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Okocha has a lot to learn from me –Ilerika
By Anthony Abolo, Jr.,
Reporter, Lagos
One time Green Eagles player, Haruna Ilerika has declared that though Austin Okocha is a very good player, he still has a lot to learn from him. Ilerika said he had his place in history and that the records are there for every one to see.
The article called him “sensational Haruna Ilerika” and went on to say “he will dribble you and you will admire the way he dribbles. Game planning, accurate passes and neat dribbles are some of the trade marks that he will be long remembered for.” The natural left footer said it is difficult to find left footers and that after him came Adokie Amesiemaka whom he described was a perfect left footer. He said after Amesiemaka there has not been another except maybe, Garuba Lawal whom he described as “manageable.”
Ilerika said “you can’t compare sleep with death. I am not saying that Okocha is not good but he still has so many things to learn from me. Being left footed is a God given gift and if you have three left footers in any team, then you have a good team because it is always difficult to gain possession of the ball from a left footer. ”
Speaking on football administration in Nigeria, Ilerika said there was nothing to really cheer as there were no good administrators like the nation had in the 70s.
Mentioning names of former administrators like Sunday Dankaro and P.O.C Achebe whom he was full of praises for Ilerika said, “the NFA is supposed to be a football house which should be filled up with footballers. How many ex- players do we have within the NFA structure? We keep putting square pegs in round holes. There are capable people who are supposed to be put in charge of football administration but are left to wander about and waste and this is bad for the country.”
Ilerika referred to an article in a newspaper about him in his playing days both for Stationery Stores Football Club and the Green Eagles..
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