On the program Inter Drive on Inter Channel, Nagaja Beccalossi interviews Inter players during a drive. This week, that player is Joel Obi, who begins by talking about his private life and his background: “When I get home, I usually sleep, almost every afternoon. But now I have become accustomed to training early. I often meet friends in Parma, they are still close to me and when I can I go there, also to be with my family. My parents took me to Italy when I was nine years old, but not to play football. Initially, my mom wanted me to go to school, but then I convinced her and I got a try-out. I was the happiest man on earth, then Parma wanted me. Not even then, my mother would let me, but in the second year I convinced her. So I went to Parma and was there for two years when Inter were trying to recruit me. I was an Interista and did not want to miss that opportunity. Inter’s scouts watched me during the Torneo Scirea and contacted my agent. I still remember the feeling when I left to go to Inter. ”
The first day’s at Inter were special “because it was such an incredible feeling, beautiful, different. I got to know a lot of guys, people like Destro and Santon. Bernazzani was there, we were shy and quiet, we did not talk so much. Even the coach was a person who tended not to talk so much, thought mostly about practicing and teaching us a lot.”
Joel Obi is self-critical: “I’m never satisfied with what I do, I am critical and think that I can always do more, but after a match I put it aside, whether it’s a win or a loss, I don’t watch and put it aside. My Mom? She has a tendency to get very excited, but I do not talk about football with her very often…”
The day he made his debut for Inter: “I still remember it, it was in the Champions League. I replaced Stankovic, my absolute idol (laughs ed.). I never told Dejan this because it’s a little embarrassing to tell a teammate that he is like an idol to me… He cares a lot about us youngsters.”
Stankovic his role model: “Deki is complete, offensively and defensively, that I admire about him. I’m trying to learn this from him, he has an incredible shot., I would like to be a bit like Stankovic when I play in the different parts of the pitch, what I realized the most is that it is difficult to imitate.”
His favorite position is: “midfielder, mezz’ala, in a midfield of three. Playing at various positions makes you evolve, obviously. The most important thing is not what Positon you play in, but that it’s going well.”
In January with Nigeria in the African Cup of Nations: “I hope to be there, to represent your country is a unique thing you can do for your country’s honor. A very important tournament, we really tried and succeeded to qualify. Now I still have to earn my spot.”
Many injurystops for Joel: “Yeah, it’s tough, but it’s part of football. These things happen, you have to be strong and work harder to get back as soon as possible. I have the coach’s and the club’s confidence, but I definitely have to come back. Not being able to do so because of an injury is regrettable. I always want to show that I can give a lot to Inter.”
The dream for the future: “I’m living my dream by being at Inter and I hope to remain here for a long time and that I will be able to get past this period of injuries and that I would be able to give so much more.”
On Mattia Destro, a former teammate and a great friend, “We know each other well, he cares very much about playing and scoring goals. A player with incredible potential, every time I see him, I admire him very much. I told him to come to us at Inter, but obviously… I tried. Mattias has made a choice. it is a life choice, and is not just about football. ”
Source: fcinternews.it
