My desire is for Lookman to win CAF award – Amunike

Emmanuel Amuneke, 1994 African Player of The Year, talks about Ademola Lookman’s chances of winning the coveted prize on Monday, the Super Eagles’ World Cup chances, and more in this interview with PETER AKINBO

What do you think of the male nominees for the CAF African Player of The Year?

Well, I think a lot of players were nominated, but only three will always make the final shortlist and we have one of our own, Ademola Lookman, definitely among them. This is someone that I think since the first time I met him in the national team, he has shown promises, commitment, and the determination to grow. Despite a short time together, he would always approach me after training to discuss ways to improve his ablity. Seeing him shortlisted is a thing of joy.

Last year, Victor Osimhen won it and now Lookman has a chance to win it. My wish and desire is for him to win because he has been consistent and has proven himself as one of the best in African football.

Do you think Lookman is the favourite to claim the award?

Lookman stands a chance of winning, just like (Simon) Adingra, who played for Ivory Coast in the final. Lookman was a champion in the last UEFA Europa League and has been consistent this season. He scored a goal against Real Madrid and AC Milan. I think he stands a chance of winning it. But, of course, we must also respect the other candidates who have also done very well in their respective clubs and national teams.

As Nigerians, we will be hoping Lookman wins it. Hopefully, we can achieve this to continue the legacy so we can have the record of winning it back to back. When I won, and other players followed, it was a proud moment for us. I hope he gets it to build on that history.

Chiamaka Nnadozie has been nominated for both Female Player of The Year and Goalkeeper of The Year, what do you think are her chances of scooping both?

Chiamaka Nnadozie has done very well and she has been consistent. At the last World Cup, she demonstrated that she’s one of the top goalkeepers in the world, not only in Africa. Her consistency in African football is commendable. It is a merit that year after year, she continues to get nominated. This shows that she is performing well. Just like our sister (Asisat Oshoala) who, although not nominated this time, has also been exceptional.

For Chiamaka, being nominated is a privilege and shows she is doing well. If she wins, it means she has distinguished herself further. I wish her the best of luck and hope luck is on her side.

We’ve had two instances where Nigeria secured both the men’s and women’s awards, do you think we can achieve that feat again with Lookman and Nnadozie?

Everything is possible but you cannot ignore that there are other candidates who have also done very well for their national teams and clubs. The competition is tough, but it would be great to achieve this milestone again.

You’ve won the CAF African Player of The Year award yourself. How can you descrive the feeling of receiving such recognition?

The feeling is incredible. When you get recognised for what you are doing, it means you have been able to distinguish yourself. Out of hundreds of players, to be among the final nominees shows you have done very well and are improving as a player. When you are finally recognised, it’s a feeling of joy and pride. It also motivates you to keep improving and increases your market value. It’s a moment of honour and reflection on your journey as a player.

Before you won, when you were nominated, did you think you’d win, or were you focused on your football?

Honestly, for me, I wasn’t expecting it. When I won, it was a surprise. I was more focused on improving day by day and contributing to my club and national team until I was told that I had won it. When we won it, it was a time they would just announce it, but now, it’s a different era, we didn’t have the grand ceremonies we have now. For me, I was never even expecting that I would be nominated, it was about doing my best rather than expecting recognition. Winning was an honour and a reflection of my contributions to my club in Egypt and the national team. It’s an honour being recognised during my era and becoming African Player of The Year.

Did you receive your trophy back then?

No, I still haven’t received mine yet. They mentioned plans to give it to me at this year’s edition. I am supposed to attend the event in Morocco, but my work commitments kept me away. Hopefully, it will be given to someone from Nigeria that will give it to me.

Nigerian failed to win the best male player award for some years. How did you feel about that?

When we were not winning, the drought reflected the growth of other countries and their players as they were also developing. After many years, when Osimhen won, it showed we’d made progress and done something to put our players in situations where they can be spotted and get a platform to grow much better. It’s a testament to the opportunities our players have abroad. Winning consistently again will mean we’re doing something right but we must keep improving our player development and enhance their performance to remain competitive with the rest of the world. Football evolves daily, and any country that has the interest to invests in its players and infrastructure that will enhance the capacity of their players will always have the edge to win those awards.

Nigeria hasn’t had a defender win the award. We had William Troost-Ekong initially shortlisted, do you think it’s possible for a defender to achieve this?

It’s possible if our defenders play at the highest level consistently. That will determine if they have the possibility of winning, other countries and players are growing. Performance is key, and as football evolves, it’s great to see players from non-traditional powerhouses competing well. We no longer watch for only a few countries. I hope our defenders continue to grow and achieve recognition. But we must also recognise the contributions of other countries and their players. The diversity in talent is a beautiful thing for African football.

We’re in a tricky position in the World Cup qualifiers, do you think the Eagles still have a chance?

It’s hard to say. The reality is that we cannot say we can get in without considering other things. The reality is that qualifying isn’t easy, and we have to also consider other teams. To be honest, we are not in an easy position, even if we win, the teams above us too can win their games. In Nigeria, we like to say anything is possible but we also have to look at facts. The team must focus and work hard. The task is difficult, but with determination and teamwork, anything is possible.