Arsenal manager, Arsene Wenger, is happy Nigerian international Alex Iwobi is playing international football, says the player’s father, Chuka.
Nineteen-year-old Alex Iwobi played his first full international match for the Super Eagles in March, 2016 at the Sani Abacha Stadium in Kano against the Pharaohs of Egypt in a 2017 AFCON qualifier, which the Eagles drew 1-1.
He had represented England at the junior level before switching allegiance to Nigeria despite pressures mounted on him to play for the Three Lions of England at the senior level.
Iwobi’s manager at Arsenal, where he grew from the academy to the main team, Wenger, was said to have preferred him to choose England instead of Nigeria in the run up to his debut for the Super Eagles.
But his father, Chuka Iwobi, told sports journalists in Abuja before last Saturday’s 2018 World Cup qualifier against the Desert Foxes of Algeria in Uyo that Wenger was happy Alex was playing international football now.
“Wenger is happy Alex is playing international football because it is different kind of experience; it makes you a better player,” the senior Iwobi said.
Though he said he was not in a position to comment on Wenger’s preference to have Iwobi, who saw 75 minutes of action in the 3-1 drubbing of Algeria in Uyo, play for England or not, the senior Iwobi submitted that managers in Europe were wont to preferring their charges to play in Europe rather than other continents.
He stated that the reason for this was the proximity of European countries, where the manager could easily send club doctor in case of any injuries.
“I don’t think I am in a position to comment (on whether Wenger wanted him to play for England as against Nigeria) but all I can say in relation to that is, like any other manager abroad, he will tell you look, ‘I rather you play in Europe because if you look at the proximity, you look at the travel, you look at if something happens, he could send the team doctor straight away unlike when you are playing in other continents’.
“Any coach will say to you I prefer you play in Europe if that is possible but no coach will stop you,” Chuka Iwobi, who is a lawyer in England, stated.
He, however, added that if Wenger had wanted Alex to play for England, it would not have been out of any disrespect or disdain for Nigeria, which he (Chuka) described as a massive footballing nation.
“But whether he prefers him to play for London (England), it’s possible but I wouldn’t say it would have been for selfish reasons or being disrespectful for Nigeria.
“It could have been he wants him (Alex) to be near him but not out of any disdain for Nigeria. Nigeria is a massive footballing nation; look at the history.
“Granted we are not on a high as it is but we’ve got a good coach, we’ve got a very good team and I can see these football players doing very, very well,” the father predicted.
Meanwhile, Chuka, who said the Arsenal youngster was his first child, informed that Alex’s exploits on the field of play had made his younger sister, Mariah, to love football now.
“Alex is my first son, my first child. I also have a daughter. Her name is Mariah, she is in the university studying Mathematics. Girls mostly in Europe do not like football but with Alex playing football and doing well, she now loves football,” he informed.
