Ex-Brentford star talks Osimhen, Ndidi and Nigeria’s transfer slump — “It’s disappointing”

Soccernet.ng exclusively reports that former Brentford star and Nigeria international Sam Sodje has spoken candidly on the absence of Nigerian players from this summer's top ten most expensive transfers, linking the trend directly to the Super Eagles' failure to qualify for the World Cup.

Sodje, who earned caps for Nigeria during a playing career that included spells at Brentford and Reading in England, addressed a wide range of subjects in the interview. This includes Victor Osimhen's decision to remain at Galatasaray and Akon Adams' surprise move from Sevilla to Venezia, among others.

No Nigerian player in top ten transfers

Asked whether the absence of any Nigerian name among the summer's ten most expensive transfers reflected poorly on how the market values Nigerian players, Sodje was reluctant to place blame on the players themselves.

“To be fair, I am not going to blame the player for not being in the top ten,” he said. “I am not even sure any player moves to a proper top team, Nigerian players or African players, but listen, we are always praying for the players to do well.”

He pointed to the contrast with other African nations. “Some windows are not for Nigerian players or African players, but you can see the planning from other African countries. You can see why most of the players are moving big, big money.”

Hartlepool United vs Portsmouth At Victoria Park, Sam Sodje. Copyright: Imago

Sodje connected the trend to Nigeria's standing on the international stage. “It reflects on what is going on in Nigeria, where Nigerian football is internationally as well. And let us not hide the fact that if you do not do well in your national team, it is always hard for your players to go places. You can see the players that did well in the World Cup, they are all getting big moves. So yeah, it is disappointing, but at the same time, we just have to fix our football, and I am sure in the nearest future we will get some players moving for big money.”

World Cup failure and its effect on the market

Sodje was unequivocal when asked whether Nigeria's failure to qualify for the World Cup had played a role in suppressing the transfer values of Nigerian players.

“One hundred per cent, one hundred per cent,” he said. “You cannot keep failing and expect your players to move, not just the players that will go to the World Cup, just the background of a Nigerian. Whenever Nigerians do well, we all benefit from it because you get more attention on Nigerian players.”

He argued the damage extends beyond the players who would have featured at the tournament itself. “Not going to the World Cup on the bounce has affected our players, has affected Nigerian players, not just the ones that will go to the World Cup. So yes, to answer your question about if it is a big problem, it is a huge problem, and that is why we have to make sure not just the World Cup, even the twenties and the twenty-ones, we need to get Nigeria back on track of producing good players.”

Tolu Arokodare's move and Ndidi staying put

Turning to individual transfers, Sodje singled out Tolu Arokodare's move to Ajax as a highlight among Nigerian departures this summer, while expressing disappointment that Wilfred Ndidi did not secure a switch away from Besiktas.

“When it comes to Nigerian players, I did not really look at anyone that much, but the guy going to Ajax was a good one,” he said of Arokodare. “I expected Ndidi to move, but that did not happen, but I really wanted him to move to somewhere else where he can play more games and maybe more games where we can see him play in a bigger, higher level. That did not happen.”

Globally, Sodje pointed to Enzo Fernandez's move from Chelsea to Manchester City as the transfer that caught his attention most. “The normal ones have always been a good move, but I would say the movement for the player from Chelsea to Man City has been good so far. We are more into the English transfer, but yeah, it is all good.”

No concerns over the move to Turkey

With several Nigerian players, including Gift Orban and Kelechi Iheanacho, joining clubs in Turkey this summer, Sodje was asked whether the trend of players leaving Europe's top five leagues concerned him. His answer was firm.

“Not at all. They have to play,” he said. “Let us not look too much into it, look at football from a supporter's point of view. You have to look at it from a player's point of view. They have to have the opportunity to play. You have to go to somewhere they want you. It is always up to you to pick where you want to go. So that is not a problem for them going to Turkey.”

On Victor Osimhen's absence from the same wave of transfers, Sodje suggested finances rather than talent were behind his continued stay in Turkey. “When it comes to Osimhen, we all know probably he did not move because of probably money-wise, not because of talent, or because everyone should see me. Probably there is more reason why he did not move.”

He was more critical of Ndidi's situation specifically. “What I was talking about Ndidi's case is that I really think Ndidi has got more to prove when it comes to the first five leagues. I think he has a bit more to do. I have played the game before. You have to go to somewhere where you get the right pay and the right love, and that is how you play football.”

Osimhen's decision to stay at Galatasaray

Asked directly whether Osimhen made the right call remaining at Galatasaray rather than pursuing interest from the Premier League or La Liga, Sodje backed the Nigeria international's decision.

“Coming from an ex-player, he has made the right move because he knows what he is doing,” Sodje said. “I do not know why he made the move or why he is making decisions until you know, because I was in that position before. You just never know what is going on. But when it comes to how he wants to play his football, you have to respect him to know he made the right move.”

Sodje pointed to Osimhen's continued goal output as evidence of the wisdom of the decision. “He has been doing well. He has been scoring goals. He has been making his name. Everyone wants to sign him. Then there is something wrong. Maybe they do not want to pay the money or something else. But when it comes to the talent, he has made the right move.” He added a note of caution about the striker's off-field development. “I just hope he has the right people around him and they try and mentor him so that his behaviour will be better.”

Responding to Obafemi Martins' Osimhen comments

Sodje was also asked to react to comments from fellow former Nigeria international Obafemi Martins, who said on a podcast that he would have preferred to see Osimhen move to La Liga rather than the Premier League. Given Sodje's own career was largely spent in England, his response carried particular weight.

“It makes sense, it makes sense,” he said. “But at the same time, let us not overhype the Premier League. What Martins was trying to say is it will suit his game better if he goes to the Spanish league because he is more technical, he is more ball on the floor. Yes, we love the Premier League, but let us not overdo it.”

Sodje maintained that Osimhen would still succeed in England had he chosen that route. “If he comes to the Premier League, I still feel it will fit in because the way he plays his game, his never-die attitude, he will fit in. He always wants to run. He works hard, will definitely fit in.” He acknowledged, however, the unique pull of Spain's biggest clubs. “You go to Barcelona, for example, you cannot beat that move. That move is a big move. So yeah, I will not put the Premier League down because I played in the Premier League. I know how interesting the Premier League is when you have six or eight clubs genuinely in a pool of winning the league. It makes the league very interesting. But when it comes to a player going to Spain, to Barcelona or Real Madrid, you cannot beat that.”

Akor Adams' surprise move to Venezia

Sodje was asked about Akor Adams' departure from Sevilla, a club with considerable European history, for Venezia this summer, a move that surprised many Nigerian supporters.

“That was a surprise move,” he admitted, “but I always speak from a point of view that I know how it works. I spoke about Frank Onyeka, from Brentford to Coventry, and people did not understand what I was saying. I was saying Coventry was a bigger club than Brentford. I play with Brentford. I am an ambassador at Brentford. But when it comes to fan base, Coventry was a bigger club, and the project that he went to is big, and now they are in the Premier League, and now he is back to the Premier League.”

Applying the same logic to Adams, Sodje said the full picture behind the move was not always visible from the outside. “Talking about him going to Italy, I did not understand that, but it all depends on who wanted him. We do not know what the project of the club is, the package that they give to him. You just never know.” He drew a comparison with Como's rapid rise in Italian football. “We see the same thing about Como in Italy, but look at Como today. So whoever signed with Como years ago will not know the budget of Como and where they are heading to. So let us take it that what they sold to him was big enough for him to agree to go there. But yeah, from a fan point of view, we want to see him play for the high teams and bigger clubs, but we just never know what project will sell to him.”

Reflecting on turning down Southampton for Reading

Sodje was also asked about reports from his own playing days, when he turned down a move to Southampton in January before joining Reading the following July.

“Very good journalism, you do not want to really get that,” he said, before explaining his reasoning. “Sometimes in life, the project has to be different. Number one, Brentford at the time was going for promotion. That is number one. Number two, I wanted to go in the Premier League and play. I did not want to just sign for the Premier League.”

He explained that the timing did not feel right when Southampton's interest first emerged. “I then was in the Premier League, and then I think it was in January window. I thought it was not right for me to go there at that time. I wanted to go to a Premier League club that I would play.” Looking back, Sodje said he holds no regrets about the decision. “Listen, I will not change anything. I love the club. I love my career, the way it went, but the reason I turned it down at that time was two things. One, I was waiting on the verge of getting a promotion for Brentford, and the second one, I wanted to sign for a Premier League club that I would play. I did not want to go to any Premier club that might not play me. But at the same time I knew they wanted me so bad, but I think they were at the bottom of the table at the time. So it was really good fair for me to stay at Brentford, try and get promotion, promotion with Brentford, then move the next season, which happened, going to Reading.”

No regrets despite injury setback

Asked whether he ever regretted the eventual move to Reading, Sodje's answer was immediate.

“Not at all,” he said. “I only regretted that I got injured. My move to Reading was perfect. I was going to play. The only regret I have in my career was I moved when I got injured. The year I was going, I got injured in my knee. And though I played another eight years, I had a fantastic career, but if I did not get that, at that time, I am very sure we will be talking about different, different ball game by now with my career.”

He closed by expressing pride in the career he ultimately built. “So I have got no regrets at all when it comes to my football career. You go back to my football clubs, big clubs, to have such a career, I have played with so many clubs, and you have to be proud. So I have got no regrets.”