Super Eagles goalkeeper, Carl Ikeme, has made it clear that he is just being himself and not replacing former captain, Vincent Enyeama.
Super Eagles goalkeeper, Carl Ikeme
Super Eagles new goalkeeper, Carl Ikeme who plays for Wolverhampton Wanderers in England, in an exclusive interview with FIFA.com, has talked about succeeding the legendary Vincent Enyeama, feeling like the new kid at school and getting back to his roots.
Below are excerpts from the chat;
How does the Nigeria dressing-room environment differ from the clubs you’ve played with in England?
It’s definitely different. There’s a lot more singing and dancing, especially on the way to the game. Everyone’s singing on the bus. It’s a bit different than going to a local game here, where most lads are quiet on the coach going to a game, listening to their own music. Everyone with Nigeria gets involved singing and dancing on the way to the game.
Did you join in?
Of course! You have to. They drag your headphones off you if you don’t!
How difficult has it been for you to replace the legendary Vincent Enyeama?
I wouldn’t say it was difficult. I was always aware that Vincent’s been the No1, captain and been an unbelievable goalkeeper for Nigeria, probably one of the best African keepers to ever play the game. I don’t really want to try and emulate someone else. I want to do it my own way and be the best I can be. I know people always want to compare goalkeepers to each other, but I’m just trying to concentrate on what I do and do the best for Nigeria.
Your debut against Tanzania must have been a dream for you. After the game you got praise from Vincent, Sunday and the likes of Jay-Jay Okocha and Kanu. What was it like hearing that?
It was a bit mad really. I’ve always known how big football is in Nigeria, but I don’t think until I actually played I realised the passion over there and just quite how much it means. Especially playing the first two games you get a sense of that. Thank God it went well for me! That helped, and the praise from the old legends and former players helped me settle in and made me feel like I’m a part of it.