Agboola hails Iwobi’s Nigeria choice

Former Nigeria international, Reuben Agboola has praised Alex Iwobi’s decision to play for Nigeria ahead of England.

Agboola told supersport.com that “I take my hats off to (Alex) Iwobi for choosing to play for Nigeria” says Reuben Agboola.

Agboola himself only visited Nigeria for the first time when he arrived to play in 1991 and the former Super Eagle is in a great position to speak about the
conflicts players born outside Nigeria might have.

“It is difficult I know. Especially when you have never visited the country before; when you hear of the instability in the Federation and in the coaching set up.”
“These things affect the minds of young players but that’s why I am very impressed with Iwobi. He plays for Arsenal but chose to play for the Eagles. Good on him I say”.

Most weekends in England, Holland, Belgium and Germany there’s a huge number of Nigerian born players on show. The Federation is trying hard to convince some of them but the feeling is that many feel they will earn more if they get caps from a European country. Agboola sniffs at that thinking.
“How much more can they earn really? The ones in England are probably on nearly a quarter of a millions pounds a month so what more money can they get for only a few caps? He asks.


“Meanwhile” warming up to this theme “playing for Nigeria opens you up to an even bigger audience. You are exposed to the possibilities of bigger endorsements with big Nigerian companies. Playing for Nigeria is a shrewder move I say”. That’s another way of looking at it.
Agboola who combines his personal business of car sales with hospitality speaking at the St Marys Stadium of Southampton on match days wishes he had played for Nigeria earlier.



“It was only after I had started playing for Nigeria that it was revealed to me that Nigerian had first approached Southampton when I was younger but (Lawrie) McMenemy rebuffed the approach and never told me about it”.
It would have been something to have had a younger, faster Agboola playing for Nigeria. “what hurts most is not being told about it so that I would have made the decision myself”.



Despite the monies owed him by Nigeria he volunteered his services to Late Stephen Keshi in the run up to the last World Cup. “Stephen and I kept in touch and when he got the job we spoke often. He and I roomed together a lot when we played. At some point I told him if he wanted I will go scout some players for him and report back. We did not conclude because he said he had to get to the Federation to approve first”.


If the Federation are looking for a well placed person to go speak to Ademola Lookman and many others they will do well to ask Agboola to come along. His experience and the fact that he was not born in Nigeria just might carry more weight in getting some these boys onside.