If my memory serves me well, prior to this morning, the last time I put on my football boots and headed for a football pitch was sometimes in May 2017 during my National Youth Service year IN Kano state Nigeria. I with my colleagues used to train with a local side there. It was there I was nicknamed "Iniesta" due to my style of play. I always hold onto the ball, drive to inwards and try to play with the nearest man along with my "nutmegging" skill. Nutmeg was a part of my game I loved and which also drew people's attention. It was not just about the nutmegs, it was in the manner in which the nutmegs came.
I remember back in my days at the University, it started in my first year. When the period for the annual departmental games was nigh, we had to select a team of football player to represent the class in the football completion.
On our first day of training, the coach asked everyone to stand separately according to the main positions Goalkeeping, Defence, Midfield and Attack... OMG 😲... The defence squad was close to nothing, almost everyone wanted to play as an attacker. I naturally as an attacker would have loved to play as a striker but due to ; One, I feel I really don't have the Physique to function there. I am 5ft 9inch tall;Two, I'm not a fan of aerial balls as I don't like getting too physical which is another side to my game. So, for these reasons, I prefer to play behind a striker - 8.
Realising there were too many attackers in the team, I opted to play in defence - Left Full Back and it turned out to be the bomb for me. I excelled in the position, marking out the attacker and also pushing forward. And because I naturally I'm an attacker, I always dribbled forward. This style of play earned me the nickname "Marcelo" - The Brazilian Real Madrid Defender who is known for his mesmerising football even as a left back. I played in that position throughout my four years in school, winning two Head of Department's (HOD) cup twice and consecutively, the first time in the over 50 years existence of the department that a class had won it back to back.
I didn't get to play in my preferred position behind the striker until my Youth Service days Kano where i was later nicknamed "Iniesta".
But back in my place of residence, I hardly played street football and this made it look funny to neighbours whenever I brought out my boots to play. They always think I can't play until they see me do. I played today after almost a year and I could still see the flashes of "Iniesta and Marcelo" in my game.
Guess there's a reason they said "Form is temporary but Class is Permanent.". I hope I would play again soonest.