Dimeji Lawal was one of the players that showcased their talents at the 1987 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Canada but the winger burst onto the scene at the 1989 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Saudi Arabia.
He was a constant threat to defenders at the competition where Nigeria won silver after the Flying Eagles lost 2-0 in the final to Portugal.
Dimeji’s telepathic understanding with Mutiu Adepoju, free-kick specialist Christopher Ohenhen, Christopher Nwosu and Antony Emoedofu ensured that Nigeria were the first African team to reach the final of the FIFA U-20 World Cup since inception in 1977 in Tunisia.
They were promoted to the Super Eagles after the tournament along with defender Nduka Ugbade, Bawa Abudullahi and the late Tunde Charity.
Although Dimeji failed to nail down a place in his two-year stint with the senior national team, he still has fond memories of his time at the Super Eagles, Flying Eagles and the Golden Eaglets.
The versatile former, Lagos Julius Berger midfielder, alongside Mutiu Adepoju, called it quits with the domestic league to join Real Madrid youth team after helping Nigeria win silver at Saudi ‘89. He returned home to sign for Shooting Stars two years later after he could not break into Real Madrid first team. But Mutiu Adepoju, who also failed to make it to Madrid’s first team, joined Racing Santander and helped them gain promotion to the Spanish La Liga.
Then the great Madrid side boasted the likes of Hugo Sanchez, Robert Prosinecki, Gheorghe Hagi, Emilio Butragueno, Alfonso Perez and Luiz Henrique.
“It was very difficult for a young player like me to get a chance to play in the first team with these stars around,” Dimeji told our correspondent on the telephone during the week.
In 1993, Dimeji joined former Nigeria captain Augustine Eguavoen at Belgian Second Division side K.V. Kortrijk and was there for one season. He left Belgium in 1994 to sign a one-year contract with South Africa outfit. Hellenic. He returned home after the expiration of his contract to don the colours of BCC Lions of Gboko.
Dimeji was again on the move as he returned to Shooting Stars for the second time in 2008, where he ended a career blighted so much by injury.
Shooting Stars got relegated to the lower division in 2006, but with the veteran midfielder joining them, the Ibadan club won promotion in 2009 after finishing second in the Division 1B.
The FIFA licensed agent insists he had a fulfilled career despite not performing on the big stage and winning a trophy with the Super Eagles.
He believes he was ahead of his time, insisting he would have been rated as one of the best players in the world if he was playing active football today.
Dimeji also believes he was better than Real Madrid talisman Cristiano Ronaldo.
“I would say I was a better player than Cristiano Ronaldo,” the 41-year-old said.
“Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the players I admirer – he’s a great player.
“He’s highly talented and plays with passion. He gives 100 per cent in every game and he’s consistent.
“I was also talented. Ask Joao Pinto and Oleg Salenko. They know better.
“I was blessed with good speed, power and dribbling skills like Ronaldo.”
Pinto along with Fernando Couto and Valido formed the backbone of the victorious Portuguese Saudi ’89 team while Russia’s Oleg, who was the tournament’s Golden Boot winner with five goals, progressed to set a senior World Cup record by scoring five goals in one game for Russia against Cameroon at USA’94.Salenko finished the championship with six goals, sharing the Golden Boot with Bulgaria’s Hristo Stoichkov.
Dimeji would partly blame injuries for his inability to reach full potential at club and national team levels, lamenting that he could not fully achieve his dream.
“I’m happy that I made it to the Super Eagles and played in Europe,” he said.
“Many of my teammates in the Golden Eaglets and Flying Eagles couldn’t get there despite their tremendous talent.
“It’s the aim of every footballer to play at the (senior) World Cup. But man proposes while God disposes.
“There’s no way one can go beyond his destiny. I wanted to play at the World Cup but the dream didn’t come true. Injuries kept coming.
“Henry Nwosu is one of the best players the country has produced but he neither played at the World Cup nor played in Europe.
“The late Mudal Lawal was another great player produced by the country. I played against him. He did not play at the World Cup, and never made it to Europe.
“There are many other great players who didn’t feature at the World Cup. I would say I wasn’t destined to reach that level.
“I would’ve made an impact if I had featured at the World Cup. But I’m lucky to feature for Nigeria in the three categories of the national team.
“I’m one of the few Nigerian players who have done so. I won silver for the country at Canada ’87 and Saudi ’89. I’m proud of the achievements.”
Dimeji missed out on a place in the 22-man Super Eagles squad for the Senegal ’92 Africa Cup of Nations following the injury he sustained in one of the qualifiers.
Nigeria won bronze at the continental showpiece and Dimeji could not battle his back into their fold until he hung up his boots.
The ex-player said he had some problems with coach Clemens Westerhof, who refused to invite him to the national team after he overcame his injury problems.
He said, “Westerhof invited players like Finidi George, Daniel Amokachi and needed to create a chance for them. Since I wasn’t one his favourite players and he could not make money through me, he dropped me to enable him to sell the players he wanted to sell.
“In fairness to Westerhof, he didn’t recommend or suggest that I should join a particular European club.
“Playing regularly for the Super Eagles would’ve made me a better player.”
Dimeji is not happy that the country has not been producing quality players since Mikel Obi was discovered at the 2005 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Holland. The Chelsea midfielder emerged as the second best player behind Lionel Messi at the championship.
“We no longer produce good players like Austin Okocha, Taribo West, Sunday Oliseh and Mutiu Adepoju,” the former Spain-based player said.
“Mikel is our best player and he has proved how good he is at Chelsea and the national team. Victor Moses is also good but he’s not consistent.
“Vincent Enyeama is another quality player we have. He boasts a lot of experience and he’s consistent.
“Other players are not consistent. They are up in one match and down in another. What we have is a situation one player shines this month and fizzles out for another player to shine.
“The problem is that a majority of our players today are not natural footballers.
“Many of them are in the game to make money; not because they love the game.
“I don’t see any other Nigerian footballer playing at the highest level now. They must produce consistent and high performances to play for the likes of Barcelona, Manchester United, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.
“It takes a lot of work to get there. Only Mikel boasts the quality to play at the top level and that is why he’s up there at Chelsea.”
Culled From The Punch
Recent Comments