Ex Super Eagles midfielder, Mutiu Adepoju, aka Headmaster as he is fondly called in this interview with Bolaji Okunola revealed his regrets for not playing for Real Madrid first team in his glorious days with the then 1989 Flying Eagles squad and the Super Eagles.
AS a footballer and now administrator, what motivates you?
Nothing much. You know being a footballer you have no other option than seeing your team win and emerging champion. What motivated me most was when I won the silver medal after scoring a brace against United States with my head at the FIFA World Youth Championship in 1989. The competition inspired me so well that I dreamt of winning the Africa Footballer of the Year. We, footballers get motivated, especially when we win a notable medal at the early age of our career.
Can you share a little of your experience about your days in the Super Eagles?
My days in the Super Eagles were memorable. Winning the Africa Cup of Nations in 1994 was a good one for me. I love the team back then based on the fact that we are all young and talented and we were all stars. The like of Jay Jay Okocha and Sunday Oliseh, who partnered me in the uper Eagles midfi eld were at the peak of our forms. I learned little skills from Jay Jay, while I also learned long passes and die-hard spirit from Oliseh. Whenever I remember the days we shared together I also give thanks to God for living a glorious life.
Why did you choose to play in Spain at the start of your sojourn in Europe?
I spent over 12 years in Spain, playing for Real Madrid B to Real Satander and Real Sociadad. I love the Spanish style of play.
They play easy football over there. It’s not that we never love to play for other clubs outside Spain, but we are just in love with the La Liga style of play. When I was aging I also played for clubs in Turkey, Saudi Arabia and other underrated teams across the world.
Why were you not given the opportunity to play for Real Madrid main team?
I was unfortunate not to play for the main team because back then, their was a law which banned clubs from signing more than three foreign players in the fi rst team. So I had no other option than playing in the lower division.
I regretted being deprived of such opportunity, but whenever I remember the beautiful goals I scored with my head I give thanks to God.
How did you derive the nickname headmaster?
Smile. You know it’s football and they say in football any thing can happen. As a matter of fact, most players, especially those who feature in the local scene are fond of giving players nickname. I am very good at scoring with my head. I started this while playing for a local club known as Femo Scorpions in a little town called Eruwa in Oyo State. I never dropped form as I scored most goals.
I think the nickname came from sports commentators, while I was with the national team and the fans adopted it.
If you had played for Real’s fi rst team back then, will you have scored more goals with your head just like Ronaldo did?
It is possible. I am very good on aerial ball. Although Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the best footballers in the history of the game, but who knows I might have beat his goals record on the category of scoring with the head if I had played for the main team.
You almost snubbed the Super Eagles for the Spanish national team in the early 90s, what prompted that?
The Spanish FA launched that idea. My fi rst season in Spain was a good one for me, I was the highest goal scorer back then in the Spanish second division, which made the fans to love my style of play. I scored beautiful goals with my head and the federation went into battle with the NFF just to give me Spanish citizenship but I later rejected the offer by playing for my fatherland and my fi rst senior competition was a fruitful one that saw me clinching AFCON medals from Senegal 1992 to Ghana/ Nigeria 2000.
After quitting football, you were appointed the General Manager of Shooting Stars Sports Club of Ibadan. Can you share your managerial experience?
I am from Ibadan and most of my family members reside there.3SC is a club I can never forget. When I quit football 3SC was not in good shape. The club known to be one of the best in Nigeria was struggling to escape relegation. I did my best as the general manager. Their was a standard I wanted to create at the beginning, but it never came to reality before I left. I still feel the pain whenever I see them struggling with lesser teams, but I hope the club regain its form when the league begins.
The CHAN 2016 begins today, in Rwanda any hope for Nigeria?
I’m very positive the team can win the title. We won Bronze two years ago and I won’t be surprised if we clinch the title this time around. Winning CHAN would be a good one for us to start year 2016 and I am confi dent we can do it. Although the absence of some players like Gbolahan Salami might show, but we can still emerge champion with the players we have.