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‘I’ve done everything on my own part’ - Vitoria de Guimaraes’ Agu on fringe Nigeria role
The midfielder says he has done all it takes to merit a regular place in the Super Eagles’ squad, but is surprised by getting far-flung roles
Mikel Agu has expressed his disillusionment over his inability to tie down a regular place in the Nigeria senior national team.
Since making his Super Eagles debut in a 3-0 friendly triumph over Togo on June 1, 2017, the Vitoria de Guimaraes midfielder only boasts of seven international caps.
After two years in the international wilderness, he was recalled to the three-time African champions’ squad for October’s friendly games against Algeria and Tunisia.
In the 1-0 defeat to the Desert Foxes, he was a second-half replacement for FC Midtjylland’s Frank Onyeka while he was completely overlooked against the Carthage Eagles.
He did not make Gernot Rohr's squad for the 2020 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers aganst Sierra Leone.
According to the 27-year-old, he doesn’t understand why he gets overlooked despite doing everything possible from his own end.
To him, his time in the senior national team is yet to come, nevertheless, he assured that he would always give his very best when invited and played in his natural position.
“I have done everything on my own part to settle in the national team, yet I get ignored sometimes, I know my time is yet to come with the national team,” he told Completesports.
“I just want to make one thing clear. In the games that I have played in, my comfortable position as a holding four, one was against Togo in Paris and the other was against Uganda in Asaba, I was one of the outstanding players in both games.
“I think the only game in which I didn’t play well was against Zambia in Uyo and that was because I had an off-day which is normal with every player.
“You can’t be 100 per cent every day. So, if I get to play in my natural position, then I know I will always give my best every time I’m on the pitch. I will continue to do my thing here in my club.”
After loan spells at Club Brugge, Vitoria Setubal and Bursaspor, Agu joined Primeira Liga outfit Guimaraes on a permanent deal in 2019.
In the 2019-20 season, he featured in 16 games, scoring once and accruing five cautions - against Moreirense, Belenenses, Sporting Lisbon, Tondela and Rio Ave.
This season, he has featured in five out of six outings as Joao Henriques’ team occupy the sixth position after accruing ten points so far.
