Nigeria international defender Chidozie Awaziem has revealed how he bounced back to international reckoning after a poor showing in his debut game for the senior national team of Nigeria against South Africa.
Awaziem had a debut to forget as Nigeria were for the first time beaten at home 0-2 by a South African team with the defender on from start to finish after coach Gernot Rohr decided to hand him his international bow at the Godswill Akpabio stadium.
The defender who is on loan to Spanish Laliga side Leganes from FC Porto told Owngoalnigeria.com in an exclusive chat that it wasn’t easy to let go off that memory but he had to fight his way around it by improving at his clubside.
” I really think that day rank among one of the worst days of my career. I have to thank the coach for supporting me and telling me that I won’t be judged on one game. It was really a day to forget because we lost to a team that we shouldn’t have lost to in the first place “, he said.
” After the game I went to Nantes where I worked with Claudio Ranieri and other coaches. The errors I made during the game were ironed out at my clubside and there I got my confidence back. By the time I was called up I came a better player than last time out.
” During the African Cup of Nations there was a need for a right back. I have played that role before so it wasn’t much a problem. I put my all in it from the day I got to play there and I must say that helped me cement my spot in the team. Coach likes players who can play more than one role on the pitch”, he concluded.
Ade Emmanuel
