One of the stars of the Nigeria U17 team at the recently concluded WAFU U17 Championship Michael Emmanuel has credited Nigeria international winger Moses Simon for his career.
Michael who won three official man of the match award in the four games Nigeria played at the tournament, he scored three goals and had two assists from his position as a left full back. His goals were all from freekicks.
His performance caught the eyes of several Nigerians and he has been tipped to be a senior national team player for Nigeria in the nearest future if he continues to develop at this pace.
Speaking to OwnGoalNigeria.com, he said he never thought he was good at football until he met Simon when he came to Simoiben Football Academy funded by the wife of the winger.
Prior to that time, he said he has been at the U17 camp of Nigeria but wasn’t picked. Something he narrowed down to the fact that he wasn’t at his best mentally hence didn’t do enough to be picked.
” My mentality changed when I came to Simoiben Academy and trained with Moses Simon. The things he told me and for the fact that he has faith in me took my confidence level to a new height. I remember we were around 150 who came for screening at the academy. At the end I was among the seven picked”, he told OwnGoalNigeria.com.
” I was at the U17 camp two years ago. I wasn’t picked but before going to the camp this time around, I have grown a lot in terms of confidence. So it was like a stroll for me. My coaches too were very supportive and converted me to a full back.
” My abilities at freekicks started at a very early age and I developed it while training with Simon at Simoiben. When I went to the camp, coach Nduka Ugbade noticed it and worked extensively with me on it. The result is what we saw at the WAFU Championship”, he concluded.
