Remo Stars FC of Ikenne goalkeeper, Kayode Bankole has declared emphatically that he is eager to make history as the first home-based shot-stopper to start a competitive match for the Super Eagles in almost 20 years.
Sports247 reports that, in what could be a rehash of the days when Ilechukwu Ezenwa and Chigozie Agbim showed great promise as home-based goalkeepers in the Super Eagles, Bankole is now thinking of following suit.
Dramatically, the prospect of Bankole starting the Eagles’ forthcoming 2026 World Cup qualifier against Rwanda is high, considering that the three invited netminders all ply their trade for clubs based in Africa.
He will, however, have to contend with former Bendel Insurance of Benin City sensation, Omas Obasogie, who is now based in Tanzania, and Eagles’ current first choice, Stanley Nwabali from South Africa, but Bankole says he won’t give up without a fight.
After helping his Ikenne-based club keep top spot for many weeks in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL), Bankole is now hoping to prove his mettle with the national team as well as, and admitted it is already a dream come true for him being in the final squad of 23.
The fast-rising goalie affirmed, “I was very happy and glad when I saw my name in the final list. I am happy that I finally got into the national team. That’s the dream of any footballer. Playing for your country has to be your dream. I’ve been looking forward to it, and that’s why I’m very excited. It’s just a dream come true for me.”
Bankole then turned his attention on the possibility of him being called upon to man the sticks from the first blast of the referee’s whistle in Kigali come Friday, and the tall shot-stopper stressed that he is up to the task, but quickly added that the decision would ultimately be up to the Eagles’ new coach, Eric Sekou Chelle.
“The coach has a decision to make on who plays or who will not play. Everybody wants to play, but it’s the coach that will select who will play. So, the only thing I will just do is to make sure I give my best in training.
If the coach says I should start, why not? I’m not going there to joke. I also want to play. So, if I’m selected to play, I will play. Why not? The decision of who will play is in the coach’s hands. We will just do our best in training, and the coach picks who will play,” Bankole reasoned
