FELAGHA: I WANT ENYEAMA'S SHIRT
Goalkeeper John Felagha is the baby of the Flying Eagles squad to this year's African Youth Championship in South Africa.
He was second choice when the Golden Eaglets reached the final of the FIFA Under-17 World Cup hosted by Nigeria.
The acrobatic shot stopper from the famous Aspire Academy in Qatar has his sights fixed on bagging a degree in banking and finance in July by his 17th birthday as well as signing for his darling club, Barcelona, with whom he tried out last summer.
But above all, the big fan of Super Eagles first choice goalkeeper, Vincent Enyeama, believes that within three years, he could take over from his idol at full international level.
'I'm John Felagha from Bayelsa State. I'm at the Aspire Academy in Qatar and also play for the Nigeria Under-20 team.
'I got to the Aspire Academy through a screening test across the 36 states in Nigeria. In 2007, I was picked among the best three from 7,000 kids in Bayelsa.
'For the final national screening in Lagos, which lasted four days, we were 50 kids and they needed four players and I was picked among them to represent Nigeria in Qatar. 'In Qatar, we had a total of 24 kids from Africa and they needed the best four. I was picked along with three other players from Ghana. 'I was also picked for the 2009 FIFA Under-17 World Cup which Nigeria hosted
'Again I would say I'm a lucky boy. The Under-17 team came over to Qatar to train ahead of the World Cup and there the coach saw me and four days to the actual tournament, I was picked to be a part of the Golden Eaglets.
'I was not disappointed that you did not get to play a game at the Under-17 World Cup because I am happy to wait for my own time. 'Again, with the national Under-20 team, I am a cover for the first choice Paul Danjuma. 'It's a good experience for me to be among big players from different clubs. This can be only good for me because they have continued to encourage me the more. They say I have to push more.
'My scholarship is for three years, but extended by a year and I'm studying banking and finance.
'We also study several other languages such as Arabic, French and Spanish because we could find ourselves in any country in the world to play football and then the language will not pose a problem for us. I'm in level 12 now, along with players from Ghana, Yemen, Sudan, Saudi Arabia and the Qataris.
We go to school in the morning after training and from 3.45pm, we go for football training again. We also play two friendly matches every week. We tour Europe and play competitions.
'Being at Aspire allows me to combine schooling with playing football because I don't know what would happen tomorrow and so this is very good for me. They have done very well for me.
'Last September, I trained at Barcelona after we played against several top teams such as Valencia, Getafe, Espanyol, Villarreal and Barcelona in an Under-18 competition.
'It was also a test for Aspire to sell its players.
'We beat Barcelona 1-0 and the team got interested in me. I did well and the whole team was happy for me. The club invited seven of us and it was even more interested in me when it got to know that I have featured in the Under-17 World Cup. 'I believe I will join Barcelona. It's a dream club for many players. I will keep working hard because I want to be there.
But African goalkeepers have often found it very difficult to establish themselves in Europe.
'Yes, that's what everybody says. But a goalkeeper like Vincent Enyeama has not done badly in Europe and as long as I remain professional as he is, I will follow his footsteps.
'We have to change things and let the world know that African goalkeepers are very talented.
'Enyeama is the first choice in the Super Eagles, I believe I will be the next goalkeeper to take over from him. I work hard, I believe in myself and I believe in God. He will do it for me one day.
In three years time I should be the Eagles No 1 goalkeeper.