Former Super Eagles star Garba Lawal calls for Umar Sadiq’s recall after the striker’s strong form at Valencia CF, scoring five La Liga goals.
Former Super Eagles midfielder and Atlanta ’96 Olympic gold medalist Garba Lawal has called for the return of Umar Sadiq to the Nigerian national team, following the striker’s impressive resurgence in Spain with Valencia.
Sadiq has rediscovered his scoring touch since making a January move from Real Sociedad, quickly becoming a key figure in Valencia’s battle to secure their La Liga status.
The Nigerian forward has scored five goals for Los Che, signalling a return to form after a difficult spell marked by injuries and limited playing opportunities.
Speaking in an interview with Footy-Africa, Lawal praised the striker’s mental strength, highlighting the psychological challenges forwards face during goal droughts.
“It’s fantastic to see him back amongst the goals. As a striker, when you aren’t scoring, you are angry with yourself, even if the team wins. That is the nature of the job,” Lawal said.
Lawal revealed he has maintained regular contact with Sadiq, offering encouragement during his struggles and urging him to remain focused.
“Even when he wasn’t scoring, I told him to stay calm and that the goals would come. Right now, he is doing exceptionally well. Every striker needs confidence, and you can clearly see he has found it again,” he added.
Sadiq’s departure from Real Sociedad in January initially raised eyebrows, but Lawal believes the move was both necessary and timely for the striker’s career.
At Sociedad, Sadiq struggled for minutes due to competition from Spanish international Mikel Oyarzabal, who was often deployed in an advanced role despite not being a natural striker.
“He had to leave because of Oyarzabal. It’s very difficult to bench a player of that status. Moving to Valencia was the right decision, and now he’s showing the quality we all know he has,” Lawal explained.
Sadiq was notably absent from Nigeria’s squad at the last Africa Cup of Nations. When asked if the striker deserves a recall under head coach Eric Chelle, Lawal was unequivocal in his stance.
“I think he should be there. A striker in that kind of form is an asset to any national team. I would love to see him back in the green and white anytime,” he said.