Though his parents never wanted him to play football, he broke the barrier and at a very young age, he was bringing food to the family's table. Former Nigerian international, Friday Elaho in this interview with Kunle Adewale, talks about ups and downs of his football career, the injury that denied him a third successive Nations Cup and a World Cup appearance, his choice of Denmark for his professional career, how he prepared for life after football and more
Though his parents initially frowned at his love for football, but when his name started appearing on the pages of the newspapers, they allowed things to continue on that line.
"My parents did not really encourage me but in spite of being beaten often, I still stood my ground because I believed I was ordained to play football. So I continued playing street football and when my parents realised that I was adamant, they just advised me to concentrate on my studies and when my name started ringing bells, they finally gave up but insisted that I should not lose focus on my education," Elaho recalled.
The former junior international joined P&T Football Club of Benin while still at Edokpolor Grammar School, Benin and won the admiration of the locals.
"It was from P&T that my parents started reading about me in the newspapers but their insistence on concentrating on my educatilon never diminished. Though, I was still receiving lots of beatings from my uncle who said I should just forget about anything that has to do with football and concentrate on my studies, but after a while, he too gave up when he realised I was not ready to shift ground. I thank God that at the end of the day it paid off."
Elaho however did not break into the national limelight until 1984 when he was invited to the Flying Eagles. From P&T he joined Bendel Insurance of Benin and it was from there that he was invited to the Flying Eagles camp.
Reliving the rivalry between Bendel Insurance and New Nigerian Bank, Elaho said it was one of the biggest rivalries in Nigerian football. He vividly recalled the Boyo Cup final between the two teams in which a lot of Bendel Insurance players left the club to join New Nigeria Bank.
"Those of us then that remained with the club were relatively young and Coach Alabi Aisien still believed in us and instilled confidence in us that we can do it. But the fans did not have any hope in us because NNB was parading tested players like Stephen Keshi, Sunday Eboigbe, Bright Omokaro, Amos Edosege and the likes and they were very formidable. But in the first game they forced us to a draw and in the second encounter we won 2-0 and that was when I started really coming into the limelight of Nigerian football. And from then, I got invitation to the Nigeria U-20 and later the Super Eagles."
Little wonder Elaho will always see Alabi Aisien as a role model. "The great Alabi Aisien really inspired and encouraged me. He believed from the onset that I'll be a great player and he always charged me to be focused and listen to his instructions. He told the Insurance fans that I was going to become a hero and it came to pass."
Asked why he chose to be a winger in spite of the fact that he was not one of the fastest players in terms of speed, he replied: "Right from the time I was playing on the streets, I have always played from the wings and all the coaches I passed through realised that I was very comfortable in that position and they never tried to convert me to any other position."
On the argument by some school of thought that Nigerian football started to nosedive after the country abandoned the wing play which they argue was the natural and most suitable style for the country to midfield style of play, Elaho said. "The argument is very right because right from the days of Peter Anieke, Segun Odegbami, Adokie Amesiemeka and in the '60s, we are noted for wing play and we were very successful with it. So, I don't see any reason why we should now abandon wing play. Abandoning the wing play is really affecting our football.
We therefore have to go back to our wing play because that is what we are known for. Even when coaches like Manfred Hoener and Clemence Westerhof were coaching this country, they were wise enough to stick to the wing play because they were quick to realise that it was where our strength lies. So, if any coach now says we should concentrate on the midfield, that is left for him but I still believe we have to go back to our wing play, which is our traditional style."
On his best moment as footballer, the Edokpolor Secondary School graduate said his best moment in football came during the 1990 Africa Cup of Nations in Algeria where the Super Eagles won the silver after losing to the host country in the final by a lone goal.
"At Algiers '90, I emerged as one of the best players, if not the best in the competition. It was the most memorable game of my footballing career because I was really on top of my game," he noted.
Describing the atmosphere in the Eagles camp after the team was pummeled 5-1 in its first game by the host country, he said, "the camp was as silent as a grave yard after losing the first game by such a wide margin, but Westerhof kept on encouraging us that hope was not lost considering that it was just the first game; that we can even still go on to win the competition. After that, we players called ourselves and decided to up our game and we were able to put our acts together and went on to play in the final," he recalled.
Elaho recalls how Westerhof will call him aside and encourage him with words like, "you are a great player just concentrate on your game. Only you can single handedly lead this team to victory.
Elaho broke into national limelight during the qualifying matches of the U-20 matches for Moscow '85, where he played in virtually all the matches. But ironically, his worst footballing career was also during that time as he was dropped from the Moscow party.
"I could not really go to the World Cup proper after participating in the qualifiers, which was a very sad moment of my life. And up till today, I still cannot understand why I was dropped. Even my colleagues were wondering why I was dropped. But what can I do than take it in good fate. However, it was definitely the low turn of my footballing career. But I was elated when I went to play in Moscow with my club and I really thank God for the opportunity to see the city I was denied entry into as a junior international," he said.
On his choice of Denmark for his professional career as against playing in mainstream Europe, Fryo, as some call him said, "That was where I got my best offer from. I also got offer to play in Gabon and some other countries but the best of them was that of Brondby of Denmark and I jumped at it. Moreover, I was curious to know how life was out there and I have no regret going there because the Danish people were nice and I was accepted as one of them, though it took a while to adjust to life in Brondby. I went on to win two league titles with them," the former Iwuanyanwu Nationale player said.
The defunct ACB of Lagos player went on to represent Nigeria at Senegal in 1992 where Super Eagles won the bronze. But the injury he sustained during a 1994 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier put paid to his dream of a third successive Nations Cup and a World Cup opportunity in the United States.
"But the injury I sustained I would have played in the two competitions, but it was most unfortunate," Elaho lamented.
In spite of the fact that football gave Elaho fame, he would not however force any of his children to take to the round leather game.
"It all depends on where their interest lies. I can really not force them but can only encourage them if they showed interest. I have however detected one of them that really has the talent and will encourage him to see how far he would go," he said.
He said none of his children is registered with any football academy because as far as he is concerned, there is no football academy in Nigeria.
"We don't have football academies in Nigeria. The only academy I know in Nigeria is the Kwara Football Academy in Ilorin. That is one of the reasons why we are still behind in football today in this country. We should stop deceiving ourselves. The truth is that there is no football academy in Nigeria. Had it been we have good academy I would have sent my children there. But everybody is claiming to have an academy and they cannot even boast of ordinary camp. So you can see that we are not there yet." Reacting to the question on why most footballers find it difficult coping financially after their football career, he said: "Those that played in the 50s and 60s did not really make money while playing. But again, it's about management. It depends on how you manage yourself and your resources while you were actively playing. I had planned for life after football even while playing."
Unlike most Nigerian coaches that have their eyes on national teams' job, the PZ of Lagos coach said he's not dreaming of coaching the national team one day.
"Everybody cannot coach the national team. A good coach must have been successful in managing at club level before thinking of coaching the national team like it is done in Europe. By virtue of being an ex-international does not automatically qualify you for the national teams' job," Elaho said.
The former international indeed berated the Super Eagles players over their 3-2 loss to Congo in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifier game, saying the players put up a very poor performance.
"They played as if there was nothing at stake and allowed the Congolese to take control of the game for most of the duration.
Kunle Adewale, ThisDay
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