Dream Team V and Torino star, Nnamdi Oduamadi, tells JOHNNY EDWARD  in this interview that coach Stephen Keshi will effect lots of changes in the Super Eagles

What are your views about the quality of Nigerian players at the moment?

 When you look at the players one-by-one, Nigeria can boast of good and well talented players with the potential of making the national team to be very strong. The real challenge is how to make them play as a team. We have a new coach in charge now who is a former player and captain of the Super Eagles and I am sure he is going to introduce a different approach in terms of discipline and tactics so as to achieve that purpose. So, we just have to offer our unflinching support to him so that we can move forward.

Everyone knows that Nigeria has some good players, but it’s not just about individuals. It’s all about how we can harness it by playing well as a team. We have some terrific attack-minded players that can send fears into the heart of any defender in the world.

What are your personal targets this year?

 As a player, I expect to make my long awaited debut for the Super Eagles and try to represent the country well any time I'm given the chance to do so. I think whatever the case may be, we must show our people that we can be relied upon to deliver because it has been quite a long time since we had a bad run like last year. I am sure with the kind of re-orientation the new coach has brought to the team, he has what it takes to revamp our football. The main challenge for now is how to begin well by beating Rwanda convincingly over two legs and I'm hoping to play a part in it so that soccer loveing in Nigeria can smile again.

 How far do you think the Eagles can go under Keshi?

I can't say for now how far we will go; I can only say that the team will be a surprise package and those teams that want to think that what happened in recent past should be used to underrate our strength would be caught off-guard.

 What do you think should be the target of the Stephen Keshi led team this year?

 Qualifying for every competition we participate in and beating teams convincingly home and away. But I think we have to go with the mentality that we can achieve the unimaginable if there is a strong togetherness in the squad like we’ve shown in the past and that will help us a lot.

 You have been a key member of the Olympic Eagles but your talent will not be on display at the games because Nigeria did not qualify, how do you feel about that?

 It's quite terrible. I've always dreamt of playing in England at some point in my career. I was hoping to use the Olympics as a springboard to launch myself into the consciousness of clubs officials in England because I love the pace of the game in the EPL. But that cannot happen at the moment because I haven't even made my debut for the Super Eagles but I'm still hopeful that if I can continue to play well and stay in top shape, I will be given a chance soon in the national team.

 Okay, talking about your club football, you only featured in four games and scored one goal in 18 games played for Torino in the Serie B in the first half of the season, as a young player, are you not bothered that this may hamper your chances of achieving the dream of playing for the Eagles?

 The first four games you talked about were at the beginning of the season and then I suffered the muscle tear which kept me out of the team for two months. And before I regained full fitness, those who came in performed well. With my current form and fitness, I don't think that will happen again! And that was why I was denied a move away from the club this January. The coach categorically told me that I was in his plans as the team seeks for promotion to Serie A next season.

I'm not a kind of player who loves watching things from the bench and at the end of the day get paid. I want to show why Milan signed me initially. If you will recall, the only reason I wasn't given a chance to show my talent in Milan was because of the array of experienced stars they had in the attack. When I was given the chance, I didn't disappoint Nigerians in the Olympic Eagles and I am eager to play for the Eagles too.

But with the reports linking you to Juve, Stabia in the same division, don't you think that's a chance for you to prove a point and re-launch yourself?

 Yes... but that opportunity has not been taken away from me here in Torino, and I want to prove my relevance to the team. Juve , Stabia truly made inquiries about my availability but I am not going anywhere this winter.

 Looking back now, who were your idols in the game?

Joseph Yobo, in the current Super Eagles and Ronaldo da Lima. I really loved them both because as a winger, he taught me a lot when I joined Milan. For me, he is the best player. He was one of my source of inspiration when I was at Milan. Harmony Ikande and I always disturbed him to teach us whenever he practiced one-on-one with goalies. Yobo has a calming presence when I first joined the Super Eagles and I will one day love to command respect from my fellow players like he is doing presently. Currently, he holds the most caps amongst Nigerian players and so he deserves that respect.

What do you make of Ventura’s influence since you joined Torino?

 He gives all of us confidence. He’s one of the coaches who is always out for the best in any player. He gives us belief and we all feel as one. Whenever we come together for training, we all know exactly what we have to do and what each other’s strengths and weaknesses are, and that’s why we work so well as a unit. That’s all down to the quality of the manager. So, I won’t be surprised if we finish champions of Serie B.

Will you extend your stay at the club?

You must wait till June before I will give you a sincere answer on that.