Young Falkirk midfielder, Olumide Durojaiye, is one of Nigeria’s most promising up-and-coming footballer. The 21-year-old talks about comparison with Lionel Messi, why he is proud to follow in the footpath of Sir Alex Ferguson and his dream to play for Nigeria despite being born in England in this interview with ‘TANA AIYEJINA
How are you finding the new challenge in Scotland, having previously played for big English sides Tottenham Hotspurs and Norwich City?
It’s been difficult because I have been away from friends and family but ultimately I know I have to do my best. It’s an opportunity I have been given to showcase what I can do. So, I’ve really enjoyed it and the fans have taken to me as well. Everything’s been very good so far.
How would you compare playing for English Premier League sides and playing in the Championship in Scotland?
I don’t think it’s any different. Although Tottenham and Norwich are big clubs, but so is Falkirk. They’ve equally got a rich history and status. There are some big players like Alex Ferguson that have played for Falkirk. He left (Glasgow) Rangers and came to Falkirk. And that’s where ultimately his career started to take shape. It’s been a feeder club for years for Scottish players primarily. So, being a young footballer in Falkirk is probably the best thing for my career right now. Clubs come and watch, scouts want to come and snap players up, I’ve had interests and other players have been bought and sold. Right now for my career, being in a club that highlights young players, propels and pushes them is the best thing for where any young footballer wants to be; where they know they can play football on the big stage, in front of a big crowd and the opportunity to express yourself. This season, we’ve got Rangers, Hearts and Hibs. These three are ultimately the biggest Scottish clubs. So, it’s been a very good experience playing in front of thousands of people, die-hard fans, the flares, the smoke, they give everything. The fans give everything, which means the players want to give even more.
How long are you hoping to stay at Falkirk?
It’s my last year but who knows? Players get snapped up with time. If I can play the way I have been playing, who knows what can happen? I don’t want to worry about anything. Right now, I’m just trusting in God.
There is a general impression that Scottish football is all about Rangers and Celtic. Do you agree?
I don’t agree because there has been so much out there. This season, Celtic have been poor. Rangers haven’t been the Rangers of old. So, right now it’s not all about both teams. We caused an upset against Rangers a couple of weeks ago. It was on TV and they didn’t like it. Their fans didn’t like. Both teams are not the teams of old. There are loads of other clubs but there is a big derby between Rangers and Celtic. Aberdeen have done well, they were in the Champions League qualifiers. Dundee have done so well too, so you can’t just say it’s all about Rangers and Celtic. There are other clubs doing better than them at the moment.
You were born in England and raised there. Do you see yourself as English or Nigerian?
I am 100 per cent Nigerian. I even tell the players, ‘I’m not English, don’t call me English because I’m not English.’ My mum and dad are both Nigerians and they brought me up as a Nigerian to be respectful and hardworking. Although I was born and raised here (United Kingdom), my mum and dad’s home is my home. They taught me Yoruba and they’ve done that right from when I was born. So, the whole of my life, I’ve grown up as a Nigerian. I’ve embraced the English culture because I have to live in it. But I am a Nigerian first and foremost.
As a black boy growing up in England, did you encounter racism?
I would say not directly because they wouldn’t do it openly. But they would be smart about it. If we keep highlighting it, it means it’s never going to go away. We keep saying racism; the subject will never go away because it’s always been inflicted on poor people. Personally, I’ve never dealt with it directly. Sometimes my mum says to me that I have to work 10 times harder than the white man because they get things easier. And I’ve seen that growing up. But I don’t want to say I have been hard done by. I am going to keep trusting in God because whatever He wants to happen, happens. At the end of the day, it’s life and you have to move on. If you stop, you are going to miss the opportunity. So, it’s all about me striving and pushing before my breakthrough comes.
You were once invited to the Nigerian U-23 team some years back but didn’t get to play. How did you feel about that?
I am still hopeful that my time will come. I train every day and I play every game, hoping that Nigeria see me. That is my dream, to play for Nigeria. From when I was young, I knew Nigerian players like Austin Okocha, (Nwankwo) Kanu and (Daniel) Amokachi. The way Nigerians play football is the way I see myself, I want to be a part of that. I want to be a part of something great; I want to be part of these legends. But it’s hard because I’ve rarely been given the opportunity. I know a lot of players who want to be given the opportunity to represent Nigeria but have no connection, no link and no one coming to watch. We’ve got boys here hungry, as hungry as the boys back home to represent the country but they’ve not been given the opportunity. If I get the opportunity, I will relish it, I will not let it go.
When you were first invited to the U-23 team, the Nigerian media nicknamed you New Messi. Do you share any similarity with the Argentine superstar?
I heard people tell me that. But if I was to compare myself, it will be between Yaya Toure and the old (Michael) Essien; very direct, love to shoot, love to go forward. That’s my game; midfield and when I do get the opportunity, I play up front as well. When I heard about the New Messi tag, it was a shock to me. I can be very direct but I don’t think we share the same style of play.
Who was the player that inspired you while growing up?
It’s Okocha. He is the main one. As a young boy growing up in England, I used to go to Nigeria every Christmas and summer from the age of two. Every opportunity I had, I went to Nigeria. I was even in Nigeria in May. So, watching him in the Premier League doing what he did was amazing. Ask anyone, I mean any Nigerian born in England, watching Jay Jay Okocha play, they will all tell you he is the reason behind why the English people want to know someone from Nigeria. For him to come and do what he did in the EPL, that for me did it. If there was a footballer I had to emulate, it would be Jay Jay Okocha; the way he played, his freeness when he played, the way he dribbled, the skills and the way he took charge. He was a leader. I like to believe myself as one as well. He was so inspiring.
You used to have a liking for Hull City’s Tom Huddlestone as well…
He is a very good footballer. I played with him at Spurs. With due respect, he controls the game but I’ve got a lot more in my game. I like to get behind the striker, get forward as well as coming back. I am a more box-to-box footballer. Tom Huddlestone, if you ever had the chance of watching him in training, the beauty of how he played was unbelievable. He is so fast and inch perfect.
Have players like Sone Aluko and Shola Ameobi, who played for Nigeria at senior level, convinced you to also play for Nigeria?
I haven’t met Sone but I know people that know him. I live in London but Sone is from Newcastle and that’s six hours apart. I don’t know him like that. I made up my mind to play for my country. I didn’t need anybody to convince me.
What is your assessment of African teams at the 2014 World Cup? Do you think we are up there with the big football nations?
We were there 100 per cent. We were always there but it’s just ourselves; we stop ourselves. Like the game between Nigeria and Argentina in the group stage, nobody expected anything from Nigeria. Everybody felt it was going to be a Messi show. We just have to believe in ourselves because that’s what it takes. We just have to keep pushing; we are there 100 per cent.
Do you think defending champions Super Eagles can still qualify for next year’s African Cup of Nations after beginning their title defence on a faltering note?
If there is still a chance for us to qualify, I don’t see why not. There is no reason why we can’t qualify. As defending champions, everybody is going to come out against Nigeria. So, it’s going to be tough but we will still make it. All we need to do is to take charge in our next games. I think we can still make it.
If you were not a footballer, what would you have been?
I probably would have gone to school. I would have gone to the university and probably go into business with my dad. He is a man I look up to. He plays a big role in my career, so I would be attracted to go along that line.
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