Emerging FC Porto midfielder Mikel Agu
was an unfamiliar face at Joseph Yobo’s recent testimonial game, but
the 23-year-old put up an impressive performance. He tells ‘TANA
AIYEJINA about his career and aspirations in this interview.
How will you describe your experience in Europe so far?
Europe has been really good because it
has helped in developing my footballing abilities – compared to how it
was when I was in Nigeria. I have been in Europe for six years now, so
in those years, I have been able to learn a lot of new things and also
grow in the game. But all these depend on where you go and the coaches
you meet as a player – different coaches will impart different things in
you. In all Europe has been a wonderful experience and I believe that
with the progress I am making, Nigerians will get to know me better.
You played against some of the best players in the world at the Yobo Testimonial match. What was the experience like for you?
It was an overwhelming experience for me
because I have the dream of playing in the national team and the Yobo
Testimonial match presented a platform that is close to that. It was an
exciting moment for me to meet and play with the legends of the game
like Nwankwo Kanu, Jay Jay Okocha, Joseph Yobo, Samuel Eto’o and the
others. It motivated me and made me want to go the extra mile to be like
them. I was also able to have the opportunity to talk to some of them –
Kanu gave me some career advices which I may not have gotten if not for
that platform.
The match was really a dream come true
for me. I will always cherish that day because it felt really good to be
among those ex-players.
You have been invited to the
national U-23 team ahead of the Olympics, do you think you can make the
Olympic given the large number of talented youth we have in the
country?
Nigeria has a lot of talented players
both in the country and outside the country, but I believe it all
depends on the coaches to decide if I will be good enough for the team. I
came into the team after I was invited because I wanted to show the
coaches what I have in terms of quality and I also want to give my best
to the country which has helped raised me. Since the country’s aim is to
go to the Olympics and win, I know it will improve the country’s
football profile in the world and if I am a part of the team, it will
not be forgotten that I made an impact in the achievement of that dream.
I really want to be a part of the team because with the players and
talent in the team, Nigeria can win the football Olympic gold again this
year. So for me, I know that no one is guaranteed a place at the
Olympics because everyone in each position of the team has the goal of
making it to the tournament. Also, the dedication and performance of
each person will decide who the coaches will choose in the final Olympic
list.
You are on-loan with Club
Brugge of Belgium from Portuguese side, FC Porto. What is the experience
like as a youngster playing in Belgium?
The football in Belgium is quite
different from that of Portugal. The Belgian style is more of physical
while the Portuguese style is based on tactics. Playing in Belgium is a
good experience for me because I was a part of the team, which won the
Belgian League for them after an 11-year wait. I learnt a lot from
Belgium despite the fact that I don’t really like the league and the
playing style. The referees there are also another reason why I don’t
like the league – they are not that world-class when it comes to
officiating and they often make the matches very boring. But I have come
to cherish playing there because it was my first move in Europe – from
Portugal and Porto to another country.
Porto are a former UEFA
Champions League winners and one of the big clubs in Europe. They are
your first club side in Europe, so what was it like when you first
sealed a deal with them as a youngster?
It was a big feeling for me and it was
an exciting moment for me when I was joining Porto. Every Nigerian
player at home dreams of playing in Europe. Some will even tell you that
they don’t mind going to the fourth or fifth tier leagues but mine was
different. I was joining a big club like Porto right from my first time
out of Nigeria. It was a moment I will never forget. Before joining
Porto, I wasn’t a fan of Portuguese football – my dream has always been
to play in England or Spain because I love the style of football played
in the two countries. But when their scouts came to Nigeria and
organised a competition, I impressed them and I was given a contract
after being invited to the club. It is really an amazing thing for me to
start my European career with Porto because of their name and pedigree
on the continent.
Growing up as a player, which footballer was your role model and why?
Yaya Toure was my role model when he was
still at Barcelona because of his playing style at the club. Mikel Obi –
at the U-20 level – was also my role model. I watched him a lot when he
played at the U-20 World Cup, so after the tournament when Chelsea and
Manchester United were tussling over him, I transferred my passion from
Toure to him. My name was a nickname coined after Mikel. Those two
players are the role models I had while growing up. Their style of
playing is what attracted me to them. As a midfielder, they can both
play in the creative and the defensive midfield positions.
You have yet to be capped by any of the national teams. What should Nigerians expect from you when you make any of the teams?
If I should get any chance with the
national team, Nigerians should expect the best from me. I will play my
heart out and Nigerians will really know what they have been missing in
having such a player as me.
You’ve been with U-23 team in camp for a while, how would you describe coach Samson Siasia?
Coach Siasia is a disciplined coach, who
is a motivation to any young player in the country. He hates players
being lazy about their routines and wants the best for any player he
comes across. He is a coach who helps young players realise their
potential to the fullest. He gives a lot of motivational talks to us and
ensures that we are in the right frame of mind for the training
routines we do. With the facilities we have in Nigeria not being as
top-notch as what is in Europe, one can see that Siasia still achieves a
lot with the young players. I believe he is a coach that instils
discipline and dedication in his players. For instance, he has already
told me to remove my dreadlocks to enable me to focus more and avoid
wasting time.
Did you play in the Nigerian league before going to Europe?
I didn’t play in the league at all. I
moved from an academy in Edo State to Porto in 2009 after our academy
represented Nigeria at the Copa Coca-Cola in South Africa.
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