The international break sucks for club football. However, it kind of reminds the fans where their loyalty truly lies.
I'm both an Arsenal fan and a Nigerian, although sometimes I struggle to pick which one comes first. Honestly, if football wasn't such a huge money-spinning business for clubs and players weren't just money grabbing celebrities, perhaps I would have considered switching my allegiance to my club side.
Alas, I'm a Nigerian and I was born as a Nigerian before I became an Arsenal fan when I was less than ten years old. So, as long as Nigeria doesn't actually play against Arsenal, which only actually happens in video games, then there'll be no need to test my allegiance.
However, there are rare moments when your allegiance is mildly tested with the players. It is even more of a test because it involves one of the top performers on the club side.
Tomorrow evening, Nigeria will host Ghana in a winner takes all fixture in Abuja. Abuja is a two-hour trip from Kaduna and then there'll probably be another 45 minutes trip from the train station to the stadium.
This will be the first time I'm actually watching the national team play, so I'm super excited about it. We've already gotten jerseys and everything.
There's extra incentive for me to watch this match, because, as you probably realise it, an Arsenal player and one of the best midfielders in the world will be on the pitch.
I'm talking about Thomas Partey, ladies and gentlemen. He's going to be fielding for the Black Stars of Ghana and I'll be rooting for the team he's playing against.
This match promises to be a very feisty affair because there's a subtle rivalry between Nigeria and Ghana. On top of that, the winner of this game earns direct qualification to the world cup, so the stakes are made even higher.
The first leg was a cagey affair, with both teams more concerned about avoiding a loss than actually going for the jugular. I was also rooting for the team Partey's playing against, so I already had some practice.
Tomorrow, we'll be live at the stadium, cheering on from the stands as the Super Eagles go up against the Ghanaians. I hope it will be a fun experience without any weird shit happening, though I'm mentally prepared for some craziness.
Alcohol, drugs and any substance that promotes craziness will not be allowed into the stadium. So I intend to drink my beer outside the stadium before kickoff and depending on the outcome of the match, I might drink a couple more after.
We got the cheap tickets, so I suspect we'll be way up in the nosebleed section. However, I don't think that will dampen the awesomeness of the experience.
I'm looking forward to cheering on the boys, watching two teams of top professionals battle it out for supremacy and a place in the World cup later this year. Unfortunately, I'm going to be rooting for the team that could potentially knock out an Arsenal player's country, but that's life.
Nothing personal Thomas, but it's just, well, it is 100% personal and I need the super eagles to soar over the stars. Until we meet again, up the Arsenal and up the Super Eagles.
