Popular UK-based Nigerian Arsenal supporter Kelechi Anyikude in this interview with KELVIN EKERETE speaks about his high and low moments as a Gunner, influx of Nigerian players in the English Premier League as was his thoughts on Victor Osimhen joining the London club
When did you become an Arsenal fan?
I became an Arsenal fan in 1995 when Dennis Bergkamp moved to the club and everything got solidified when Nwankwo Kanu joined us in 1999 and I’ve been supporting the club since then through thick and thin, home and away.
Were you one of the fans that wanted Arsene Wenger to leave the club?
I didn’t. Some guys on Arsenal Fans TV did but I never said one bad word about Wenger and that’s why anytime I run into him it’s always cordial. I always thought he deserved the right to leave on his own accord after all he had done for the club.
Wenger did a lot for football in England; changed the culture at the club and seeing him go out like that was really sad.
Do you support the Super Eagles?
100 per cent. I’m friends with most o the players and we interact as well. I try not to be too hard or critical with them and if I have something to say and I can reach you directly I do that. I encourage them a lot especially when the likes of Alex Iwobi were being overtly criticised and abused while he was at Arsenal and even at Everton, I always send him a message like ‘bro keep your head up, we’re here to support you, we know you can do better’.
I follow the Super Eagles games and it’s a shame that we didn’t qualify for the World Cup after all the banter I had with Ghanaian fans and it was another friend of mine, Thomas Partey, that scored the goal and since he did, I’ve been avoiding him.
I think it was a fair game, they deserved it and I hope they do well. Right now, however, I have switched my attention to the Super Falcons and their preparation for the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
What was the reaction of the Ghanaian fans to you after Nigeria’s loss?
They came for me on my Twitter and Instagram but they knew it was all friendly and light-hearted jokes.
I know that if Ghana wins at the World Cup we’ll all celebrate them.
How does it make you feel seeing a lot of Super Eagles players in the EPL?
It makes me happy and people are now beginning to recognise that we have talents in the country. Watford for instance, I just didn’t think they utilised the Nigerian players at their disposal. Aside from Emmanuel Dennis, they could have used Oghenekaro Etebo a lot in midfield.
William Troost-Ekong is a good player and while fighting relegation, some of these physical guys would have helped a lot. I also think it doesn’t make any sense to draft in Samuel Kalu and not play him.
At Leicester City, Ademola Lookman and Kelechi Iheanacho are doing well, Wilfred Ndidi as well and he (Ndidi) not being at the World Cup qualifier and Iwobi not being there actually cost us more because there was no one to link up the plays.
I’m happy that the players are doing well and I pray that Iwobi and Everton don’t get relegated because that will hurt me.
When I have the time I go out to watch their games, especially that of Leicester because Iheanacho receives us well whenever we come to watch his team.
Which Nigerian player would you want to have at Arsenal?
At the moment, Victor Osimhen for sure. We have the money to pay to get him. He’s still very raw though but you can clearly see that he’s getting there.
I think Arsenal can spend this summer. The Kronke’s have backed Mikel Arteta with £250m or more so I think we have the money. Is €100m on the high side for Osimhen at the moment, I think it is but if it’s in his contract I think we’ll have to pay it.
How does it feel watching Arsenal play second fiddle to the likes of Man City, Liverpool and others in the last couple of seasons?
It’s been very heartbreaking not seeing Arsenal play in the Champions League in the last five seasons. It’s a big club and I think a lot of things have gone wrong in the past but I think there’s stability and Arteta has managed to gel the squad, he knows the kind of players he wants and he’s going after them and inasmuch as I don’t agree with him on some other things, he’s done really well.
What would you say Arteta brought to the club?
He has stabilised the defence. A lot of people criticised Ben White and Aaron Ramsdale when they were signed but he (Arteta) knew what he was doing. My first job in the UK was as a safety steward so I also watched all of Leeds United games so I watched White and Ramsdale play a lot and I can see why he went for them but the money seems to be on the big side.
Ramsdale at Sheffield United was their player of the season despite being relegated so it means he wasn’t a bad footballer.
Arteta knows who he wants and who to bring in but the only problem I have with him is his man management skills. You look at the Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang, Matteo Guendouzi and William Saliba situation. Could he have done better? Yes.
The Aubameyang situation really hurt me because I knew him personally and he really loves Arsenal but when family is involved especially your mother, a lot of things happen.
I’m not saying he (Aubameyang) is the best discipline-wise but stripping him of the captaincy was enough. If Arteta can improve on his man management skills and not bring everything to the media, he will be a better manager but I know he is young and is still learning.
Growing up, were you an active football player?
I think I played a little bit in primary or secondary school but I wasn’t good at it but I loved watching football. My father is a die-hard football fan and I grew up watching and supporting Iwuanyanwu Nationale before I started watching Arsenal.
How do you feel about Heartland’s current situation, having fallen from grace to grass?
I feel bad when I see the current state of Heartland these days. I get to watch them on the NPFL app. What is happening to Heartland now is really terrible and it looks like each government that comes into power keeps failing them and I am thinking if the government can’t handle them anymore, why not give it to private individuals that love football.
Hearing stories about the team getting thrown out of their hotel is really embarrassing and seeing them hovering around the relegation waters is really disheartening but hopefully, we hope they can return to their glory days.
Favourite Arsenal player?
That would be Thierry Henry but Dennis Bergkamp comes second. I still can’t see people doing what Bergkamp did on the pitch. The artistry and everything but for me, Henry is a very complete player. He dominated the league for a very long time, scored a lot of goals for the team, won us trophies and that makes him a legend in my eyes.
Was there a time you were attacked or abused for supporting Arsenal?
I started doing my interviews on Arsenal Fans TV I saw it as an opportunity to start celebrating my culture. I was always going to matches wearing Nigerian traditional attires and this was deliberate.
In protecting some Nigerian players, especially Iwobi; I got abused severally even racially. Sometimes when people insult Iwobi, my name is always there in the second line. It happened a lot of times.
What are your favourite and worst Arsenal moments?
I’ll say breaking the nine-year trophy drought was my favourite. I was at the stadium that day and the feeling was just electric. We came from two goals down and that stands out.
The worst, I’ll say the regular bashing from Liverpool.
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