By Toby Prince
Emmanuel Emenike’s announcement that he was quitting international football was greeted with mixed reactions from Nigerians who are yet to recoup after former skipper Vincent Enyeama took similar route.
Emenike announced his international retirement on Monday via social media platform, Instagram, to the disbelief of Coach Sunday Oliseh who revealed he was “shocked” by the striker’s action.
While many football fans believe the 28-year-old who last scored for his country in October 2013 is way pass his prime, others are of the opinion that he still has loads of football to offer the country.
With the 2013 African Cup of Nations top scorer now out of the fray, we take a look at three strikers who could fill the void left by the player.
- Obafemi Martins (Seattle Sounders)
Obafemi Martins requires no introduction to Nigerian football as he has already carved a niche for himself in the game.
His 18 goals in 39 international appearances make him the Super Eagles’ third all-time highest goalscorer behind Rashidi Yekini and Yakubu Aiyegbeni.
Martins, 30, was constantly ignored by former Coach Stephen Keshi and it was reported that the player had call it quit with internationals in 2014.
But since the coming of Oliseh, the player has swiftly moved to debunk that claim, thereby opening the doors to his national team return after a long spell in the wilderness.
” I never announced my retirement, as wrongly reported. I was a bit disappointed to be treated like a Nigeria outcast but it was not enough to push me into an early retirement,” Martins told BBC Sports.
“Things have changed at home and if the new coach (Sunday Oliseh) said he wants me to play for Nigeria again, I’d jump at the chance,” Martins hinted.
The striker forged ahead from his Player of The Season performance last year in the MLS with a much more spectacular showing this term – scoring 15 goals in all competitions for Seattle Sounders thus far.
Martins has had a nomadic career in Europe playing for Inter Milan, Newcastle, VFL Wolfsburg, Rubin Kazan and Levante – but it is in the USA where he has gained more recognition finding the net 40 times with over 20 assists for Seattle.
If considered worthy by Oliseh, the player will definitely provide goals, pace, better link-up play, loads of experience and leadership missing in the national team.
- Brown Ideye (Olympiakos)
Another old-timer, Brown Ideye could likely be the solution to the Eagles striking dilemma after the retirement of his former strike partner, Emenike.
Unlike Martins, Ideye has always been criticised by Nigerians for his poor goalscoring return – five goals in 25 games for his country – a woeful record for a top marksman .
The player has also been shut-out by Oliseh but could likely be on the tactician’s wish list after watching him singlehandedly tear Dynamo Zagreb apart in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday.
Deemed surplus to requirement at West Bromwich Albion, Ideye joined the Greek giants in the summer and notched his third consecutive goal in the 1-0 win in Croatia.
The 27-year-old is the only Nigerian striker playing in the UCL and could offer a different dimension to the Eagles approach.
On his day, the former Dynamo Kiev man could form a dreadful partnership with the Eagles attackers as he is well suited to holding-up play so as to bring in other players into the game.
Ideye also possess the experience, exposure and versatility to thrive in a number of positions in attack.
- Isaac Success (Granada)
The youngest among the trio, Isaac Success is gradually developing into one of the most feared power strikers in Europe – as he remains the only Nigeria striker in the Spanish La Liga.
Success was Nigeria’s vice-captain to the 2013 FIFA U-17 World Cup win in UAE – but was sidelined for majority of the tournament after picking up an injury in the second game.
Nigeria coach to the tourney, Manu Garba, said about the youngster after his injury: “If I confirm that Isaac Success will play, the Swedish team will start shivering, our team revolves around him.”
He also made the trip to the 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup in New Zealand and scored twice in the competition.
In August 2015, after some fine string of performance for Granada, Success was handed a contract extension till 2019 by the Nazaries.
The 19-year-old who has developed into an integral part of the squad, scored his second league goal of the season and assisted two others in a 3-3 draw with Sporting Gijon on Monday.
Success will certainly bring youthfulness, aggressiveness, hunger, bite and athletism to the national team if considered.
