Former Nigeria international and one time assistant coach of the Super Eagles, Sylvanus Okpala has spoken of the late Henry Nwosu, his former team mate in the national team, who died recently. He recalls their early days in the junior national team and latter the Super Eagles. Okpala described the fallen hero as an extraordinary talent whose full potential remained untapped. Okpala spoke with Jacob Ajom. Excerpts:-

How were your early days at the national team?

Henry and I started together in the then Junior Eagles, now called the Flying Eagles. Remember we were the first set of Junior Eagles and I was the first captain of the U20 Eagles and we grew up together in the game. He came from St Finbarr’s Secondary School, I came from Metropolitan Secondary School Onitsha, Keshi came from St Finbarr’s, while Howard came from Igbobi College or so. Others like Bright Omokaro, Humphery Edobor, Prince Afejekwu came from Edo College. These were my set and we were students from secondary schools, that was 1978/79. Although I first joined the Flying Eagles before him, Nwosu was my colleague and my team mate. And we were neighbours too, after our active days. When I sat in front of my house and he sat in front of his, we could talk to each other across the street. But he had not been living here for the past five years or so.

When I got the news of his death it shook me. It was a very big shock that I started feeling headache and uncomfortable then I had to go and lie down for about 45 minutes to gather myself.

As a footballer, Henry was a fantastic player but for the potential he had, I believe the best of Henry did not come out. He was a bundle of talent too.

When we had our first screening, we were about 50 or so. After Henry had about three or four touches on the ball, the coach asked him to step aside. It was coach Rojenovic who was assistant to Father Tiko that conducted the screening. Henry was one of the best players Nigeria ever produced. He had the same level of ability like Messi’s. He dribbled and scored goals like Messi. He didn’t need space to dribble and he liked to dribble in a tight situations. Henry didn’t need space to dribble. And he scored fantastic goals. If you saw him play overhead kick he had a way of taking volleys with acrobatic kicks. Henry was a special talent. He was quick-footed and was even faster than Messi when he dribbled. He had a fantastic volley. He would lift himself and remained suspended in the air before releasing his volleys with his back behind the goal post. For me, the best of Henry did not come out. He was an extraordinary footballer and one of the best Nigeria ever had.

Conduct and behavioral pattern, how was he relating with other players in camp?

Whether in the junior Eagles or the senior team, Henry was one player who knew he had talent and was proud of it. He was self assured and proud of himself. Whenever he sang, he would always mention his name in the song. And again, when they gave us cars after winning the 1980 AFCON, there was something he wrote on his car but I won’t mention it, we used to joke about it.

Can you remember any particular match Henry thrilled in the national team?

Fantastic. There was a match we were playing here in Lagos against Guinea. It was a World Cup qualifier, ahead of the 1982 World Cup. We played 0-0 in Guinea and we were playing 0-0 here deep into the second half, almost in the dying minutes of the match Henry scored a fantastic goal because the shot he took was unstoppable.

There was also a goal he scored again in Moscow Olympics. Fantastic goal by a special player. That goal earned us a 1-1 draw against Czech Republic. He went with us again to the 1988 Los Angeles Olympics but could not play because he cupped an injury. That was the senior Olympics which featured national teams like the FIFA World Cup. After the ’88 Olympics, almost all the players that featured for their countries at the ’88 Olympics were at Italia ’90 World Cup. Remember the Olympics we won in 1996 featured U23 teams. It was Sepp Blatter, former FIFA President who changed everything. He kicked against senior national teams participating in the Olympics because, according to him, we cannot have two World Cups in one year. (Vanguard)

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