AFCON 2013 winner Ejike Uzoenyi recently returned to Nigerian Professional Football League side Enugu Rangers. The 30-year-old striker shares his Super Eagles experience and his regret not playing in the English Premier League, in this interview with JOHNNY EDWARD
What have you been up to lately?
I’ve been having fun, enjoying my youth. Life has been good to me and I currently play for Enugu Rangers in the Nigerian Professional Football League.
How has it been returning to the NPFL?
Good, it is same as usual, not much improvement in the league. Still the same players, still the same quality and some players are still trying as well.
You were a part of the Eagles squad that won the Africa Cup of Nations in 2013, what was it like holding the title?
It was very memorable and joyful. It remains one of the special moments of my career. Everybody would want to be part of such feat. Winning the AFCON is something you can never erase in a hurry, so it’s a wonderful thing to be part of that team and to be mentioned among Nigerian players to have won the trophy for the nation.
Where is your AFCON medal?
(Laughs) I sold it for $20bn, it’s just a joke anyway. Why would someone sell something like that? It’s a precious gift from God. This is what a lot of people crave for, when you have it, no amount of pressure will make me sell such a prized asset. Maybe some people have sold theirs, the decision is best known to them but I can’t see myself selling mine. It is there and I stare at it every morning.
At the inaugural edition of the African Nations Championship in South Africa, you were named the MVP and were very instrumental to the Eagles B team finishing in third place…
(Cuts in) That tournament was special for me. It’s not like I was better than anyone in the team, but maybe that happened to be my time. I had a wonderful display, it was all good, so many benefits came from that tournament that I’m still enjoying till today and I’m so grateful to God for that.
What’s the difference between the Nigerian league and the South African League, where you starred for Mamelodi Sundowns, Bidvest Wits and Ajax Cape Town?
You can’t compare both, why would you perpetrate such injustice, you can’t. In life, people shy away from speaking the truth and I’m not going to be part of those who do that. There’s no way a reasonable person will come to you and say he will compare South African League with the Nigerian Professional Football League. That’s not being fair to football, if football has ever helped that person.
What are the differences you observed?
There’s a lot of differences. It’s not just about the financial aspect, which we all know is way better than what players in the NPFL get, but also about the football structure in South Africa. It’s also about the administrators who are in charge of football in the country. Are they interested in making football grow in Nigeria? For me, people who have interest in football should be at the helm because if you’re just there to make money, there won’t be an improvement. In Nigeria, everything is confusing, to the point that you ask yourself, ‘is this how football works here now?’ For instance, you watch the league, teams, players and coaches work so hard from Monday to Friday and on match-day, one referee messes everything up with poor officiating. Preparation for games is so difficult now considering the fact that most teams travel by road to match venues. Salaries are not regular as they should be.
What was it like playing at the 2014 World Cup with Nigeria?
My time with the Eagles remains awesome. I enjoyed football while I played for the Eagles. There were no complaints, everything went smoothly. I must confess, that’s one part I’ll tell you that players give their all. If you meet yourself in the Eagles, then you’re going to have a chance to dine with Obama.
There were reports that at AFCON 2013, officials changed players’ tickets prior to the knockout game versus Ivory Coast, thinking the squad had no chance against the Ivoirians?
It was not an issue for me because as a team we shamed them all by going all the way to win.
What’s your impression of the current Eagles under new coach, Jose Peseiro?
I think everything will be good with time; it’s looking nice at the moment. We just have to give them enough time to bond well as a team and be great again.
Who was your best teammate in the Eagles and why?
During the AFCON tournament in 2013, Sunday Mba was my roommate and we are still close till date. He is such a crazy guy who is easy going. He is very funny, nice but sometimes never bothers about anything.
You played in France too for Stade Rennes. Do you regret not playing in the Premier League or in LaLiga?
Of course, who wouldn’t? You know in life sometimes, you make some bad choices and good choices as well, now there are things I don’t even want to remember. After the World Cup, I came back, got injured and couldn’t play at the same level I had set for myself.
What were those bad choices?
Sorry, it’s something I wouldn’t want to speak about because the internet keeps them and I wouldn’t want my child to see them or put them out there.
How did you get into football?
I got into football like every other young kid. I started out in Enugu at the Santa Football Academy. Afterwards, I joined Pepsi Football Academy. From there, I was invited to the national U-17 team. I also played for Kogi United in the amateur division before I joined Gateway FC in Abeokuta, where my professional football started. I then played for Enyimba and Enugu Rangers before leaving for Stade Rennes in 2013.
You’ve been married for eight years. How did it influence your career?
I got married in 2014 and it helped me stay focused and made me more prudent with my earnings, which I’m enjoying now.
How do you keep the women away?
I am married, so that is how I do it. I try to stay with family, I am a family man.
