Sunday, June 15, 2014

Moses can take centre stage again with Nigeria


One of the most famous faces in the Nigeria team thanks to the popularity of the Premier League, the World Cup offers Victor Moses a chance to shine again after struggling at club level.
In his day, Moses, 23, is a formidable attacking force, with a low centre of gravity, good pace and that rare ability to come up with the unexpected.
Those good days have become rarer over the past two seasons when the winger has been marginalised at Chelsea and then suffered the same fate after being loaned out to Liverpool.
He has spent most of his time on the bench and his two Premier League goals in the last two seasons is scant reward for a man who cost Chelsea a reported £9 million when they signed him in 2012.
It has not been all doom and gloom, with Moses at his best when playing for Nigeria's 'Super Eagles'.
He was part of the Nigeria team that won the Africa Cup of Nations in 2013 and was his country's player of the year.
Moses' presence alongside fellow English-based players John Obi Mikel and Peter Odemwingie has raised expectations that Nigeria have the talent to win a game at the World Cup for the first time since 1998.
They kick off their campaign against Iran in Group F on Monday and will seek to recreate the style of a gifted Nigerian team which reached the second round of the 1994 and 1998 World Cups and won the Olympic title in 1996.


 Moses could have been playing for England at the World Cup in Brazil, having fled to London as an asylum seeker at the age of 11 after his Christian pastor father and his mother were killed in religious riots in Nigeria.
He represented England at various levels up to the age of under-21 but ultimately opted to play his international football for his country of birth.
After his traumatic move to south London, Moses had been spotted by local club Crystal Palace where he made his debut in the second tier Championship as a teenager.


He got his chance in the Premier League with Wigan Athletic in 2010 and developed his skills under Spanish coach Roberto Martinez before the big money move to Chelsea.
After so much youthful promise, his club career has stalled. Nigerians are hoping the green shirt will again bring out the best in him.


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