Utaka hopes World Cup can restore Nigerian pride

John Utaka hopes the World Cup can drag Nigeria out of the international wilderness as the team look to rediscover their glory days of the late 1990s.

Once the leading African football nation, Nigeria have floundered over the last decade with a meek display at the 2002 World Cup, failure to qualify for the 2006 tournament and a series of disappointing semi-final appearances at the African Cup of Nations.

It is a far cry from the era of Jay-Jay Okocha, Sunday Oliseh and Rashidi Yekini, who captivated fans with their attacking play at the World Cup in France in 1998, shocking Spain en route to the second round.

Portsmouth winger Utaka believes it could be different this time.

He thinks the team’s group is wide open due to Argentina’s inconsistency and, with Greece and South Korea hardly terrifying opponents, the stage is set for Nigeria to once more make an impact.

Utaka, who is targeting a semi-final spot, said: “We want to do the best and get back to where we used to be and by doing that we have to perform extremely well at the World Cup.

“We are carrying something on our shoulder – to represent the country in the very best way. A successful World Cup would be semi-finals, and then we will see what happens afterwards.

“We have a good chance of doing something in the group, playing Argentina, South Africa and Greece.

“It can go either way, we might turn out to be favourites – you always have to believe. We have good players and a good team.

“We respect Argentina, we know they are a very strong side offensively but they have weaknesses as well.

“Greece, we know most of their players as we do with South Korea but we have to think of ourselves and how we will go through.”

For Utaka the tournament represents the end of a bizarre season at relegated Premier League club Portsmouth.

Utaka was a much-heralded acquisition by former Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp when he was plucked from Rennes for seven million pounds in June 2007, but after a blistering start to life in England he started to struggle.

Such was his poor form that Utaka, the shining new light of Nigerian football when he was named in the 2002 World Cup squad as 20-year-old, lost his place in the international set-up.

Recalled under former Sweden coach Lars Lagerback, Utaka is keen to make up for lost time.

Utaka added: “It is a dream to play in the World Cup. I am delighted to be here.

“Not being in the squad previously is not for me to discuss because it was the choice of the coach but everyone has their own opinion. It did not change the way I play.

“This is the right time for me now and Nigeria know I have something to offer.

“I regard 2002 as an introduction, that was my first time playing alongside legends like Okocha and Kanu and it was something you dream of doing as a young boy because you cannot get bigger than the World Cup.

“I was happy but this time around I am here to make history, I have an aim and that is to make sure Nigeria get stronger and better.”

Utaka is also excited to be appearing at the first World Cup in Africa and is predicting the tournament will leave its own unique mark on football history.

“It will be different from other World Cups, there will be lots of drums and trumpets going on,” Utaka said.

“Africans know how to celebrate and will be something different than what we have seen I the past.”