I am better for Super Eagles, Norway-based James tells Rohr

A forward with Molde FK in Norway, Leke James, says he can perform better for the Super Eagles if given the opportunity by the senior male national football team handlers.

James who plays in the Norwegian top-flight “Eliteserien’’ told newsmen on Sunday in Abuja that the opportunity to show what he could do was all he needed now.

“I have more than what it takes to break into the Super Eagles team, and to play regularly as part of the team’s striking force. It’s just the opportunity.

“I can understand that many people will not look the way of Norway when thinking about quality players for our national team. But that is wrong.

“What we play there is fantastic football, and I am an exceptional player in particular, going by all available statistics.

“I can do better than many of the players Nigeria has on its radar now for the national team going for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Egypt,’’ he said.

James said Super Eagles’ present strikers were only being considered ahead of him on the basis of past glories.

“Let me use Odion Ighalo as an example in this case. Ighalo had already made his mark before going to China. So, he is not being assessed on the basis of his performance in China or the quality of the league.

“So, in the case of others like me, the fact that we play in the Norwegian league, which many of our people hardly watch or know about should not be a yardstick in assessing us’’, the former Golden Eaglet player, who was signed on by Molde from Beijing Enterprises FC of China in 2018 by current Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solksjaer,
said.

James who played alongside Spain-based Kenneth Omeruo in the Eaglets under coach Alphonsus Dike said he possessed the needed qualities to excel with the Super Eagles having paid his dues.