Posted by By JOE APU and AYO on
Everton's striker, Victor Anichebe, is looking forward to this summer's Olympic Games in Beijing after helping Nigeria's Dream Team IV qualify for the tournament.
Everton's striker, Victor Anichebe, is looking forward to this summer's Olympic Games in Beijing after helping Nigeria's Dream Team IV qualify for the tournament.
Anichebe came on for his Nigeria debut with the Olympic team, scoring in a 3-0 rout of South Africa that booked Nigeria's Olympic ticket and he told KickOffNigeria that the reception from the crowd was touching.
"It was great to hear the way the fans were cheering when I came on. As a player, that sort of reception always wants to make you do better and it made me feel like I had really come home.
It was great to hear the way the fans were cheering when I came on and even when I was warming up.
"I am looking forward to the Olympic Games and hopefully, we can do well there.
"It has been a great achievement getting there and the whole of the team deserve it.
"What we should now think about is enjoying it. I have a few team mates who have been there and they said it was a great experience and I and the team also want to experience that. If we prepare well and enjoy ourselves, then the results will come, but let us not forget there are a lot of good teams participating."
The like of Olympic Marseilles' Taye Taiwo, Chievo Verona's Obinna Nsofor and Nice defender, Onyekachi Apam will be boosted by the addition of three over-aged players, which will include three out of Anichebe's Everton teammate, Joseph Yobo, Lokomotiv Moscow's Osaze Odemwingie, Watford's Danny Shittu, Getafe's Ike Uche, Dinamo Kyiv's Yusuf Ayila and goalkeepers Vincent Enyeama and Austin Ejide.
Such quality, along with the tactical onus of Coach Samson Siasia, has seen Dream Team IV rated as one of the gold medal favourites, but Anichebe warns that it is not all about tags.
'I tend not to listen to who people think the favourites are. If you listen sometimes, you can think the results will automatically come. We should just give hundred per cent, stick together as a team in the good or bad times and where ever we come.
"I think we can do it, but we have to go there and take it one game at a time and give it hundred per cent."
Anichebe was cheered at every turn by the Abuja crowd, and when he scored, it almost brought the roof down. The Everton youngster says he was overwhelmed by the reception.
"It was great to hear the way the fans were cheering when I came on and even when I was warming up. As a player, that sort of reception always wants to make you do better and it made me feel like I had really come home."