Okoye eager to keep Eagles No. 1 shirt

Olalekan Okusan

Sparta Rotterdam of Holland goalkeeper, Maduka Okoye has attributed his breakthrough with the Super Eagles to Coach Gernot Rohr, whom he promised to repay his trust with good performance for the national team.

Okoye told Sparta Rotterdam website that having spent over one year on the bench with Super Eagles, playing his first match against Brazil in a friendly helped him to justify his place in the team.

“I have been with the Eagles for over one and half years that in the first year I was just on the bench,” he explained.“ Then I came in against Brazil in a friendly and it was like the first low step in the direction.

“Of course it was not easy to get the number one spot there. It would be harder not to keep it because the boys are coming and I have to keep up good work here in the club side and also in the Nigeria national team.

“Also I have to thank Coach Gernot Rohr because he gave me the trust in the beginning and I have to pay him back with good performance,” Okoye noted.

However, the 22-year-old is also eager to keep his place in the Dutch side which he said he would continue to work harder for the team. “My ambition with the team is to hold my number one spot and record good wins with the team as well as stay as number one in Nigeria.”