APPIANO GENTILE - He's put his injury behind him and now Joel Obi is looking forward, as he aims to improve, progress and win trophies. "When I got injured it was very hard being on the sidelines," he tells Inter Channel's Prima Serata. "What's more, it was one of the longest injuries of my career, I was out for 5 months. I'm not saying I got depressed but it was nearly a case of that, it's awful when you can't play the game you love. But now I'm back and I'm really keen to perform well. I'm someone who never gives up and always try and give everything, 100% even if I'm only on the pitch for a few minutes. And, as I've said, playing for Inter really is a dream come true."
"Sometimes I don't quite realise just how great it is to be playing for Inter at my age. I have to pinch myself... If someone had said to me when I was playing for the Allievi that I'd go on to make the first team, I wouldn't have believed them."
Joel describes himself as a "humble guy" to Prima Serata host Roberto Scarpini. "I like to get forward. I always give everything and adapt to any situation, to any position, although my preferred role is support striker."
A lover of hip-hop and African music, Obi is now a fixture in the Nigeria national team, who will compete in the African Cup of Nations in January: "Will I be unavailable for Inter for a month? I've not been called up yet, we'll see."
African Cup of Nations or not, Obi makes a pledge to Inter fans: "Lots of success, we'll bring them lots of success, they need not worry about that."
