Why I Snubbed Playing in Europe
Brazilian football legend, Edson Arantes de Nascimento, aka Pele, was so fascinated by the scintillating football artistry displayed by the Nigeria’s U-17 team to the World Youth Championship in Scotland in 1989 that he predicted that before the turn of t
Before now, not many Nigerian parents would want their wards to take to sports and Andrew Aikomogbe’s parents were not left out in the belief that education was the surest way to success; therefore, they would rather want Andrew to take his education seriously but their super brat son would have none of that.
“My parents never wanted me to play football and they did everything to discourage me but I was very adamant. My father was so committed to my education with hope that one day I would become a medical doctor but I could not compromise my love for football. Eventually, my father gave up and accepted my footballer career,” Aikhomogbe said.
Like most footballers of his generation, he started playing football as a kid on the streets of Sapele against his parents' wish. In spite of his diminutive height, he went on to play for his Ogodo Primary School in Sapele. And on getting admission into St Malachy’s College, Sapele, he continued with his first lovefootball, but it was not easy as he found it difficult breaking into the team and his height did not help matters.
According to him, “I was very, very small and the bigger boys would not give me a chance to play.”
His moment however came when the school's first choice goalkeeper declined to play in a Principal Cup match because he was having an issue with the school authority and ‘petit’ Aikomogbe was beckoned to replace him. From then on, he retained the school’s number one jersey.
“The school did not only win the game, we went on to win the Principals Cup that year and from then on, I established myself as not just the number one choice goalkeeper of the school but the best goalkeeper in Sapele and beyond,” he said.
He eventually went on to represent the then Bendel State in various competitions, from where scouts from Hawks of Makurdi were attracted to his goalkeeping prowess.
Other notable clubs he played for include the defunct BCC Lions FC, Enyimba of Aba and Shooting Stars Sports club of Ibadan, before his move to Egypt, where he played for El-Hilal, till his retirement from active football.
Internationally, Aikhomogbe represented Nigeria at the All African Games in Cairo, where Nigeria lost in the finals to Cameroon by 2-0. A tournament he would live to cherish due to what he described as his extraordinary performance. He was also at the Africa Youth Championship in Mauritius in 1993, and was also a fringe player in the Super Eagles under Dutch man Clemence Westerhof and nomadic coach, Bora Milutinovic.
“I would have been part of the team to the Africa Cup of Nations in Senegal in 1992, but I was too young to make Westerhof’s team that boasted of notable names like Peter Rufai, Alloy Agwu and David Ngodigha, who were much more experienced then and that was why I had no ill feelings against the Dutchman when I was eventually dropped from the team,” he conceded.
Aikhomogbe hailed the state of Nigerian football in his playing days, saying it was properly administered, unlike now that the house is divided against itself.
At that period playing in Europe had become very fashionable and Belgium was ‘Mecca’ for Nigerian footballers. However, the Scotland ’89 quarter finalist failed to join the European train.
“One of the reasons I did not join the European train was as a result of the state of Nigerian football then. Nigeria’s football was in a very good shape, the stadiums were always jam-packed by fans. It was a pride to be playing in the Nigerian league.
“Our league was almost at par with most European leagues and that was why it was possible for a Nigerian player to leave the shores of the country this week and the following week he was in the colours of a European league club. Our players were breaking into most European teams effortlessly, because of the standard of our league then. Unlike now when our players are subjected to weeks and even months of trial before they could be given a contract by European clubs,” he noted.
The former Enyimba of Aba safe hand also lamented the state of the league now.
“When I go to the stadium to watch league matches I always feel ashamed because of the standard of play. Most of the players are so inexperienced and it showed in the quality of their play” the former 3SC goal keeper said.
Aikhomogbe, who is hoping to start a coaching course at the National Institute for Sports (NIS) to complement the coaching certificate he had already acquired in Egypt lamented the lack of good goalkeepers in the country, a situation he attributed to lack of good goalkeeper trainers.
“It is only in Nigeria that goalkeepers train with the other players, but in Europe and North Africa, where there are good trainers, they train their goalkeepers specially and that is why their careers last longer.”
“I would have been part of the team to the Africa Cup of Nations in Senegal in 1992, but I was too young to make Westerhof’s team that boasted of notable names like Peter Rufai, Alloy Agwu and David Ngodigha, who were much more experienced then and that was why I had no ill feelings against the Dutchman when I was eventually dropped from the team"