Utaka back for unfinished business
Utaka with Enyeama on Eagles duty
Ahmed Musa Q&A
John Utaka has returned to the Super Eagles to fulfil the huge
promise he showed when he first stepped out for Nigeria 10 years ago.
The 30-year-old Utaka was last involved with Nigeria at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, where he failed to get even a minute of playing time.
Even then, the striker never gave up on again donning the green-white-green shirt.
“I still have a future in the national team. I did not play a part (at 2010 World Cup), but hopefully I will play a part at the next World Cup,” Utaka told MTNFootball.com in July 2010.
“We cannot do without experience in everything we do, not just football.”
And true to his words two years ago, the former RC Lens of France striker has now been recalled by Nigeria on the back of a superb comeback season with recently crowned French kings Montpellier.
He scored seven goals including a brace on the final day of the season at AJ Auxerre to ensure Montpellier clinched the league championship ahead of big-spending Paris Saint-Germain.
He said he cannot wait to lead the Eagles attack against Namibia on Sunday.
"I am glad to be back in the Eagles. I thank the coach for considering me, but I must admit I cannot wait to file out this weekend for the Eagles," said Utaka, whose younger brother Peter also enjoyed a decent run in the Eagles until recently.
"I am here to give my best and to try and replicate the form that saw me help my French club win the Ligue 1 championship for the first time in their history.
“I miss the Eagles and with what I have seen in camp I believe we have what it takes to get the result on Sunday."
He added: “We know what is at stake in this game, there is no need stressing it.”
Utaka was first capped by Nigeria in 2002 and will make the final squad to the 2002 World Cup.
Then, his power and skills installed him as an exciting young striker with a great future ahead of him even though it was until March 2003 that he broke his Eagles duck with a valuable winner away at Malawi in a 2004 Nations Cup qualifier.
He featured for Nigeria at the 2004 and 2006 Nations Cups, where the Eagles finished third on both occasions.
Utaka has been played by the national team mostly on the right side of attack even though he said he is much more comfortable leading the attack.
If the goals were few and far between in an Eagles shirt, Utaka made a remarkable progress at club level.
From playing in Ismaila in Egypt to Qatar with ambitious Al Sadd, he made a huge jump to RC Lens in the French top flight before he moved on to Rennes in 2005.
He spent two eventful seasons at Rennes before a big-money dream move to the English Premier League with Portsmouth.
Utaka was an FA Cup winner with Pompey alongside compatriot Nwankwo Kanu in 2008, but overall he had to endure a difficult four years in England as the financial problems of Portsmouth, injuries and a slump in form forced him to retrace his steps back to France last summer.
It was an inspired move as 11 months later, he is now a proud champion of France with Montpellier.
And this week with the Eagles, John Utaka has further turned the hand of the clock backwards with some sparkling performances in training and could well start for Nigeria against Namibia on Sunday.
The 30-year-old Utaka was last involved with Nigeria at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, where he failed to get even a minute of playing time.
Even then, the striker never gave up on again donning the green-white-green shirt.
“I still have a future in the national team. I did not play a part (at 2010 World Cup), but hopefully I will play a part at the next World Cup,” Utaka told MTNFootball.com in July 2010.
“We cannot do without experience in everything we do, not just football.”
And true to his words two years ago, the former RC Lens of France striker has now been recalled by Nigeria on the back of a superb comeback season with recently crowned French kings Montpellier.
He scored seven goals including a brace on the final day of the season at AJ Auxerre to ensure Montpellier clinched the league championship ahead of big-spending Paris Saint-Germain.
He said he cannot wait to lead the Eagles attack against Namibia on Sunday.
"I am glad to be back in the Eagles. I thank the coach for considering me, but I must admit I cannot wait to file out this weekend for the Eagles," said Utaka, whose younger brother Peter also enjoyed a decent run in the Eagles until recently.
"I am here to give my best and to try and replicate the form that saw me help my French club win the Ligue 1 championship for the first time in their history.
“I miss the Eagles and with what I have seen in camp I believe we have what it takes to get the result on Sunday."
He added: “We know what is at stake in this game, there is no need stressing it.”
Utaka was first capped by Nigeria in 2002 and will make the final squad to the 2002 World Cup.
Then, his power and skills installed him as an exciting young striker with a great future ahead of him even though it was until March 2003 that he broke his Eagles duck with a valuable winner away at Malawi in a 2004 Nations Cup qualifier.
He featured for Nigeria at the 2004 and 2006 Nations Cups, where the Eagles finished third on both occasions.
Utaka has been played by the national team mostly on the right side of attack even though he said he is much more comfortable leading the attack.
If the goals were few and far between in an Eagles shirt, Utaka made a remarkable progress at club level.
From playing in Ismaila in Egypt to Qatar with ambitious Al Sadd, he made a huge jump to RC Lens in the French top flight before he moved on to Rennes in 2005.
He spent two eventful seasons at Rennes before a big-money dream move to the English Premier League with Portsmouth.
Utaka was an FA Cup winner with Pompey alongside compatriot Nwankwo Kanu in 2008, but overall he had to endure a difficult four years in England as the financial problems of Portsmouth, injuries and a slump in form forced him to retrace his steps back to France last summer.
It was an inspired move as 11 months later, he is now a proud champion of France with Montpellier.
And this week with the Eagles, John Utaka has further turned the hand of the clock backwards with some sparkling performances in training and could well start for Nigeria against Namibia on Sunday.
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