Football
Etim Esin Warns Osimhen: "Avoid My Mistakes or Risk Losing It All"
Nigerian football legend Etim Esin advises Victor Osimhen to avoid indiscipline and focus on his career, warning that poor management and arrogance could derail his promising future.
Image Credits: Premium Times Nigeria
Etim Esin, the Nigerian Maradona as he's fondly called in his heydays, never really fulfilled his dream fully and had quite a few things to say with us at Sports Boom in an exclusive interview when asked about Victor Osimhen's outburst against his recently retired Super Eagles Coach Finidi George.
“Don't be like me”: Etim Esin Reflects on His Career Mistakes
Going back through memory lane and using himself as an example, the ex-Super Eagles Talisman, who former Super Eagles striker Charles Okonkwo said was one of the few players who would effortlessly make the Nigerian team of any generation, stated that one of his Pitfalls was indiscipline.
"I think one of my Pitfalls was indiscipline; you think you can get away with anything, but, at the end of the day, you are just deceiving yourself,” Esin told SportsBoom.com.
"I thought so too in my prime, but I paid dearly for it in full."
Osimhen’s Current Challenges: Indiscipline and the Wrong Team
When asked about Osimhen's recent outburst against the recently retired Super Eagles Coach Finidi George, Esin was firm in his stance. He identified indiscipline and being surrounded by the wrong team as the main issues holding Osimhen back.
"A coach can make you or break you, being indisciplined and arrogant takes you nowhere."
He also highlighted that Osimhen still has a long way to go in his career, reminding him that he has yet to play in the World Cup or win the AFCON. Esin urged the young striker to focus on humility and aim for higher goals like the Ballon d'Or, which was won by George Weah.
"You haven't played in the World Cup, you haven't won Afcon."
"The only blessing given to you by God, the African Footballer of the Year, when you should be aiming for the Ballon D' Or, won by George Weah, instead of ranting".
The Importance of Good Management: Lessons from Past Super Eagles Stars
Esin didn’t hold back his criticism of Osimhen's management team, stating that they were not doing a good job. He believes that Osimhen’s current struggles, including the ongoing transfer saga, are a result of poor management.
"Look at all the transfer saga going on. If that didn’t happen, what’s 100 million for Chelsea? What’s 100 million to buy him straight?" Esin asked, pointing out how these issues are complicating Osimhen's career.
"It is how your management team, manage you. I don't think he has a good management team; he could have gotten what he wanted with the world at his feet."
Dwelling on that, he went further to make comparisons with Ex-Inter Milan and Man City striker Balotelli, driving home his point that talent has not been enough without discipline and Character.
Drawing comparisons to former Super Eagles stars, their experiences with different coaches, during their time with the Super Eagles, and their response to similar situations.
"Yekini singlehandedly took Nigeria to the World Cup as a striker."
"Ighalo and the others had issues; Mikel Obi had issues with Siasia when he paid the team's flight ticket to the Olympics; no one heard about it."
Etim even made a key observation, asking which reigning African Footballer of the Year was involved in a swap deal, mentioning the likes of his namesake Victor Ikpeba and Rashidi Yekini being bought outrightly.
Esin’s Advice to Osimhen: Stay Humble, Focus, and Give Back
In his advice to Osimhen, Esin urged the Napoli star to seek guidance and learn from the experiences of others who have faced similar challenges.
"I think Osimhen should sit down, and even come and ask somebody like me who has been through it, what indiscipline has caused me in football,
"Thank God it never cost me my life," Esin said.
He also encouraged Osimhen to stay humble, focus on his game, and aim to earn more so he can give back to the community he came from.
"Go to the slum where you came from, build an academy. That’s what his team should be advising him about, not showing off with musicians,
"He is not, so he should stick to his trade and be focused, that will derail him from his trade. I've been there, and that's why I can advise him on that," Esin advised.
The former U-20 star concluded by emphasizing the negative impacts of indiscipline and wishing Osimhen all the best in his future endeavours.
"I wish him all the best, and I wish him well. But, what I'm emphasizing is that indiscipline can cost him a lot, even what you don't expect."
Gbemidepo Popoola, is a freelance Sport Journalist with multiple years of experience in Writing, Reportage and Broadcasting. Gbemidepo's major concentration is telling the local Nigerian Sporting stories, in its own Unique way. This is because he believes, "no one, can tell our story better than ourselves".