In a tremendous show of respect for a man he sees as a legend, Nigeria's Kanu Nwankwo yesterday gave an insight to when he may probably consider retirement even if he is not exact on the year. The scene was emotional as he moved to where Abedi Pele stood at the Le Meridian Hotel, Abuja bowed while shaking him and then held him in a warm embrace to pay respect for the man who made name playing football and winning the Champions League before he did with Ajax.
Pele hugged him for a while and said the following to him: "You are doing great and we are proud of you. Keep on scoring. Keep on putting in your best and don't give up now because you still have the game, you still have the power and you just can't stop now." The words touched Kanu and he responded this way: "Thanks so much."
"I'll keep on pushing and playing my best and see how it goes at least in the next two years. After then I'll know how it feels." "That's good," Pele replied. "I think you could have up to two or more years remaining in your game. We are proud of what you are doing now." Kanu has scored six goals in the Premiership, only second to Didier Drogba with seven goals. He has scored clinical goals for Portsmouth some of which he did with the head.
"I thank God for the blessing," he said, smiling when reporters engaged him in a brief chat and fancied his headers. He was not known for scoring with the head before now. "There was one I scored against Middlesbrough. I took the ball from far distance running towards the goal and expecting a cross. My coach later joked that they took a bet on the bench that I wouldn't get to the goal area. I got there and scored. It's interesting." Hotel L'Meridian Abuja here has never hosted such number of stars.
There were Marcel Desailly, Paul Parker, Burtler, Mark Fish, Odartey Lamptey, Tony Yeboah, Abdoulaye Traore, Tony Baffoe, Phil Massinga and others who formed the Rest of the World Team that also had Nigeria's Sylvanus Okpala, Idah Peterside and Dominic Iorfa. This was before they engaged Nigeria's USA'94 squad in a charity match that was to mark the 30th anniversary of the creation of Abuja.
in the Nigerian team were the then captain Stephen Keshi, Austin Eguavoen, Ben Iroha, Uche Okafor, Taribo West, Thompson Oliha, Finidi George, Emmanuel Amuneke, Mutiu Adepoju, Emeka Ezeugo, Samson Siasia, Aloy Agu, Ike Shorumu, Tijani Babangida etc.
Exchange of banters was a pleasant sight and Westerhof cracked jokes that made all remember their good old days.
"This man is still the best Nigeria can ever think of or get," Idah Peterside said and yelled "yes, you can quote me." Nasir el-Rufai and Amina Salihu, his Senior Special Assistant were all being commended for this assemblage of stars.
