Why Calvin Bassey deserves Super Eagles chance:: All Nigeria Soccer
Glasgow Rangers defender, Calvin Bassey, has never hidden his intention to represent Nigeria. Born in Italy, he pledged his allegiance to the Super Eagles instead of the Azzurri, England and Scotland.
Bassey was snubbed for subsequent second leg games against Liberia and Cape Verde in Nigeria. He was not considered for the Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon.
With Austin Eguaveon and Emmanuel Amuneke aiming to qualify for the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, Bassey should be considered. The Rangers defender has the qualities to fit into the side.
A solid defender, the Nigerian is quite versatile, as he can play in all positions in defence, although his preferred position is at left-back. Strong, aggressive and powerful, he can cause restless moments for strikers.
Having risen through the youth ranks at Leicester City, Bassey joined the Gers in 2020. In his maiden season at the Ibrox Stadium, he made eight league appearances for Steven Gerrard’s men, while featuring in the Scottish Cup and League Cup respectively. To cap a notable start to life, Bassey featured in four Europa League matches, although, Rangers crashed out in the Round of 16.
“He’s a fantastic kid, a kid who wants to learn, who wants to grow and evolve with the team, we’re really confident we can help polish him up and get him to become even better than he is,” Gerrard raves about him following his impactful contribution against Standard Liege last season.
“He’s got really interesting attributes right now and he showed them on Thursday night, which was fantastic to see.
“He’s in a good place and he’s ready. That’s the key thing. Calvin, every time he has been called upon since he walked in, he’s been ready to produce. So he’s in a good place.”
Bassey has all the attributes needed to be a top player in terms of his ability on the ball and his work rate. He can become the long-term successor of Willliam Troost-Ekong or Leon Balogun, the famed but ageing ‘Oyibo Wall’.
