhari Congratulates Golden Eaglets Over...

Oshoala tops Falcons' list for 2016 Africa Women...

Female ref given dirty slap by coach after...

 

Latest News CAF awards: Ajibade, Nnadozie, Edo Queens bag nominations Lagos SWAN, PAACC Hold SWAN Day At Golfview Hotels, Ikeja Crisis looms as Eagles’ form raises AFCON, W’Cup concerns Ex-Nigerian Super Falcons player handcuffed, children assaulted as police storm Anambra Football Academy Sports NFF, teammates console Nwabali on father’s death Abia Govt hails Nigeria Olympic Committee over staging an admin course in Umuahia Libya deliver Eagles 2025 AFCON ticket Eagles battle Cheetahs for 2025 AFCON ticket Yellow Greens gear up for T20 W’Cup qualifiers Tyson tips Fury to beat Joshua Sadiq absent as 22 Eagles train in Abidjan Eagles’ striking trio hot for Cheetahs, Amavubi clashes

 

Most Read Rangers International going, going . . . (55,164 views) Amaju Pinnick: A cat with nine lives (46,308 views) Second Term: Amaju Pinnick, Other NFF Heavyweights Home to Roost •How Pinnick Broke the Jinx (44,370 views) Missing $150,000 IAAF Grant: Solomon Dalung’s Hide and Seek game (44,015 views) Sports Development: Zenith Bank on the zenith (43,949 views) Current issues in Nigerian sports: Matters arising (43,905 views) Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje’s solid footprints, commitment to sports development in Kano State (43,744 views) NFF Presidency: Pinnick, Maigari, Ogunjobi, Okoye in Battle for Supremacy (43,312 views) Olopade, BET9A wave of revolution in NNL (42,366 views) Commonwealth Games 2018: Shame of Muhammadu Buhari, Solomon Dalung (41,054 views) Ibrahimovic’s Man U exit: Whose decision is it? And in whose interest? (39,507 views) John Mikel Obi: Segun Odegbami’s Outrageous Call! (38,932 views)

 

Phone numbers

Tel: +234(0)8066020976
+234(0)8055068145
+234(0)7013416146
+234(0)8094272884

Email addresses

info@dailysportsng.com
support@dailysportsng.com
publisher@dailysportsng.com

Office address

No 3, Adetoun Close, Off College Road, Ogba, Ikeja Lagos.
Website: www.dailysportsng.com

Social Media