US-based former Green Eagles and Sporting Lisbon forward, Christian Nwokocha, in this interview with Idris Adesina, talks about the problems of Nigeria football and life in retirement
What has kept you going since you retired from football?
After quitting football, I served in the United States Department of Defence as an accountant. I also served in the Logistics Department of the Department of Defence before I moved to the Defence Contract Management and then the Financial and Accounting Service. I later left the Department of Defence and took up a job in a corporation before my retirement in 1998. I am presently into financial consulting but I am still interested in football management and administration.
You retired quite early, what would you say caused it?
I had to retire early from my footballing career at the age of 31 in 1988 when I was still in my prime. I had a few more years in front of me to play but I had to retire after an accident involving a drunk driver. I was hit by a car when I was returning home from an outing. The accident affected my legs and had to force me into early retirement but it made me focus on other areas to make a good life.
Are any of your children into sports?
I have five children; Christian Nwokocha Jr., Chevis Christian-Nwokocha, Chasity Christian-Nwokocha, Cindy Christian-Nwokocha and Brad Christian-Nwokocha. Two of my three boys are in sports. The youngest one plays basketball and football while the other has interest in American football and basketball.
Will you encourage your children to play for Nigeria?
Yes I will. My last boy is quite good at football and I look forward to getting him into a good school, like the one I went to, Clemson University, where he can further develop the skills along with his education. Then if he likes to play for Nigeria, I will be quite happy to assist him with that. Many schools here in America are looking to recruit Nigerian players to study while also playing football.
Ex internationals mostly live in penury after their careers…
The plight of ex internationals who are suffering is something that is really worrisome to some of us. One could say that the government neglected them after many years of serving the country. One could also say that some decisions taken by some of these ex-players are partly responsible for their plight but in all, if some things had been in place to cater for them, their cases might not have been like it presently is.
What could be done to stop this trend?
The government should engage ex-internationals in the running of sports in Nigeria. If you look at the way American Basketball or football is run, you will discover that it is people who have played the game that administer and manage it. But that is not the case with Nigeria. People running our sports have little or no knowledge in the sports they run. Ex-internationals are only given jobs as coaches once in a while but not all of them can end up as coaches. This is because coaching itself requires talent apart from the qualification you have. People who run football in Nigeria should be the ex-internationals and if they won’t be allowed to run it, they should let them make policies that will favour the players who are coming up. Nigeria does not develop her people. We need to educate players to see the benefit of life after football.
You were one of the players signed on by a top European club in the 1980s. Can you remember how the Sporting Lisbon deal came through?
The Sporting Lisbon move was the first time an American footballer will be moving to a top European team. Sporting, who had just won the European Cup, came then on a tour of the United States and I happened to be on the team of one of the zonal football teams they played on that tour. I can remember that I gave their defenders some trouble and even scored a goal. After the tour, their coach called me and asked if I had a lawyer, that he would like me to join his team. He also said that he had heard that I play for the Nigerian team. Then they contacted my lawyer and after I had undergone trials in Lisbon, where I scored a hat-trick in the first match, the deal was done. The coach also liked me because he said I was built like Eusebio—I was big and strong.
How did it impact your career?
The impact of that move was tremendous because it encouraged me a lot and if not for the accident which cut short my career, I would have achieved more. It gave me the opportunity to bring some players to Europe then; the likes Okey Isima, Andrew Atuegbu and others. I was only the black player on the team then but it didn’t limit me. I knew I had to do my job and help others too.
What are the greatest achievements you had with the national team?
My greatest achievement with the Eagles was scoring in the 2-0 win against Tanzania in 1981 in a World Cup preliminary elimination match. Also, the pride of being a Nigerian in America and Europe to make the country known is also an achievement I’m proud of. Playing in the local league then was also a delight and becoming Nigeria’s number nine from Vasco da Gama, where we challenged Enugu Rangers, which had my younger brother, Nnamdi, in their ranks, was another achievement.
Since we didn’t qualify for the 2015 AFCON, what do you think can be done to get back very soon?
The first step to recovering our place on the continent is to unify ourselves. The Nigeria Football Federation should endeavour to unify all parties involved in the team and let them know that it is for the good of the country. Politics should be left out of the team so that the team can move forward. If politics is allowed to interfere with it, the person involved will want to protect the interest of whoever brought him there. Politics of sports should be left to the people who have real interest of sports at heart.
What is your opinion of the present players in the Eagles?
The present players are good. They are doing well but they only lack the right mentality to rule the world. They need to be reinforced so that they can realise their full potential.
What do you think is the problem of Nigerian football?
The major problem of Nigeria is greed. Nigeria is blessed with talents and good people who can manage these talents but greed won’t just let things work out.
Nwokocha in action for Clemson University
Can the ex-internationals help solve the problem?
They can but the people there may not be able to sit together and solve the problem. The ex-internationals are the people who have played the game and know what it is like to be there. They can handle the pressure of the sport and cushion the lapses and can work with the government to make the sport a big business. Nigeria can host the World Cup and Olympics if the right things are done. Sports is something that will earn the country enough revenue if the right things are done. The ex-internationals are the ones who have travelled and see how it is done in other climes.
What do you think should be done to improve the Nigerian league?
Until the right people are in the right places, sports will continue to suffer in Nigeria. The administrators of the league should endeavour to encourage community ownership and also private ownership of clubs. When government still own clubs, the welfare of players and the competitive standard of the league will not improve because appointments into the clubs will be by politics. When the private investors are allowed to run the league, government will only supervise and then make money too.
Do you have any plan to give back to the game in Nigeria?
Yes. I and some other ex-internationals are planning to work along with the government on how to improve football in Nigeria. I also have plans on how to help Nigerian footballers come over to America and play while studying.
Do you have any regrets as a footballer?
The only regret I have was when Nigeria couldn’t qualify for the 1982 World Cup. The coach then, Otto Gloria, had picked me up hale and hearty at the airport but I got injured during training. I had a blister on my toe and couldn’t play against Tunisia. We lost the match.
What is the highlight of your career?
The best moment I have in football was when the Super Eagles came to the USA 94 World Cup. Everybody here (US) was saying, ‘Christian that is the team you played for.’ The Eagles really made everybody happy. Another highlight was when Nigeria won the football Olympic gold in Atlanta in 1996.
What is your advice to young footballers?
They should get educated and save for the rainy day. Football has no retirement age. Anything can force you into early retirement but you can always fall back on your education. They should also be careful of the contracts they sign. Some contracts are just enslavement. They should rather stay at home and manage than slaving away in some obscure leagues in Europe where they hardly have enough to feed themselves.
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