Former Super Eagles’ winger, Chinedu Obasi has taken time out to reflect on his career and reckoned that he was not celebrated as he would have liked, only because he did not play in the English Premier League.
Sports247 reports that the dashing star, who was initially erroneously called ‘Ogbuke’ at the start of his career, juxtaposed his path with that of fellow-2003 FIFA U17 World Cup revelation, John Mikel Obi, who he admits eventually outshone him.
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They were also both part of Nigeria’s silver-winning squad at the 2005 FIFA U20 World Cup in Holland, where Mikel emerged as the second best player behind Lionel Messi, but his then clubmate at Lyn Oslo of Norway, Obasi beat him in becoming the first Nigerian to star in all four levels of global football competitions for national teams.
Apart from starring alongside Mikel at the 2010 FIFA World Cup and 2013 Confederations Cup, Obasi had earlier been at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and returned home with another silver medal, after Nigeria again lost to Messi’s Argentina in the final.
It was not until 2016 that Mikel eventually played at the Olympic Games and won a bronze medal with the under-23 squad that he captained under Coach Samson Yebowei Siasia, but he remains largely more celebrated at home and abroad than his former childhood pal.
Obasi, who went on to play for TSG Hoffenheim and Schalke 04 of Germany as well as AIK Stockholm and IF Elsborg of Sweden, followed by Schenzen of China and then retired at SC Altrach of Austria in 2021, believes he is not celebrated as much simply because he did not play in the EPL.
Despite initially signing for Bolton Wanderers in 2018, Obasi still could not fulfil his lifetime ambition of playing in England, as fitness issues made The Trotters terminate his contract after just three months, which was in stark contrast with the success Mikel enjoyed at then high-flying Chelsea.
The now 38-year-old Obasi, who is also fondly called ‘Edu,’ recalled, “Of course, everybody knows Mikel in Nigeria. He won a lot of things. He was captain of the national team, and he played in Chelsea for a very, very long time. In Nigeria, everybody gravitates towards the Premier League.
“Even for me, while growing up and when I got to Germany, the goal was to move to England. That’s the focus of most Nigerian players. That’s what we see. That’s what we experience and because of the language. It’s English, so you don’t have to translate. You just go in and then you go on.”
Obasi noted further in the interview with Germany-based Nigerian journalist, Oma Akatugba that Mikel was able to settle down fast at Chelsea, thereby making a smooth transition from what he experienced during their time together in Oslo.
The fast-paced lad, who was born in Enugu on June 1st, 1986, added, “Luckily for him, it was smooth. He got in, and everything went well. Luck was part of it, but he also deserved being recognized, and he soon became one of the most decorated Nigerian players. I don’t think he was calculating what other people were thinking, and that’s why he achieved a lot at Chelsea. I’m really proud of him, especially when I remember how we came together from the under-17 team. Seeing where he got to with Chelsea was an amazing thing.”
Obasi concluded by looking at his own career trajectory and affirmed that he still cherishes memories of his days playing in Der Bundesliga, which he described as a rapidly developing league, with huge potentials for all clubs and players.
“I didn’t necessarily get that much exposure. What I got was only from people who understand football. Those who look into the real game, they want to see who is playing and look for if Obasi is there for Hoffenheim.
“All the same, I will still like to talk about the Bundesliga more, because it’s a league that is still growing. It still has a lot of potential, and there are a lot of young players taking part … hoping to express themselves and get more exposure. They will get there; I believe they will get there,” Obasi projected.
