Super Eagles GK Okoye on poor start to the season, Enyeama, Liberia & Cape Verde

Published: September 02, 2021

Maduka Okoye was among the Super Eagles players selected for media duties at the pre-match press conference on Thursday, a day before the national team's 2022 World Cup qualifier against Liberia at the Teslim Balogun Stadium.

The Sparta Rotterdam glovesman was questioned on a variety of issues related to his club career, following in the footsteps of ex-Lille goalkeeper and Super Eagles legend Vincent Enyeama, and the upcoming World Cup qualifiers.

Now established as a first team regular for club and country, Okoye has not started the season well, conceding seven goals in his first three games in the Dutch Eredivisie including four in Sparta's opening fixture versus FC Utrecht.

Responding to a question from Mohammed Suleiman of Liberty Radio 91.7 FM Kaduna, Okoye said at the press conference monitored by allnigeriasoccer.com : "You are right, we didn't start the season that well but it's a long season coming up, we still have 31 games to go so I will definitely have some clean sheets."

Okoye considers 2013 Africa Cup of Nations winner Enyeama one of the best goalkeepers to wear the Super Eagles jersey and says he still has room for improvement.

"Of course Vincent Enyeama left a big legacy behind, he is one of the greatest goalkeepers Nigeria ever had, and for this I know I have a lot of things to do still.

"I'm young and I have to improve day by day and I trust myself on that."

Regarding his expectations for the World Cup qualifiers against Liberia and Cape Verde, Okoye said : "Nigerians can expect a good team performance, a good team spirit, and we are here to prepare well, we are here to qualify for the World Cup.

"We are ready and we are going to perform together".

In eight appearances for the Super Eagles since debuting in a high-profile friendly against Brazil in October 2019, Okoye has kept four clean sheets while conceding seven goals.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel

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