Posted by By CHIMAOBI UCHENDU on
Nigerian Super Eagles' captain, Nwankwo Kanu, is in a dreamland hoping to wake up after the English FA Cup final on Saturday. He said he had gone through several miracles in his chequered career, going through the surgeon's blade and leading an unknown crop of players to lift the Olympic gold medal in Atlanta, Georgia in 1996.
• Super Eagles' captain, Nwankwo Kanu, says winning the English FA Cup will be the high point of his career
Nigerian Super Eagles' captain, Nwankwo Kanu, is in a dreamland hoping to wake up after the English FA Cup final on Saturday. He said he had gone through several miracles in his chequered career, going through the surgeon's blade and leading an unknown crop of players to lift the Olympic gold medal in Atlanta, Georgia in 1996.
He, however, added that winning the FA Cup against Cardiff at the new Wembley Stadium would be the peak of miracles in his life.
"To be in the final again is a dream," Kanu said. "I am very happy because we all dreamt of reaching the final and now our dream has come true.
"I have won a lot of laurels in my life, but I am looking forward to lifting the FA Cup because winning it would be special. I am proud of my medals, but it is usually when you play in the big teams that you get them.
"Winning the FA Cup with Arsenal was expected but nobody expects it with Portsmouth. The Champions League is my biggest medal, but because of its history and tradition, the FA Cup means a lot to me."
Many Nigerians, including journalists, will be at Wembley on Saturday to see the leggy striker making history again. Moreover, Kanu said he's happy that after the horrific shudder when he went through the knife in 1996 to correct a heart problem shortly after Nigeria's triumph at that year's Olympics in Atlanta, he has had to reinforce his belief in life.
"What I have been through in life is bigger than anything else that has happened in my football career," he confessed. "After being under surgery for four or five hours, nothing scares me anymore, not even Cardiff," Kanu said, stressing that Saturday's match would only see two sets of players trying to win a match.
"However, we know that we cannot disappoint our supporters now. All we have achieved this season would mean nothing if we fail to bring home the trophy to Portsmouth."
The Eagles' captain and Portsmouth of England forward is one of world's most decorated footballers, but he seems not satisfied yet with the collection of trophies and medals in his silverware. He has won UEFA Champions League trophy with Ajax Amsterdam and a UEFA Cup with Inter Milan. He has also won the English FA Cup and Premier League trophies twice with Arsenal and yet, Kanu is still desperate for another trophy and medal as his Portsmouth FC file out against Cardiff this time around.
Kanu is aiming at making it a hat trick to etch his name in gold as one of the few foreign players who have lifted the FA trophy for a record three times as players.
He helped Portsmouth to reach the FA Cup final for the first time in 69 years with a 54th minute goal against West Brom, his former club in the semi-final clash at the Wembley Stadium. Meanwhile, Coach Harry Redknapp has expressed confidence in the ability of the leggy player to win the match for Portsmouth despite coming under the hammer for sneaking home to Nigeria for some business deals.
Redknapp is banking on the skills of Kanu in front of goal to make things happen for the club, and he is not hiding his admiration for the Eagles' striker.
"I love Kanu, he has been one of the great African footballers of all time. I call him King Kanu. He is the king of African football and I think he will show why he is rated high on Saturday.
"Most people like being told how good they are, and sometimes you get more out of people by telling them how good they are," the coach added.
Kanu also hopes to leverage on the success that he expects on Saturday to bring together a selected side to Fratton Park to raise funds for his pet project, the Kanu Heart Foundation.
The match between Friends of Kanu and a Pompey XI will take place on Monday, May 19.