Wrexham AFC goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo is one of the few new names believed to be among the invited players for Super Eagles’ next round of matches.
Reports suggest that Super Eagles coach has finalised his list of 23 players ahead of the Unity Cup invitational tournament next month.
Arthur Okonkwo’s remarkable performance en route to Wrexham’s promotion to the English Championship gives the young goalkeeper a strong case to get an invitation to the national team.
Here are three reasons why he should get an invitation ahead of the next month’s invitational.
1. Outstanding clean sheet record
Arthur Okonkwo currently has 18 clean sheets in 32 matches for Wrexham this season, making him arguably the best shot-stopper in the English League One. Okonkwo boasts of a 78.1% save rate according to Flashscore ratings. Aside from his shot-stopping proficiency, Okonkwo is quite tall, which provides him the ability to thwart aerial threats effortlessly. He also commands, organises his defense well, and also distributes the ball well – an attribute admired by coaches.
2. A long-term investment
At 23, Arthur Okonkwo will be a long-term investment for the Super Eagles and could serve the national team for at least a decade. His inclusion in the national team will create healthy competition between him and Super Eagles’ first and second choices in the goalkeeping department – Stanley Nwabali and Maduka Okoye.
3. International Experience
Arthur Okonkwo was born in London to Nigerian parents and has featured for the youth teams of England but not the senior national teams, which makes him eligible to feature for the Super Eagles. Given his potential, Eric Chelle and the Nigeria Football Federation must act fast to hand him an invitation and secure his future. In addition, given his Nigerian heritage, Okonkwo would like to follow the footsteps of Alex Iwobi, Ola Aina, Calvin Bassey, among others of Nigerian descent who are now integral members of the national team.
By Ayomide John
