Brian Idowu
Nigerian fans would have watched one of their own strutting his
stuff in Russia’s colours at the 2018 World Cup if the European country
had not dilly-dallied.Perhaps Brian Idowu would have jumped at the opportunity to represent the country where he was born.
Until the 25-year-old energetic and tough-tackling defender made
his international debut in the Super Eagles’4-2 defeat of South American
giants Argentina in a friendly affair in Krasnodar, Russia, on
Tuesday, he was eligible to play for both Russia and Nigeria because
he holds dual citizenship.
The utility Amkar Perm player was born in St Petersburg, Russia,
where his architect Nigerian father and his medical doctor
half-Nigerian and half-Russian mother met while attending university.
Idowu, whose middle name is Oladapo, was touted as a potential
star in the Russian set-up following his standout performances in
Amkar’s campaign in the 2015-16 Russian Premier League season. With
the player’s performance turning him into something of a cult hero in
the team, some sections of the Russian media tipped him to represent the
national team at the first World Cup holding in the country since its
inception in 1930.
Now, the player, who scored on his international debut after coming
on as a half-time substitute for Ola Aina at the Krasnodar Stadium, has
revealed that he was forced to consider representing Nigeria when
Russia failed to make their intentions known despite his
week-in-week-out head-turning performances at Amkar.
The Russian Football Union was reportedly keen on having Idowu, who
can play as a left-back, right-back, central defender, winger and
central midfielder, in the national team. But Russia coach Stanislav
Cherchesov, who never gave Idowu a chance on the first team when he
managed Amkar from 2013 to 2014, refused to invite him.
Idowu grew frustrated with Cherchesov’s apparent lack of interest
in his services – and decided to listen to Nigeria coach Gernot Rohr
when the 64-year-old German sounded him out about his Nigeria project.
But his Russian coach at Amkar Gadzhi Gadzhiyev wanted Idowu to
play for the country where he was born and tried to stop him from
switching his international allegiance to Nigeria.
“Nigeria coach Gernot Rohr contacted me and told me that he was following me,” ESPN quoted Idowu as saying on Thursday.
“He wanted to invite me to the squad, but that was impossible because I didn’t have a Nigerian passport.
“Gadzhiev said that such a call is not incidental, and I should
keep progressing. He advised me to wait and see if I get called by
Russia as well. I don’t see why I can’t play for Russia if I keep
getting better, but they have good players like Mario Fernandes in my
position. They don’t miss me.”
Apart from guaranteeing him a place in his World Cup squad to
Russia 2018, Rohr is looking to Idowu to play dual roles at the
tournament.
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