Ahead of Nigeria’s crunch FIFA World Cup qualifiers this September, Super Eagles star Fisayo Dele-Bashiru in an interview with Brila Media spoke about the team’s chances and teammate, Ademola Lookman’s situation at Atalanta.
When asked how he felt to be back in the Super Eagles squad, Dele-Bashiru said:
“I feel happy to be back, really confident, and I am sure we will get the job done.”
The 24-year-old midfielder also joked about the possibility of scoring the winner on Saturday.
“Hopefully, you know as a footballer you have to stay ready every moment of the match, whether you are winning, drawing, or behind, because at any moment you could be in the situation where you have to score a winning goal or block a shot that will win you the game.”
Also read: https://brila.net/challenge-accepted-fisayo-dele-bashiru-ready-to-fill-jay-jay-okochas-shoes/
Bashiru praised head coach Eric Chelle, describing him as both demanding and tactically astute.
“He is a good coach, very physically demanding, but the players have the capability to deal with his demands. He is a good coach with good ideas, and tactically in these upcoming games we will show what we have been working on in training. We should be able to get a victory.”
He also reflected on last November’s loss to Rwanda in the AFCON qualifiers, insisting that a repeat will not happen.
“A repeat of that game won’t happen, that’s not what we are aiming for and we are going to win.”
On Ademola Lookman’s uncertain situation at Atalanta, Dele-Bashiru shed light on the challenges African players face when pushing for transfers.
“The problem is when you sign with Serie A teams there are all sorts of clauses in the contract that not everyone knows about, and that could affect you leaving the club. As a player, it’s not a nice situation to be in. Maybe it just happens more with African players, I don’t know.”
The game against Rwanda will be Dele-Bashiru’s first competitive call-up under Chelle. The 24-year-old will be hoping to impress and establish himself as a key part of the Super Eagles setup under the Malian tactician.
Nigeria currently sits in a delicate position with seven points from six games. With only four matches remaining, three points against Rwanda will be crucial to keep their World Cup hopes alive.
