European clubs don’t value African goalkeepers- Dami Paul
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- Written by David Ngobua
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Your team has just lost to Bayelsa United in the opening match? How disappointed are you?
Actually it is not too good for the team. Any team that is going into a tournament, the opening match is very important. Losing the opening match is not good for team spirit. We are not happy about the result but it has happened and there is nothing we can do about it.
What would you say is responsible for the loss?
The team we have here is not complete. We are still preparing. Only twenty of us are here and out of the players that have been retained, it is not everybody that is here for this competition. But we have to use the available ones. There were one or two defensive errors and we conceded the goal. The game was not too bad but we are not happy with the result.
Your team has the losers match to play on Tuesday. What should your fans expect?
That’s the much we have to use in redeeming our image. Definitely you cannot come into a tournament like this and lose all matches. So what we are going to do is to put this behind us and concentrate on our next game. We have to come all out to get the maximum points.
You were part of the Golden Eaglets team that played in the finals of the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Nigeria. But the team could not win the final match. What happened?
Actually if you go back to the game back in 2009, the match was not too bad but the only chance our opponents got, they utilized. In the game of football, when you get your chances and you don’t take them, you are punished when you make a silly mistake and that was what happened to us. We did our best but a silly mistake along the way denied us victory. I still want to thank God for taking us all the way to the finals. We started on a shaky note against Germany but we came back into the championship and got to the finals. Hosting and playing in the finals is not a mean achievement.
Playing before the capacity crowd at the Abuja National Stadium, were you guys under any form of pressure?
No, no, there was no pressure because we were out of media reach. We were kept out of the reach of everybody. Our phones were collected so there was no way anybody could reach us. We couldn’t communicate with anybody, so there was nothing to put us under pressure. There was no pressure. But it happened and we took it like that. I still thank for taking us to the finals.
At the youth level, you are one of the highly rated goalkeepers in the country. Why have you not attracted any offers from European Clubs?
As you can see clubs in Europe don’t value African goalkeepers. I don’t know why it is so but that is just the truth. If you look at the number one goalkeepers of African national teams, most of them are home based. Only few are playing in Europe.I don’t really know whites don’t appreciate African goalkeepers. Personally, I know that God’s time is the best. If God wants me to take my goalkeeping talent abroad, he will open a way for me.
Do you have any regret being a goalkeeper?
I don’t have any regret. I believe that is what God has destined me to be in my football career. You have to be what God wants you to be. When it comes to playing out there on the field, I am a very good player but I don’t know why God has chosen me to be a goalkeeper.
Players sometimes change from playing out on the field to goalkeeping. Do you have any plan to also switch from goalkeeping to a field player?
I don’t really know but may be in future God will turn me into a field player. I like playing with the ball and I have the ability to play out there. I may consider doing so in future.
But why did you opt for goalkeeping in the first place?
Actually I didn’t start as a goalkeeper. It was in 1998 when we went for U-12 tournament and our goalkeeper was screened out. I was asked if I could keep and I said yes. When I went in, we went all the way to finals and we even won the Cup. That was how I became a goalkeeper. But up till now when I go back home I play out.
When and how did you take to football?
I lost my dad when I was in primary five. When that happened, I prayed to God for help. I was not having anybody to assist me. I have only a sister and a brother. My sister was already married and talking care of her children. I prayed to God to help me develop my talent. I started with youth football tournaments and that was when I was spotted for the national U-17 team. When I was invited to the Eaglets camp, I was surprised. I never knew somebody was watching me. I was playing for Oxford academy in Niger State. Even I was called that I was invited to camp, I thought it was a huge joke. I wasn’t sure I was the one. I was given a number to call one of the coaches who confirmed that I was the one invited. That was how I came to camp and vied for a shirt. I did my best and left the rest to God. Some people thought without someone backing me, I wouldn’t succeed but I kept doing my best. In the end, God answered my prayer.
With your experience and talent, you should be playing for one of the top Nigeria Premier League clubs but here you are with Nasarawa United. Is this good for your career?
Most at times you choose where to play and have rest of mind. No pressure you play and enjoy yourself as you wait for the big break through. For me, I was supposed to join Sharks but I opted for Nasarawa based on certain considerations. I wanted to take a club back to the premier league. I really thank God that in the end, God answered my prayer. I thank God but now it is left for me to decide where I want to go. The door is still wide open for me.
Articles
European clubs don’t value African goalkeepers- Dami Paul
Category: Shot Written by David Ngobua Hits: 443
As agile as a cat, Dami Paul was the youngster in goal for the Golden Eaglets in 2009 when the team played in the finals of that year’s FIFA U-17 World Cup in Nigeria. He would move on to represent Nigeria at the 2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Colombia. In this exclusive interview with Shot! at the just concluded NNL Super Cup competition in Abuja, the Nasarawa United goalkeeper said he is yet to get a foreign contract because European clubs don’t value African goalkeepers. ExcerptsYour team has just lost to Bayelsa United in the opening match? How disappointed are you?
Actually it is not too good for the team. Any team that is going into a tournament, the opening match is very important. Losing the opening match is not good for team spirit. We are not happy about the result but it has happened and there is nothing we can do about it.
What would you say is responsible for the loss?
The team we have here is not complete. We are still preparing. Only twenty of us are here and out of the players that have been retained, it is not everybody that is here for this competition. But we have to use the available ones. There were one or two defensive errors and we conceded the goal. The game was not too bad but we are not happy with the result.
Your team has the losers match to play on Tuesday. What should your fans expect?
That’s the much we have to use in redeeming our image. Definitely you cannot come into a tournament like this and lose all matches. So what we are going to do is to put this behind us and concentrate on our next game. We have to come all out to get the maximum points.
You were part of the Golden Eaglets team that played in the finals of the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Nigeria. But the team could not win the final match. What happened?
Actually if you go back to the game back in 2009, the match was not too bad but the only chance our opponents got, they utilized. In the game of football, when you get your chances and you don’t take them, you are punished when you make a silly mistake and that was what happened to us. We did our best but a silly mistake along the way denied us victory. I still want to thank God for taking us all the way to the finals. We started on a shaky note against Germany but we came back into the championship and got to the finals. Hosting and playing in the finals is not a mean achievement.
Playing before the capacity crowd at the Abuja National Stadium, were you guys under any form of pressure?
No, no, there was no pressure because we were out of media reach. We were kept out of the reach of everybody. Our phones were collected so there was no way anybody could reach us. We couldn’t communicate with anybody, so there was nothing to put us under pressure. There was no pressure. But it happened and we took it like that. I still thank for taking us to the finals.
At the youth level, you are one of the highly rated goalkeepers in the country. Why have you not attracted any offers from European Clubs?
As you can see clubs in Europe don’t value African goalkeepers. I don’t know why it is so but that is just the truth. If you look at the number one goalkeepers of African national teams, most of them are home based. Only few are playing in Europe.I don’t really know whites don’t appreciate African goalkeepers. Personally, I know that God’s time is the best. If God wants me to take my goalkeeping talent abroad, he will open a way for me.
Do you have any regret being a goalkeeper?
I don’t have any regret. I believe that is what God has destined me to be in my football career. You have to be what God wants you to be. When it comes to playing out there on the field, I am a very good player but I don’t know why God has chosen me to be a goalkeeper.
Players sometimes change from playing out on the field to goalkeeping. Do you have any plan to also switch from goalkeeping to a field player?
I don’t really know but may be in future God will turn me into a field player. I like playing with the ball and I have the ability to play out there. I may consider doing so in future.
But why did you opt for goalkeeping in the first place?
Actually I didn’t start as a goalkeeper. It was in 1998 when we went for U-12 tournament and our goalkeeper was screened out. I was asked if I could keep and I said yes. When I went in, we went all the way to finals and we even won the Cup. That was how I became a goalkeeper. But up till now when I go back home I play out.
When and how did you take to football?
I lost my dad when I was in primary five. When that happened, I prayed to God for help. I was not having anybody to assist me. I have only a sister and a brother. My sister was already married and talking care of her children. I prayed to God to help me develop my talent. I started with youth football tournaments and that was when I was spotted for the national U-17 team. When I was invited to the Eaglets camp, I was surprised. I never knew somebody was watching me. I was playing for Oxford academy in Niger State. Even I was called that I was invited to camp, I thought it was a huge joke. I wasn’t sure I was the one. I was given a number to call one of the coaches who confirmed that I was the one invited. That was how I came to camp and vied for a shirt. I did my best and left the rest to God. Some people thought without someone backing me, I wouldn’t succeed but I kept doing my best. In the end, God answered my prayer.
With your experience and talent, you should be playing for one of the top Nigeria Premier League clubs but here you are with Nasarawa United. Is this good for your career?
Most at times you choose where to play and have rest of mind. No pressure you play and enjoy yourself as you wait for the big break through. For me, I was supposed to join Sharks but I opted for Nasarawa based on certain considerations. I wanted to take a club back to the premier league. I really thank God that in the end, God answered my prayer. I thank God but now it is left for me to decide where I want to go. The door is still wide open for me.