You might see some saying Kelechi Iheanacho ‘earning’ a call up for Nigeria is a little much as he’s not played that much first-team football for Man City as yet, but I’m a firm believer of the saying ‘if you’re good enough you’re old enough.’
Iheanacho is definitely good enough! In which case, with him proving so far, he’s also good enough!
Nigeria Head Coach Sunday Oliseh, I remember him as a player in the 90s I’d say it was as part of those Nigerian sides that shone at a couple of World Cups, has called up Iheanacho for a Nigerian double header with Swaziland in November.
Apparently Oliseh ‘bowed to public pressure’ in calling up the 19-year-old, but mcfc.co.uk quote him as saying, he’s been watching his progress for a while.
‘I initially called up 23 players but I am adding Kelechi Iheanacho to the list immediately. I have been following Kelechi’s progress at City.’
He had an awesome game against Crystal Palace in the League Cup, however we’ve already seem glimpses of him in recent times with him looking as though he could be a real star to set the Premier League alight, and not just with his goalscoring ability but his all-round play.
After that Man of the Match showing against Palace he said.
‘I have two brothers and a sister back in Nigeria as well. Everything I do, I do for my mum and my family – that’s what drives me.
‘My dad is back home and I’m living on my own in Manchester at the moment. But I think a lot of kids back home have been encouraged by what’s happened to me and by where I am today.
‘They can’t believe what I’ve achieved at 19 and it gives them belief that they can make it too.’
Ahead of the weekend game with Norwich, when addressing the media in his pre-match conference with quotes carried by Sky Sports, which also saw Manuel Pellegrini give him his first Premier League start he revealed Iheanacho has been in his first-team thoughts for the past year, with him good enough to do this as an 18-year-old.
With that in mind his form at present doesn’t surprise the City boss, he’s known what he can do long before he came to the public eye with only injuries and work permit issues preventing him from being part of the side a year ago.
Pellegrini is also keen that no one gets carried away, he wants to see repeat showing regularly, he said.
‘He didn’t impress me because I work with him every day, so I know what he can give to our team. Last season I think he was ready to do it. We talked about his work permits but unfortunately for him he had a very serious injury in his ankles. That is why he couldn’t play last season.
‘Now he is ready and I am very happy for him to demonstrate what he can do. But it is just one game, he must repeat, he must improve.
‘In the way he demonstrates what he can do, of course he has an option to start. It is not an easy position to start in this team because we have important players like David (Silva), like Kun (Aguero). But in this moment they are not fit and for me it just depends on the performance of the players who start.’
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