Vintage Kelechi Nwakali is very much on the groove and his unfinished business with the beautiful game is still on track despite a few stutters, IKENWA NNABUOGOR is confident the former Arsenal prince will soon become a king…
Surely, the beautiful game’s music never dies for the former Golden Eaglets captain following his display on his new club’s debut as the current Segunda season got underway at the weekend.
Nwakali quickly grabbed the chance the Spanish second-tier side SD Ponferradina handed him for a fresh start after it appeared his career was nosediving after a hot and cold showing for Huesca this past season that saw the relegated Spanish side finish in the mid-table.
Suitors were indeed not in the class of the Arsenals, the Manchester Uniteds and their likes as once talked about Wunder kind was only just being courted by average clubs as his career badly needed a heads up after he parted ways with Huesca last season.
Ponferradina of all places, an unlikely place for a player of his quality, offered this brilliant talent to put his once blistering career moving again and it appeared Nwakali is turbo-charged to propel himself where he should be.
A lot was expected to happen for the talented youngster after a stunning performance at the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Chile that also saw him win the Most Valuable Player award, but it’s been a disappointing one for this special talent judging by his immense potential.
Maturing into a finished article for a British work permit to return to parent club Arsenal took a long time to come by from numerous loan stints in Holland and Spain and the Gunners’ egg heads decided to sell him to Huesca, thus ending his association with the multiple English Premier League champions.
Nwakali never really settled down for real business to boost his chances to return to the Emirates Stadium as shown in his performances in his on loan clubs, badly dimming his Arsenal lights.
Former Gunners’ perennial achieving boss Arsene Wenger brought him over with the confidence that the boy would mature with time, but that wasn’t what he wished for as Wenger’s departure worsened Nwakali’s chances.
Perhaps, Nwakali would have played his way into Arsenal first team had Wenger not left Arsenal.
Close watchers are still in awe why Nwakali has yet to hit it big time in Europe to join fellow Eaglets’ mates Victor Osimhen (Napoli) and Samuel Chukwueze (Villarreal) in the spotlight.
But Nwakali’s breath-taking confidence on the ball and general awareness cannot be wished away despite all the uncertainties that have trailed him since Arsenal let him go.
It appears his time has come at Ponferradina to right all wrongs and launch himself in the spotlight again and he’s not leaving his magic boots behind as his commanding outing in his debut game suggests better days are back.
Could his attitude have slowed him down a bit since his ability was never in doubt?
This writer had earlier warned in his piece that only Nwakali could stop Nwakali while still believing he would have the world at his feet sooner rather than later.
His attitude hasn’t really complemented his immense talent and could mar him in the long run if not properly checked.
In truth, Nwakali’s best is yet to come and he’s got no choice than to prove himself and use Ponferradina to get back on his feet after all they’re not guilty to catapult himself to top level football to attract top spenders, where he should be just like Osimhen and Chukwueze.
His 25-metre diagonal pass that assisted his team mate Derik Lacerda for the opener after just seven minutes in the league opener 3-2 road victory showed class not belonging to lower league football, but it’s work in progress to rise again for this special midfielder.
Ex-Eagles coach Augustine Eguavoen, a long-time admirer of Nwakali quickly named him in his final squad to the 2021 African Cup of Nations in Cameroon, but the shock second round ouster by Tunisia meant bad business for Nwakali, who would have impressed a few top suitors to leave second-tier football in Spain.
The AFCON disappointment was further made worse by injuries as it took time to get back on the pitch at Huesca with performances not worthy of a prince who was eyeing the king’s stool as the clock ticked down to the end of the season.
Still never out for the count, Nwakali’s immense qualities are still safe and it’s expected he will get over the rough times to be counted among the best again.
Still just 24 and the ripe age to have the world at his feet, the former schoolboy international has indeed learnt his lessons to advance his game and the current looks on his face suggest he got no time for bad business.
Could his move to Arsenal be a wrong one and too tall a dream that eventually affected him?
Arsenal are one of the world’s top clubs and every player’s dream to sport their famous colours and Nwakali wasn’t going to wish that away.
It’s indeed sad Nwakali’s vision and brilliant technical ability were not sold to the Gunners’ fans whose memories of great midfield ball players like Patrick Vieira, Robert Pires, Cesc Fabregas, Emmanuel Petit, Michael Thomas and late David Rocastle would live on forever.
Nwakali’s Arsenal story is now history which indeed can be revisited in future, though looking bleak but his performance can still convince the Gunners’ higher-ups to consider him again.
Tough and amusing chance with Arsenal surely as it seems but in the beautiful game, nothing is out of limits.
Nwakali got a lot to offer the football world and the earlier he gets back on the groove, the better for himself and his career.
His time is now to use Ponferradina to be the best again.
