Why Football Lovers Want ADARABIOYO

• To Play For Super Eagles

In 2020, the then Nigeria Football Federation, NFF President, Amaju Pinnick, said that the era of the Football Federation appealing to dual citizenship players to dorn the Green-White-Green Jerseys has long passed.

On an NFF Instagram Live page, when addressing issues bothering the clamour from Soccer analysts and enthusiasts calling and urging the NFF to give a call to Arsenal youngster, Bukayo Saka, Queens Park Rangers Football Club midfielder, Ebere Eze, Sheffield Wednesday Football Club forward, Dominic Iorfa Jnr, Manchester City’s loanee, Tosin Adarabioyo amongst others. Pinnick said there was no way the NFF would force, or mount pressure on, any player with dual citizenship to switch allegiance to the Super Eagles if they aren’t interested.

“The likes of Abbey Geroge, Tyronne Ebuehi, Efetobore Sodje, Sam Sodje, Victor Moses, Reuben Agboola, Alex Iwobi, Leon Balogun, William Troost Ekong among others all have dual citizenship, but they chose to play for their fatherland without been forced or pressurized.

“So any player that feels like playing for the Super Eagles should come forward and do the needful. We can’t be begging or persuading any player. That era is far gone”, he stated.

City People recalls that in 2022, Nigerians called on the then Technical Director of the Super Eagles, Austin Eguaveon to persuade the then Fulham defender Adarabioyo to play for the Super Eagles after the former Eagles coach was in England to watch the player.

The clamour followed Eguaveon’s Twitter post of a view at Selhurst Park; Crystal Palace’s home ground, as the Eagles with two other Nigerians in their rank were beaten at home by Adarabioyo’s Fulham on Boxing Day. “How I spent my Boxing Day – Crystal Palace vs Fulham. Thanks for the Invite @TosinAdarabioyo,” Eguavoen tweet reads. The replies under the tweet were in different shades, with few charging the England-born player to choose the Super Eagles over the Three Lions.

“Come to@NGSuperEagles, Tosin.” Said one MistrDez, just as @therealmawulolo tagged it as a “beautiful gesture.”

Another fan said, “We need him in the national team, Eguavoen please make it happen. I forgive you, sir. I had been bitter. Get him for us now,” Richard Bolaji wrote. After being snubbed many times by the Three Lions’ manager, Gareth Southgate, with the growing injuries and aging defenders in the Super Eagles, it’s time to swallow pride, make amends, and restart by giving this amazing footballer a chance to dorn the National team jersey. In 2021, just before the Euro 2020, former Eagles Coach Gernot Rohr tried to convince Adarabioyo to play for Nigeria but the England-born declined.

According to him, playing in the Championship might have limited his chances of making it to the England national team but now that he will be playing in the Premier League, he stands a better chance. “I knew, because I was playing in the Championship, that it wasn’t going to be possible to get a call-up but it’s possible now. “My ambition this season had to be just to play every week for Fulham and get them back into the Premier League,” he admitted.

After many years of rejection by the Three Lions’, now is the time for the NFF to make a serious move in bringing him home. Adarabioyo’s experience in the Premier League makes him a valuable addition to Nigeria’s defense.

At Fulham, Adarabioyo and Calvin Bassey have formed a formidable central defensive partnership, pushing out experienced players like Tim Ream and Issa Diop. While Bassey is already a key member of the Super Eagles backline, Adarabioyo could be the perfect long-term solution alongside him, potentially replacing the aging captain, William Troost-Ekong.

At just 26 years old, Adarabioyo has emerged as a standout defender in the Premier League. He possesses a rare combination of physical strength, composure with the ball at his feet, and tactical intelligence that surpasses his experience. Standing at an imposing 1.96 meters, he dominates the penalty area, winning aerial duels with authority and offering a reassuring presence in defensive set pieces – an area where Nigeria has historically struggled.

One of Adarabioyo’s most valuable skills is his ability to read the game and anticipate the opposition’s movements. This allows him to position himself effectively for interceptions and snuff out attacks before they become dangerous. He remains calm under pressure and makes well-timed tackles, providing much-needed reliability in the heart of the defence – a quality currently lacking in Nigeria’s backline.

Beyond his defensive prowess, his ability to initiate counter-attacks and launch long passes could add a new dimension to Nigeria’s offensive play. This skillset would allow for a seamless transition from defence to attack, making the Super Eagles a more well-rounded team.

He is expected to follow in the footsteps of several prominent players who exemplify this trend. Ademola Lookman switched from England U-21 to Nigeria in 2022. Olaoluwa Aina represented England at various youth levels but has been a key player for the Super Eagles since 2017.

Other names like Victor Moses, Alexander Iwobi, and Joseph Ayodele-Aribo all followed similar paths, bringing their skills developed in European academies to the Nigerian national team.

This trend offers several advantages for the Super Eagles. Players like Lookman and Aina came with experience in top European leagues, raising the overall quality and tactical understanding of the team. They also brought a fresh perspective and hunger to the national team, having fought for their place on the squad.

Born in London, England to Nigerian parents, Adarabioyo represented England at all junior levels and is the youngest of three brothers. His oldest brother, Gbolahan, serves as his representative while his middle brother Fisayo Adarabioyo is also a footballer. All three brothers were part of Manchester City’s youth ranks.

After his family moved to Whalley Range when he was still an infant, Adarabioyo was schooled in Manchester and attended Chorlton High School before enrolling with St Bede’s College, a college associated with Manchester City.

However, it was reported that the new Chelsea defender sent tongues wagging on X after a picture of him wearing the Super Eagles jacket sparked reactions online. Just last month, X user Yimzy posted a picture of the Blues defender glued to his phone while spotting the Eagles green and white jacket with the NFF logo, writing, “Tosin Adarabioyo. One thing about Naija boys, they always got Steeze”.

The post immediately generated reactions, with respondents expressing delight at him switching allegiance to Nigeria. Big DON stated, “This one is not wasting his days waiting for England to call up. Niceeeee to see.”

COLDPLAY added, “Bro just telling the super eagles to come get him. I’ll be there.”

Another fan added, “Has he declared for Nigeria?”

–Benprince Ezeh

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