TheCable

Ikechi Anya says he has no regrets about choosing to represent Scotland over Nigeria, even though it is the Super Eagles and not The Tartan Terriers that are preparing to head to Brazil for the World Cup.

Anya was raised in Scotland by a Nigerian father and Romanian mother, and he made his debut in a September 2013 encounter against Belgium.

The Watford attacker will face the African champions at Fulham’s Craven Cottage ground on Wednesday, but says he has never thought twice about his decision.

“My love of football developed when I was in Scotland, so I was always going for that — for me it was always going to be Scotland,” Anya told sport.stv.tv.

“That was where I started playing football at school, and where I learned everything. That was one of the main reasons I chose Scotland when I knew they were interested.

“When I was really young, I was in Nigeria but I can’t remember it. I appreciate the Nigerian side from my father and the Romanian side of my mother, but that is them and I chose Scotland.”

The 26-year-old admitted his dad, Chinasa Anya, took plenty of convincing over his career in football.

“My dad is a typical Nigerian man. He’s all about education so football-wise, it was really just my mum — she said to [me that i should] play football — and when she knew Scotland were interested, she was very happy for me,” he said.

“My dad has taken more of an interest now because obviously his son is a footballer so he tries to support me. But he’s a big academic, my brother is a doctor and he tried to put me down that route but I tried football and luckily it worked out.”