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Have the Super Eagles missed a trick in not moving for the Sparta Prague frontman, who looks destined for an international future with Romania?
This war, as it were, has been optimized by brutally conflicting pledges—the unflinching selflessness of Victor Moses whose parents were murdered in the northern parts of Nigeria in 2002, set against the rather indulgent eyes of Gabriel Agbonlahor, for example—which has somberly seen the gains handsomely overclouded by the losses—from a Nigerian perspective, of course.
From David Alaba, the Austrian left-back whose loss Nigeria will forever rue, to Italian defender Angelo Ogbonna, the narrative has left a lingering bitter taste, one that not even the captures of the aforementioned Moses or Alex Iwobi, for example, could quite pacify.
And there is reasonable justification bellied under this grand fury.
As reported by Goal in an exclusive story, former Flying Eagles forward Kehinde Fatai is in-line to switch his allegiance to The Tricolours of Romania, adding to the swelling list of footballers who have snubbed the Super Eagles to pursue international glory with other nations.
In this article, we ask whether or not Nigeria fans should lose sleep over Fatai’s potential loss or would he be added to the list of those who got away but aren’t missed?
The 25-year-old featured for the Nigeria U-20 in 2009, scoring goals for the then-Samson Siasia-led team.
His final appearance in the colours of Nigeria would however come in the 2012 Olympic qualifiers against Tanzania, and since then, despite coming of age at club level, plus many European competition adventures, there’s been no contact from the Nigeria Football Federation or the current or previous national team coaches.
Fatai in action for Sparta Prague
Currently on the books of Sparta Prague in Czech Republic’s top division, the Abuja-born forward has notched eight goals in 13 appearances this season—a commendable tally compared to some of the players who have been invited to the Super Eagles recently.
Upon his departure from Nigeria in 2007, Fatai touched down in Romania and joined the youth team of third division side FC Farul Constanta. The following season, however, he was promoted to the senior team after scoring 11 goals in 20 games.
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From 2009/10 – 2014, he gained more exposure with Astra Giurgui and Belgian side Club Brugge before heading to the Generali Arena in May 2015.
The former JUTH FC forward has featured in the UEFA Europa and Champions Leagues with Astra and Sparta Prague, making substantial appearances (21 in both competitions) and scoring a healthy number of goals (nine in both competitions).
Picture Bayern Munich’s left-back Alaba, who has won the Austrian Footballer of The Year four times in a row, in the Green and White, and you’d understand why it is imperative Nigeria did some serious soul-searching before deeming this particular bird unworthy to be pursued.
Will Fatai become like David Alaba, another Nigerian talent who 'got away'?
The latest battle, and loss, was that of highly-rated Liverpool youngster Jordon Ibe (19), who, despite pleas from all and sundry, chose to follow Dele Alli (19) and others in chasing the Three Lions of England rather than soar on the back of the Super Eagles.
However, those losses reflect a contrasting light to the situation of Fatai, with regards to the current needs of the national team.
Sunday Oliseh’s undisputed number one striker Odion Ighalo, who took his goal haul to 10 over the weekend for Watford in the Premier League, but is struggling to replicate his goal-scoring form for the Eagles.
And whilst his ability to find the back of the net has never been in doubt, Oliseh would be wise to find an equally lethal forward as back-up or competition for the 26-year-old.
Evidently, Fatai seems a ready-made option to take-up this role compared to Iwobi (19), who is still honing his trade at Arsenal, for example, or Obafemi Martins (31), who can’t have too much longer in the tank.
Furthermore, to gain Fatai’s services, the NFF and coaches do not need to embark on a fierce do-or-die high-way chase for his signature, as was the case with Ibe, Alli and many others.
He has confessed his readiness and ‘dream’ to play for his fatherland, with the only obstacle a lack of opportunity and faith in his abilities, hence the attraction from Romania.
“It’s my dream since I was little, I really wanted to play for Nigeria,” he told Goal .
“I will not say I deserve (to play for Nigeria) or maybe they do not think I deserve it. But not all Nigerian football players playing in Europe play in these tournaments (Champions League and Europa League), and I’m not just present there, I’m playing very well there. So I think I deserve (a chance) maybe; I am not saying it is obligatory.”
John Fashanu, perhaps, tops the lists of players of Nigerian origin who were, in the words of Rafiu Ladipo, “used and dumped”, by other nations, with little or nothing to show for their international football careers.
To think that Nigeria may be at the end of such scorching mockery in future should not be discounted.
“Why did we let Kehinde Fatai go?” we may ask in future, and bitterly, too.
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