Nigerian sports administrator David Doherty has taken time to explain why Europa League final hattrick hero Ademola Lookman initially subbed the chance to play for the senior national team of Nigeria, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.
Lookman represented England at various youth levels before making the switch to Nigeria at senior level, where he presently has 21 caps with six goals with half of it coming at the last Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire.
He stole the show at the tournament despite Nigeria losing the final 1-2 to the host Cote d’Ivoire. He capped a memorable year with all three goals to hand Atalanta a 3-0 victory over Bayer Leverkusen, ending the unbeaten run of the German side in all competitions this season.
UK based Doherty who has a very close and personal relationship with most of the players of Nigerian descent in England penned a lengthy post on all his social media handles about the 26 year old who is largely tipped by many to be the next Africa Player of the Year.
Below is his post.
Here is a perfect example of why we should not blame these kids when they choose England, Germany, Holland, or Spain over Nigeria. 🇳🇬🇩🇪🇳🇱🇪🇸
I remember trying to get Lookman Ademola to play for Nigeria, but to no avail, so I wrote to my friend who is the director of grassroots football and education at the FA, who then arranged my visit to see the England U21’s or U20’s. So I went with an old Naija Jersey [Adidas] for all the players to sign. We had some Naija boys on the squad, i.e., Lookman, Tomori, Abraham, and Ojo, to name a few.
Luckily for me, I bumped into Lookman, who was going for an interview, so I stopped, whispered into his ears; You will play for Nigeria. 🇳🇬✌️
His facial expression conveyed his displeasure with my statement. Despite his initial reluctance, I managed to convince him to take a picture with me as proof. Those familiar with Lookman understand his reserved demeanor, akin to the Olise personality type.
The reason I chose this particular scenario is as follows:
– Lookman believed he had an opportunity to play for the England senior team and was hesitant to commit to Nigeria due to his success at the time.
– Aina’s situation was more straightforward. He promptly acknowledged that the England route was unlikely, making my approach with him uncomplicated. His father’s trust in the process, along with the influence of his close friend Iwobi, facilitated a successful resolution.
In conclusion, I kindly request that we refrain from criticizing Nigerian descendants who initially decline to play for Nigeria. If you were presented with the chance to represent England, Germany, or the Netherlands, would you unequivocally choose Nigeria, even for your child?
Presently, I am pleased that both players are part of our team. Although there are challenges within the NFF, the platform has provided benefits. The significance of the Nigerian factor cannot be overlooked.
For us,we will continue to push behind the scene, what matters to us is a better Nigerian football development for nigerians home & Diaspora
✍️ David Doherty
Football Administrator
@nigerianyouthfa x @nigeriauksportawards
