I couldn’t bear it day Brentford humbled Man United 4-0

Grandson to late sage Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Seyi Awolowo, is a former Huge Brother Naija housemate. He talks about his love for Manchester United, his favorite Nigerian participant and extra on this interview with PETER AKINBO

Rising up, did you take part in sports activities?

Sure, I did. In main faculty, I did relay, observe and subject, and slightly little bit of soccer. In secondary faculty, I attempted basketball and in addition slightly little bit of soccer, which was the place I established that I used to be not a superb participant and in and after college, I performed paintball.

So, you found you weren’t good at soccer, what in regards to the different sports activities?

For basketball, I used to be common, whereas when it got here to soccer, I’d miss so many targets, and I acquired dribbled so many occasions, so I don’t assume it was for me. I attempted goalkeeping, however some photographs made me rethink my resolution.

With coaching, might you’ve got been higher at basketball?

Oh, sure. If I had a superb coach, I’d have been good at basketball. On the aspect of pursuing it as a profession, I feel I simply grew out of it and I used to be discouraged from enjoying basketball by the testimonies of those who went to symbolize the varsity in a event that the opponents had been too tall and too good. So, I centered on observe and subject again as an alternative.

Have been you discouraged from pursuing sports activities at dwelling?

I used to be not. Sports activities was kind of thought-about train in my dwelling. You recognize, that’s the typical excuse that the mom will give the daddy or the daddy will give the mom, when the son says he desires to be a footballer. We weren’t precisely discouraged from it however there’s a time for it, we would have liked to know when it’s time to go and skim our books and when it’s time for sports activities.

Do you remorse not going into sports activities?

Sure, figuring out what I do know now, that each one I wanted to do was set my thoughts to it and actually push myself tougher than common. I wouldn’t have minded in all probability enjoying soccer or basketball, to be trustworthy, or any sport, I’d have preferred to be an all-around athlete that may play all of the totally different sorts of sports activities.

Who do you assume is the best Nigerian footballer ever?

Primarily based on how I really like soccer to be performed, will probably be the dwelling legend that was so good they needed to title him twice Jay-Jay Okocha. That man performed soccer, and he performed good soccer. That man introduced Bolton out of relegation, he was very constant. It’s very unhappy that he by no means gained the African Participant of The 12 months award, it’s very very unfair, he did a lot that he wasn’t recognised for. I consider most of all these awards are political, however Okocha was a fantastic participant, and I feel he is aware of it and that’s sufficient.

Which soccer membership do you assist?

I’ve supported Manchester United since I used to be eight, though they’ve reduce lots of my tickets. I’m glad with the final three video games however I’m not placing my thoughts there, they’ll shock me quickly. It has occurred with a number of coaches. Let’s simply see what’s happening earlier than we enter with our full chests.

How would you choose a five-a-side group of the best gamers to play for United?

I’d choose Ruud Van Nisteelroy as my striker, (Cristiano) Ronaldo and (Ryan) Giggs can be my midfielders. Relating to my defenders, it will probably actually by no means be Maguire, not in one million years. I’d go for (Rio) Ferdinand due to his consistency over time, and (Patrice) Evra and I’ll go together with Van der Sar for my goalkeeper.

How do you’re feeling about Manchester United now?

I nonetheless consider we’re going by way of a transition. Coming from an excellent coach to testing the waters with different coaches, I feel now we have not discovered it but. Every time we expect now we have discovered it, they simply lose it, possibly the player-coach cooperation simply goes off, I don’t know, however I feel we’re nonetheless attempting to get our wings again. Sir Alex Ferguson left and he was a critical a part of the vertebrae, he was the person and we simply want to seek out that lacking piece. I feel we must always simply give it slightly little bit of time, moreover, we will’t keep on high without end, different folks should win too. Proper now, we’re not there, we simply don’t have it now, it doesn’t imply we’re not going to have the ability to get it again once more like Liverpool, they went down for a bit, and take a look at them now, so it occurs.

The issue most United followers have is Liverpool profitable as a result of Man United have 20 EPL titles, whereas Liverpool have 19. How do you’re feeling about this rivalry?

Fairly frankly, one of these rivalry retains you in your toes. With this type of statistics, the suitable minds in United ought to know that they should sit up, particularly with one of these pressure that may take you out of your consolation zone. So, I prefer it as a result of it’ll inspire the gamers and coaches. The worry of shedding the document ought to make them buckle up.

What do you consider United’s probabilities of success this season?

Actually, I’m simply optimistic, there may be nothing that can’t occur. If we choose primarily based on the final couple of video games we’ve performed, there may be nothing that can’t occur, let’s simply depart it at that. In soccer, it’s all the time 50-50. You may be at high type and a few golf equipment will simply come from nowhere and embarrass you and that’s it for the remainder of the season. So, each match I’m going to with Manchester, I’m going in 50-50. Though there are some issues that I see and I really feel like ‘if these folks don’t win, I’ll get mad.’ That final 4-0 defeat to Brentford pained me however I couldn’t simply categorical myself. I needed to preserve it in, however hopefully, they put in as a lot vitality and do the issues that they’ll do for us to win.

What do you hope for as a fan when United face Arsenal this weekend?

I’ll simply say it’ll finish at 3-1 or 4-2 in favour of Man United. I feel Arsenal will rating first, but when they don’t seem to be capable of rating by halftime, no targets for them for the remainder of the sport.

What do you consider the Cristiano Ronaldo state of affairs?

When you find yourself a former participant, and also you went exterior and have become a superhero, you then come again to the group that set your deciding moments and they’re fumbling, one can’t blame the man for saying he desires to go away. I feel if he wished to go away, they need to have let him depart, it’s not like we did that badly with out him, we don’t must construct the group round him. He’s an excellent participant but when he says he desires to go, they need to let him go.

Do you observe the Tremendous Eagles and what do you consider them now?

Sure, I do. I’m a powerful follower of the Tremendous Eagles, I by no means consider we’ll lose to anybody till we lose the sport as a result of we had been all the time beating all the highest groups. For now, I feel they need to privatise our soccer, I feel they should take away the federal government from our sports activities, they don’t seem to be taking good care of the those that they ask to symbolize us. Proper now, they don’t play for the flag, they simply present themselves in order that international golf equipment can see them, they’re enjoying for the cash now.

I consider we will do significantly better as a result of I’ve seen Eagles beating Argentina and Brazil after they had been at their peak. I feel the entire system wants a reset.