The Nigeria defence have the task of dealing with
Argentina superstar Lionel Messi, after being drawn in Group F with Argentina
in the 2014 World Cup, but young Super Eagles defender Kenneth Omeruo is
undaunted by the task and says they can handle him.
The Nigerians also have Iran and Bosnia-Herzegovina in
their group but many are hyping the Argentinians as the main threat to stop
Nigeria progressing further than the group stages.
In a chat with the Fifa website, Omeruo said that he
can’t wait to play against Argentina.
"I’m really looking forward to the game against
Argentina. We will try as much as possible to keep a clean sheet. It will be
difficult but we have to do that.
"They are the best players in the world and we have
to show our quality by standing up to them. We will first of all have to make
sure we get maximum points from the first two games."
On the threat of Messi, Omeruo said that it will be a
team effort to deal with him. "I watch him a lot on TV. It’s going to be a
team effort to try and stop him. Everyone will have to be positive and 100 per
cent focused on the game,"
With Messi, Sergio Aguero and Gonzalo Higuain all likely
to be in the final Argentina World Cup squad the Super Eagles defence will have
their hands full in keeping goals out.
"I do have a good friendship with Godfrey Oboabona
off the pitch; we talk on Skype sometimes," Omeruo tells Fifa.com said.
"Before the national team I used to play with him in the Nigerian League
with Sunshine Stars.
"Most times before games Stephen Keshi gives us both
separate advice. He tries to psyche us up as much as possible. As well as that,
he is a father who advises us. He’s a really good man to play under," he
added.
The youngster, who has been on-loan at Middlesbrough FC
from Chelsea this season, where he has been in great form and has become a fans
favourite, said that he would love to return to The Boro after the World Cup as
he is enjoying playing there.
"We’ll have to wait and see," Omeruo said.
"It would be nice to go back to Middlesbrough; it’s a good environment
with good people around. I like the manager.
"Obviously we’ll have to see how the World Cup goes
and my first priority is to stay with Chelsea. From playing in training with
John Terry, Gary Cahill and David Luiz I just want to put myself in there, try
to learn from them and correct anything I’m not doing right," he added.
Culled from Kickoffnigeria
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