The current top scorer for high flying German Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen has revealed that he can be an option in the midfield if needed as he has played in the role before, OwnGoalNigeria.comreports.
Victor Boniface has 16 goals and eight assists in the first 25 games of the season in what is his debut season in Germany following his arrival from Belgium side Union Saint-Gilloise in the summer.
Speaking on his game, the 22 year old explained that he isn’t about scoring goals only as he also love to get involved in team play and lay the ball for better placed players to finish.
He said he used to play in the number ten role during his formative years making him very comfortable when he plays in the midfield. The playmaker role is one which Nigeria is trying to address before the start of the AFCON.
Regular defensive midfielder Wilfred Ndidi has caught the eyes in an advanced role for Leicester City with four assists already, putting the chances of Alex Iwobi who has played in that role holding on to it next year.
The revelation by Boniface will no doubt spark a thought in the head of head coach of the Nigerian team Jose Peseiro ahead of the tournament in Cote d’Ivoire.
“There are lots of classic strikers. They wait for their moment in the penalty area. But then it can happen that they don’t touch the ball for ten minutes”, he explained.
“I don’t like that. I want to play differently, create chances and not just finish them. I like dropping back to take part in the build-up and I like pulling opposition defenders towards me and thereby creating space for my teammates.
“A bit of this style is in my nature. I used to play in midfield and increasingly took part in build-up play. I often watch videos of tricky and intelligent players to develop my game in that way to be able to the help the team even more.
Ade Emmanuel
