Oshoala: Arsenal a bigger club than Liverpool

Asisat Oshoala, Super Falcons of Nigeria and Arsenal Ladies FC new signing, says leaving Liverpool FC was a difficult decision but she is happy to have joined a bigger clubside.

Speaking in an interview with TheCable on Thursday, Oshoala said: “I feel very happy and excited about my recent move to the Arsenal ladies. It’s a bigger club than Liverpool.

“Yes, it was difficult for me to leave Liverpool because the management and everyone there didn’t want me to leave. But sometimes, you just have to take a bold decision for yourself.

“You need to go for a tougher challenge. A bigger challenge where you know that you don’t have to get into the team just like that. Where you will need to work hard.

“Arsenal have about seven or eight England internationals in its team. So, I think it’s a very good thing for me.

“I have not had any game against Liverpool since I left them. But I don’t know how I am going to feel when we meet. Till then before I’ll know how I am going to feel playing against my former team mates.”

The best player and top scorer at the FIFA Women U20 World Cup in Canada in 2013 agreed with women football personalities who constantly complain that women are not as cherished as their male counterparts.

“I think I am not comfortable with that. I am not happy obviously. The women playing football are not happy about it too,” she said.

“It is not about Nigeria alone; it’s something that has to do with the world as a whole. Even in the US where they said they have good organisation, the men are much better treated than the women.

“But I think it’s something that has to be done gradually. It’s not a Nigerian thing alone but all around the world.”

Oshoala also spoke of her “pride and honour” in being FIFA’s special guest at a football development programme last month, along with the biggest personalities in international football.

“It was a great opportunity for me to speak on behalf of Africa as a whole. Not just my country alone. I was really excited when I was given the opportunity to do so,” she said.

“I just checked around to see exactly what we are lacking when it comes to women football. So, I had to put it down and put it down down for them to have a feel of it.

“For them to know the struggles we need to go through before we get out from the grassroots level and the poor organisation of football we have in Africa. So, I think it’s a good opportunity for me to speak on behalf of Africa and my nation as a whole.”