Chukwueze, Ndidi, Boniface helped me settle in Eagles camp

Remo Stars right-back Sodiq Ismail talks about his Super Eagles’ first call-up, his experience in the camp, his target for the 2024/25 NPFL season, and more in this chat with EBENEZER BAJELA

You have been dubbed the assist king in the NPFL. What’s the secret behind the number of assists you have provided despite playing as a right-back?

Consistency is the key, and as a right back, I feel like it is important that I help the team and contribute to goal-scoring in whatever way I can. That’s why I like to keep close connections with the strikers and the midfielders, so I can provide assists for goals for them and help them achieve their aims.

Your excellent performance for Remo Stars last season earned you the first invitation to the national team. How thrilled were you when you got the call?

Honestly speaking, I wasn’t expecting the call-up in the first place, and that was why I was so happy when the list came out. Words couldn’t describe how I felt because I was extremely happy and delighted.

Where were you at the time of the invitation?

I was in Kwara for an away NPFL game when I got to know about the invitation to the national team for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers against South Africa and Lesotho. I was in bed when a friend called me to congratulate me. I was wondering what the congratulation was for until he told me that I should go and check online that the news was everywhere. I quickly jumped up and checked to confirm, and when I logged into social media, I saw a lot of congratulatory messages from friends and fans.

Immediately after I confirmed, I just said to God, ‘Alhamdulillah’ to thank him for the dream come true.

Who was the first person you shared the news with?

The first person I called was my mum because I know how she has always prayed for me and been supportive.

How does it feel to be in the Eagles camp with the stars you used to watch on television?

In the first two days, people were not in camp because I was one of the early arrivals. I met about five or six players in the camp when I arrived, and being the newest guy and seeing new faces, I had to adapt to their ways. But it was fun, and I quickly settled in.

Did you in any way feel intimidated by the presence of the ‘big boys’?

Not at all. I didn’t in any way feel intimidated because most of them were friendly, and they helped me to get along easily and made the environment conducive for me. For instance, Samuel Chukwueze, Victor Boniface, (Wilfred) Ndidi, and Kelechi Iheanacho were all friendly and made my initiation process go smoothly. Almost all the players in the camp were wonderful people, and it was a wonderful experience for me.

Who, in your opinion, is the funniest person in the Eagles camp?

I think that will be Chukwueze because the first day he saw me, he came to me and said, You are the one people have been talking about, and calling the assist king, ‘Oya now, come and give us assist and that made me very comfortable in the camp, and I got along very well with him, and we played a lot together.

Things didn’t go as expected while you were with the Eagles because Nigeria lost a game and drew one. What was the mood in the camp after those games, especially for you?

This is football, where anything can happen. We didn’t expect the results, but we didn’t have much choice but to move on and prepare very well for our next game. There was no time to be sober because that won’t change anything, but instead, we were determined to put up a better performance in our next game.

How did you feel when Finidi George resigned as head coach of the Super Eagles?

It was so sad for me on a personal note because he was the man that brought me into the Super Eagles, and I felt really bad.

The 2024/25 NPFL season is young; what are your expectations for the campaign?

The truth is that we human beings plan, but God decides. I just want to put in more effort and continue to showcase myself in every game. I will continue to do what I have been doing and even do more, and I pray that God crowns my efforts.

Remo Stars have started the season brightly, and you also picked all three points away to Kano Pillar last weekend. What is Daniel Ogunmodede doing behind the scenes that is working the magic?

He will always tell us that we should give our best and deliver; he always wants us to encourage ourselves and have each other’s back. Before every game, there is always this determination that we are going for the three points, and I believe that is what has been helping us get some positive results.

Does teams now record away wins in the NPFL mean things are getting better in the Nigerian topflight?

Let me say things have improved by 30 per cent and I believe that if the officiating can be improved upon as well, things will improve in the league. Secondly, if teams are allowed to express themselves freely regardless of the venue, I am sure that our league will improve. For instance, when home fans attack the visiting team for winning on their ground, it affects the psychology of the team and every other club because they know that there could be trouble whenever they travel.

In our last game against Kano Pillars, we played in Katsina. After the game, the fans booed us and wanted to attack us, but Kano Pillars’ management had to calm them down and tell them that it wasn’t needed because this was football where they could always go away and get a win. Kudos to the Pillars’ management on that day, because probably if not for their intervention, it could have been a different story.

What’s responsible for the heated Remo Stars and Bendel Insurance rivalry even though games between them aren’t derbies?

Our rivalry with Insurance started when we were both in the NNL and competition for promotion was fierce, and that led to the rivalry between the two clubs. Both of us are now in the topflight with more mature players, and I think things are cool now between Remo and Insurance compared to how they were.

What are personal targets as the season progresses?

Just as I stated earlier, humans plan, but God decides. I would love to win the league with Remo Stars because I am in the final year of my contract with the club and I want to do everything to win the league. I want to add more goals and assists to my games.

Outside of the pitch, how do you handle your female fans?

I show respect to everyone, regardless of who they are. Wherever I go and they see and greet me, I kindly respond and move on because I am not a rude person. All ladies deserve respect, and that’s key in my relationship with them.

Are you looking forward to being invited to the Super Eagles for next month’s AFCON qualifiers?

For now, I just want to focus on my games with Remo Stars, keep putting in good performances, and see what happens next. Obviously, I would love to see Chukwueze again, but I am not getting obsessed with the invitation.