Former Super Eagles captain and coach, Sunday Oliseh, has endorsed the transfer of striker Victor Osimhen  to SC Napoli even as he offered  the former FIFA Under-17 World Cup winner tips to survive  in the highly competitive  Italian Serie A.

Oliseh holds the distinction as the first Nigerian ever to play Italy following his transfer from Belgian side RFC Liege to A.C. Reggiana soon after he star for the  Super Eagles at the USA’94.  He would later played for Italy’s Old Lady (Juventus) after stints in the German Bundesliga with FC Köln and Dutch Eredivisie  with Ajax.

“ Thanks for reminding  me  and as the first Nigerian to play in the Serie A, I will say that Osimhen’s transfer to the Serie A from the French Ligue 1 is a good one,”  said Oliseh who played as a centrocampista (midfielder) in his heyday. “ The Serie A is a good league for him to play especially at this moment  because it   has changed from what it used to be during our time when it was ultra -defensive.

“ Then, the result can be a s a little as 1 -0 with only Juventus always dominating.

“ I also think the mentality of the country as a whole has  changed too and this will enhance his (Osimhen)  quick integration into the group.”

The 45-year-old Oliseh who scored one of the best goals at the France 1998 World Cup with a ferocious shot that earned the Super Eagles the winning goal in the  3-2 defeat  of Spain  in group stage match against Spain in the 1998 World Cup, said Osimhen will be judged by the number of goals he scored for the Gli Azzurri (The Blues).

Oliseh counselled Osimhen:“ For Victor to play well in the Italian league , he has to  integrate himself  with the team and must have  a good understanding with the coach.

“He already has an advantage because he has been bought with expensive price  and I won’t be surprised they would do everything  to put hin in a good playing situation.

“ My advice is that he must continue with his hunger for goals  because  as a striker in Italy, the assumption and expectation of everybody   is not that you played well but that you scored goals.

“ That is why you see players like Filippo Inzaghi,  Alessandro Del Piero and others were monumental stars in Italy during their playing days because of the number of  goals they scored,” noted Oliseh.