Kanu cherishes charity work

Super Eagles captain Nwankwo Kanu has said he has no regret not winning the Africa Nations Cup.

The Portsmouth star also said the trophy was his priority in Angola but after winning bronze medal he praised the team for not disgracing the nation at the event.

Kanu won a silver medal with Nigeria at the 2002 edition of the championship in Mali and won bronze in Tunisia 2004, Egypt 2006 and now Angola 2010.

He said, ”We went to Angola with the intention of finishing as the best team in the tournament. But we started badly against Egypt and good enough, we came back into the race and reached the semifinals. Bronze is not a bad achievement for this team.

“I had a personal target to lift the trophy in Angola but it was not met. Nigerians would have been happier to see the cup coming home, but inasmuch as we wanted to make them happy we just have to take the positive from this competition. I am disappointed as a captain of the team for not lifting the trophy but personally, I have touched people‘s lives in different ways.

“My best gold medal is the assistance I give to children with heart problems through my foundation. That is the best thing that has ever happened to me. What will I gain if I fill my shelve with trophies and medals when millions of children are sick and dying. Football gold is good but touching the less privileged people through the game gives more joy; that is the best gold medal.”

Kanu comforted his teammates, advising them to prepare for the World Cup in South Africa in June. The former Arsenal player also expressed optimism that Nigeria had good youngsters to rely on for future success.

Mikel battles for Chelsea shirt

MIKEL Obi expects a battle to win back his place in Chelsea's midfield after a month with the Nigeria team in the just concluded African Cup of Nations. Mikel has returned from Nigeria's African Nations Cup campaign in Angola.

He is now focusing on earning a place in Carlo Ancelotti's starting 11, the first opportunity being Arsenal at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, which would be his 150th Chelsea appearance.

“I've kept in touch with Gary [Staker, player liaison officer] and some of the players, and I always want to know what the score is," he told chelseafc.com.

"I saw some of the games while I was in Angola, the game against Burnley and Preston in the Cup, so I've known what has been going on, and they have done really well without the African players. "It isn't going to be easy for us to walk back into the team again. We know we have to come back, work hard and support the team."

The Nigerian ace featured in all five of the Super Eagles' international games in January, including an energy-sapping quarter-final that required extra-time and penalties. However, Mikel feels he is fit enough to compete domestically.

"I feel okay, I came back on Tuesday, had some medical tests and everything went well so I'm fit and ready to go again, ready for Arsenal who are a very good team, so if I am selected I can help the team as much as I can."

Eagles still need Kanu, Yobo - Nsofor

Friday, February 5, 2010

Nigeria's participation in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa will not be completed without the involvement of the old legs and experienced players in the team, according to Victor Obinna Nsofor.

" As we grow up with the team, I think we still need a few experienced players to give us the confidence. In any case, some of us can even be said to have grown in terms of experience. I made my Nations Cup debut in 2004, so after six years, I am no longer a kid. However, we still look up to people like Nwankwo Kanu,"he said.

Nsofor said he had gained much from the players since had been playing with them. "I have learnt a lot from them. Football is a learning process, and the more you play with the older players the better for your career."

On his experience at the just-concluded Nations Cup, he said: "Like every other team, we hoped to win, but as everyone could see, hard luck
cost us the game against Ghana. We enjoyed all the possession and created numerous chances but scoring was our biggest headache.

"The team has come under a lot of criticism lately and the players were not too comfortable with the uproar from football fans". Nsofor said criticism plays a major role in the game.
"Criticism is part of the game. Even when you are playing very well, people will see flaws in your game. But then, we have to admit our game hasn’t been
up to scratch in recent times. We will keep working hard and by God’s grace Nigerians would see a much improved Super Eagles at the World Cup.

Nsofor has been a great influence in the team and he did it against Tunisia on his Nations Cup debut in 2006, then against Mozambique in Abuja during the World Cup qualifiers, and now in Angola where his Man of the Match performance secured Nigeria’s seventh bronze medal in the tournament.
Endowed with a burst of pace, guile and a powerful shot, the Malaga star relives his Nations Cup experience as he looks forward to South Africa 2010.

"I thank God for my achievement, and I wish to thank my team mates for giving me the support to score. We have come a long way in this competition, and to go back home empty handed was not the best."
On the attitude of the team after the semifinal loss , he said: "We made a resolve to beat Algeria because it was the best way to pacify Nigerians who had expected something better from us, so we played to win. We knew we could have won the gold itself, but the luck wasn’t on our side.

Winning the bronze would only encourage us to work harder towards winning the gold in the next edition of the tournament.
I am still young and upcoming, so I have no problem if the coach plays me as a substitute. When it’s time for me to start playing on a regular basis, no one can stop it."