1st September, 2014
America’s Major League Soccer, MLS, player, Nigerian Obafemi Martins has revealed how he was discovered on the streets of Lagos from where he rose to stardom.
In an interview with Fifa.com Monday, Martins, who has scored 18 goals in 39 appearances for Nigeria, said: “I started out just playing for fun, with my friends. I was spotted by a man named Churchill Oliseh, the older brother of Nigeria captain Sunday Oliseh. I played in his team and he was a good man. He helped me out with food and support, because it wasn’t a professional situation at that time. And before I could blink, he told me I could go to Italy for trials. It seemed unreal.”
The former Newcastle of England star revealed that he was nervous when Oliseh told him of the trials in Italy, saying “I was nervous. But my parents said, ‘Why not give it a go?’ Churchill looked at me and asked, ‘Do you want to play football or do you want to go to school?’ I wanted to play football, so off we went. I passed the trials and signed with a third division side, AC Reggiana. I did well with the youth team, made the first team and then was signed by Inter Milan – all in my first season! It happened so quickly I was dizzy, but I felt blessed.”
Martins, who signed for the MLS club, Seattle Sounders FC on 11 March, 2013 after the club paid a $4 million buyout clause, said of the Nigerian league as being one of the bad leagues in the world.
“We don’t have the best domestic league system in Nigeria, but we do have some of the best players – too many talented players. Go to Germany, Russia, Spain, Italy, wherever, and you’ll find Nigerians playing there. They might not be the big stars, but they’re out there showing what Nigerian football is all about. Nigerians love to play football and it’s not like here in the States where there’s American football, baseball, basketball. All we have is football in Nigeria. And we love it.”
The former Rubin Karzan of Russia star, who won CAF Most Promising Talent of the Year in 2003 and 2004, believes if he continues to play in his present form Nigeria coach can call him to the national team. He said: “I’m here and I’m Nigerian, so we’ll see if I get picked. I have no control over it. Every coach has his favourites. All I can say is that I’m playing good football in Seattle and I’m happy doing it. If I’m in the Nigeria team, great, and if I’m not, I wish them all the best. I always want Nigeria to do well.”