Is Nigeria's Kenneth
Omeruo Chelsea's best
kept secret?
Kenneth Omeruo may
well be Chelsea's best
kept secret.
When he walks along the
streets of Abuja, in Nigeria, he
is mobbed by fans but to meet
up for our interview in London,
Omeruo travelled on the tube
and was not recognised once.
The 20-year-old defender
played in this year's Africa Cup
of Nations final, marked Luis
Suarez at the Confederations
Cup and is almost guaranteed
to start for his country at
next year's World Cup in Brazil.
But at Chelsea he is still waiting
to make his debut.
Not that the level-headed
youngster is getting frustrated.
For now, he is just enjoying
working with some of his
heroes.
"I get a lot of messages from
Nigerians asking me how is
Michael Essien? How is Samuel
Eto'o? Have you spoken with
them?" Omeruo told BBC Sport.
"These are players that fans
adore in Africa. And training
alongside the big names, the
likes of [Frank] Lampard and
[Fernando] Torres is really,
really good. I get to test myself
and find out if I'm really ready.
"Eto'o, Essien, John Mikel Obi,
Demba Ba, they always say well
done. The encouragement from
these big players has been
really good.
"Every player jokes with
everyone, it doesn't matter
how old you are and that's
important for a young player.
"Recently I was with Essien at
his place, I met his family - it's
really nice outside football to
get some advice from the other
senior players."
Omeruo signed for Chelsea from
Standard Liege in January 2012
and immediately went on loan
to Dutch top-flight side ADO Den
Haag.
Then only 19, he impressed
enough in the Eredivisie to win
a place in Nigeria's starting line-
up at the Africa Cup of Nations
and it turned into a wonderful
tournament for the Super
Eagles.
They won the trophy for the
first time since 1994 and
Omeruo was one of Nigeria's key
players, especially in the
quarter-final, when he kept
Didier Drogba quiet in the 2-1
victory over Ivory Coast.
A shoulder injury has delayed
his progress this season, but
the centre-back is now back to
full fitness and has his sights
firmly set on the World Cup.
"Our aim with Nigeria is to get
to the semi-finals in Brazil and
try to win something," he said.
"We don't want to be among
the teams that just want to
qualify, we want to actually get
to a stage that would actually
shock people.
"There's a real confidence, the
players are young and we're
like family thanks to the
coaches and the way things are
done. We really have unity."
Omeruo made his comeback from
injury in the crucial second leg
of Nigeria's World Cup qualifier
against Ethiopia and helped
keep a clean sheet in the 2-0
win which gave Nigeria a 4-1
aggregate victory.
It says a lot about how highly
he is rated by Nigeria coach
Stephen Keshi that Omeruo
started the match, despite not
playing any first-team games
for Chelsea.
"I never expected my career to
go as quick as it is now,"
Omeruo admitted. "I thought
that maybe by the time I got
to the stage of playing at a
World Cup, players like Essien
and Cristiano Ronaldo would
have retired.
"But I'm really happy with the
way my football career has
developed and I just have to
concentrate and keep working
hard. I'm really looking forward
to the World Cup.
"We don't mind who we get in
the draw. We've shown we can
play well against the best
teams."
Omeruo has been linked with a
loan move in January and clubs
in the Premier League and the
top half of the Championship
are said to be interested, but
he is determined to try to win
a place in Chelsea's first team.
"I haven't really spoken to
manager Jose Mourinho about it
but I just have to give my best
in training and hope that he
recognises it," he said.
"For now I just want to focus
and see if I get a chance to
play for Chelsea and then when
it comes to January I'll see
what the options are.
"I'm hoping to get into the team
and start playing because the
World Cup is just around the
corner.
"Mourinho has a great impact
on the players, he makes you
want to play your best and
value an opportunity when it's
given to you. He's a great
coach."
If 2014 goes as planned it won't
be long before Omeruo is being
recognised all over the world.
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By John Bennett
BBC World Service Sport

My first post hope make front page.

If he is not playing why is going to the world cup?

He is going to lack match sharpness?

He should have gone out on loan back in September