Former Super Eagles goalkeeper Peterside Idah has urged newly cleared shot-stopper Arthur Okonkwo to prove himself at the international level, Soccernet.ng exclusively reports.
The former Lobi Stars goalie insists club form alone will not guarantee success for the Wrexham A.F.C goalkeeper with the Super Eagles of Nigeria.
Okonkwo recently received the green light from FIFA to represent the 2013 AFCON Champions after completing his nationality switch from England, ending months of uncertainty over his international future.
Arthur Okonkwo plays during the Sky Bet Championship match between Derby County and Wrexham. Copyright: xMIxNewsx
The 22-year-old, who developed at Arsenal and currently competes in the EFL Championship, is expected to receive his maiden call-up ahead of Nigeria’s upcoming international fixtures.
However, Idah believes the goalkeeper must first adapt to the unique demands of African football before staking a claim for a starting role.
“Well, he still has to prove himself. Being good for your club is quite different from playing for Nigeria,” Idah told Soccernet.ng.
“I’ve seen a lot of players perform very well at club level but struggle with the national team. It’s a different ball game entirely.”
The former international further highlighted the contrast between European and African football environments, noting that external conditions often play a significant role.
“When you’re in England, the weather is good, the clubs are well organised. But when you come to Africa, the situation is always different.”
Wrexham goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo. Photo by IMAGO
Soccer No crisis in Super Eagles goalkeeping department
Despite Okonkwo’s arrival, Idah maintains that the Super Eagles are not short of quality options between the sticks.
Nigeria currently boasts a competitive goalkeeping pool, including Maduka Okoye, Francis Uzoho, and first-choice Stanley Nwabali.
“That said, we already have two or three very good goalkeepers. In the last few years, I’m not sure we’ve really had problems in that department because [Stanley] Nwabali has done well, and Maduka [Okoye] has also come back,” he added.
Stanley Nwabali, for Nigeria during AFCON. Copyright: Imago/shengolpixsx
Idah concluded by encouraging Okonkwo to remain focused as he bids to break into the team.
“So he still needs to prove himself. But kudos to him—he just has to keep working hard to earn his place.”
Soccer Battle lines drawn for Okonkwo ahead of June fixtures
With Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle set to assemble his squad for friendlies against Portugal and Poland in June, competition for the number one shirt is expected to intensify.
Okonkwo’s inclusion could spark a fierce battle in goal — but as Idah insists, the former England youth international must first show he can handle the pressure of wearing the green and white.
Ayomide Oguntimehin
Ayomide Oguntimehin is a CAF-accredited sports journalist and Chief Editor at Soccernet.ng. He has interviewed Super Eagles stars like William Troost-Ekong, Taiwo Awoniyi, Bright Osayi-Samuel, and Ademola Lookman, and is known for breaking major transfer stories.
Ayomide has worked with Sports Brief, Naija News and served as Social Lead Editor at Legit.ng. He has also featured on Goal, TVC News, Sports Mole, and Milan News24. He holds a Master’s degree and is currently pursuing a PhD. Follow Ayomide on X (formerly Twitter): @ayo_oguntimehin
Why Jim Carrey Almost Quit The Grinch & Gave Back $20 Million Salary Pucker up, Whoville—the Grinch is coming back. Indeed, director Ron Howard and his producing partner Brian Grazer ’s production company Imagine Entertainment confirmed on Instagram June 18 that a sequel to Jim Carrey ’s 2000 movie How the Grinch Stole Christmas is
Why Jim Carrey Almost Quit The Grinch & Gave Back $20 Million Salary Pucker up, Whoville—the Grinch is coming back. Indeed, director Ron Howard and his producing partner Brian Grazer ’s production company Imagine Entertainment confirmed on Instagram June 18 that a sequel to Jim Carrey ’s 2000 movie How the Grinch Stole Christmas is
Astana, Kazakhstan, Jun 2, 2026 - (ACN Newswire) - A business delegation led by the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), John Lee, and organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), began its visit to Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, on 1 June. During the visit, a total of 43
Real business trips almost never go the way the itinerary promised. They start with a confidently-packed suitcase and an eight-page agenda, and somewhere between the airport gate and the hotel breakfast they quietly turn into something nobody could have invented — equal parts comedy, chaos, and unscheduled adventure. These 13 real business trip moments are exactly that kind of work-trip plot
From July 1, any branded SMS your business sends without a registered sender ID will be labelled “Unverified” and grouped with scam messages. What’s happening: From 1 July 2026, any business or organisation that sends SMS using a branded name, such as “MyShop” or “AcmeServices”, instead of a phone number, must have that sender ID
