Former Super Eagles captain Vincent Enyeama reveals he once turned down Arsenal and Tottenham

Former Super Eagles captain Vincent Enyeama reveals he once turned down Arsenal and Tottenham

Enyeama recalls how he missed out on playing for Arsenal and in the Premier League.
   
   
   
       
       
           
               
                   

Enyeama recalls how he missed out on playing for Arsenal and in the Premier League.

               
           
               
                   

Former Super Eagles captain Vincent Enyeama has revealed that he turned down offers from Premier League giants Arsenal and Tottenham because he didn’t want to be a second-choice goalkeeper.

               
           
               
                   

Regarded as the greatest Nigerian goalkeeper of all time, Enyeama enjoyed a fine club career that took him from Nigeria to Europe.

               
           
               
                   

The 37-year-old would have added an English club to his CV if he accepted to be a second choice goalkeeper for Arsenal or Tottenham.

               
           
               
                   

"Arsenal wanted me for second choice, but I was not interested. I also had an offer from Tottenham that wanted me for the second choice also and I wasn’t interested,” Enyeama told ESPN.

               
           
               
                   

                                   

Super Eagles goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama and Lionel Messi during the 2014 World Cup

               

               
           
               
                   

“It was after the 2006 Nations Cup and then again around the 2014 World Cup. When I turned them down, that is when they [Arsenal] took David Ospina.”

               
           
               
                   

“For me, I was at the stage where I preferred playing even if it was for one of the smallest teams. That is what the agents that were involved told me. That Arsene (Wenger) wanted me but he is not so sure because of my height and things like that. People have their choices and I respect their choices.”

               
           
               
                   

Before the offers from Arsenal and Tottenham, Enyeama had a chance to join Bolton but the Premier League snubbed him after a successful trial in the early 2000s.

               
           
               
                   

“I am still wondering why I didn’t sign. It was a trial that went so well. They even told me I was going to get jersey number 35. All that was left was just to do the medicals,” he said.

               
           
               
                   

“I was supposed to be number three, because Bolton had two goalkeepers already, with Jussi Jaaskelainen as number one.

               
           
               
                   

“But I don’t regret it because it gave me the opportunity to go to Israel. I am so happy that I went to Israel because it opened doors for me.”

               
           
               
                   

Enyeama started his career in Nigeria with Enyimba where he won two back to back CAF Champions League titles.

               
           
               
                   

He made a move to Israel where he won the league title with Hapoel Tel-Aviv.

               
           
               
                   

                                   

Vincent Enyeama

               

               
           
               
                   

ALSO READ: Vincent Enyeama fails to get deal after trial at French club

               
           
               
                   

The goalkeeper got a bigger move to Lille in France and after initial struggles emerged as the first-choice goalkeeper and impressed in the 2013–14 Ligue 1 season.

               
           
               
                   

The Nigerian goalkeeper kept 11 consecutive clean sheets in Ligue 1 matches during the first half of the season.

               
           
               
                   

For the Super Eagles, the goalkeeper deputised as captain and led the team to the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title in 2013 and played in three FIFA World Cup tournaments.

Source: Former Super Eagles captain Vincent Enyeama reveals he once turned down Arsenal and Tottenham

- gist culled from pulseng