By Johnny Edward:
In-form FC Zurich of Switzerland striker Stephen Odey has insisted he is not obsessed with the Super Eagles for now but would rather focus on delivering for his club and let his goalscoring heroics pave the way for a return to the national team reports Completesportsnigeria.com.
Odey has been excluded from Nigeria’s squad for next month’s crucial 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match between the Super Eagles and South Africa’s Bafana Bafana in Johannesburg.
The 20-year-old was on target in Sunday’s 3-2 loss at St. Gallen, his 90th-minute goal not enough to salvage a point for Zurich but it was a third successive goal for the former MFM FC of Lagos striker who endured a dry spell before bursting into the goals run.
“I thank God for the present form and I hope it continues this way and even better. I think the collective effort and team spirit of the team has contributed to this and hopefully we can get to achieve success as a team,” he told Completesportsnigeria.com in an exclusive interview from Zurich on Monday.
The 20-year old had endured a goals-drought since scoring the lone goal in the 1-0 win over Lucerne on September 23rd and, before then, one of the goals in the 2-0 win against Grasshoppers in July but he claims he wasn’t unduly worried by the barren run.
“I wasn’t worried because I understand that it happens sometimes in football where you are playing well but the goals are not coming but with time the goals will come. And, hopefully, they’re here to stay.”
With Nigeria at the edge of qualifying for the 2019 African Cup of Nations, Odey reckons his goalscoring form should speak for him when players are invited to the national team.
“I think I deserve the call- up now. A lot of Nigerian players (strikers) are doing well in Europe right now and I hope I will be given an opportunity to come and show how much I’ve learnt in the game. I promise to give my best any time I’m called upon to represent Nigeria,” he said.
With his rich vein of form, Odey insists he can reach the 20-goal target which he set for himself at the start of the season.
“I’ve got five goals now and we are still in October. There are still a lot of games to be played between now and the end of the season both in the League and hopefully in the Europa League so reaching 20 goals should not be asking for too much, so help me God,” he concluded.
FC Zurich’s next game is away against fellow Nigerian Blessing Eleke’s Luzern at the Swissporarena on Sunday, November 4.