Osigwe: I’ll build a goalkeeper academy in Nigeria when I retire

Sebastian Osigwe, Super Eagles shot-stopper, says when he retires he intends to build an academy in Nigeria to breed good goalkeepers for the country.

In a chat with TheCable, the 26-year-old FC Lugano goalkeeper expressed sadness at the fact that upcoming players in Nigeria would rather prefer to be attackers than shot-stoppers.

“I want to give hope to the small boys in Nigeria that they can be goalkeepers and not just strikers alone,” Osigwe told TheCable.

“For me, it’s sad to see a big country like Nigeria who have good strikers, formidable defenders and midfielders but in the goalkeeping department, we are not yet developed.

“But what I intend to do after my career is to build an academy here in Nigeria because like in Europe especially in Switzerland we have lots of good goalkeepers, like five now in the Bundesliga.

Osigwe said one of his reasons for picking Nigeria ahead of Switzerland, his birthplace, was because he wants to help Nigeria develop the goalkeeping department.

He also disclosed that he is ready to man the post anytime Gernot Rohr, Super Eagles coach, gives him the nod.

“My goal is to help Nigeria in the goalkeeping department,” he added.

“I am ready to give my best to the team anytime the coach call upon me to put on the Nigeria jersey.”

The Nigerian team is currently camping in Edo ahead of their double-header clash against the Leone Stars, with the first leg expected to hold at 5pm on Friday at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin City.