Super Eagles goalkeeper, Carl Ikeme has revealed that he would remain in pain for not featuring at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
He however said, he was not done with the national team.
“I have unfinished business with Nigeria. I have spoken to the manager, Gernot Rohr, about learning from him; about the set-up and understanding the tactics from the sidelines. He has offered me the opportunity to go and be one of his assistants, which is great.
“I am hoping to be involved in an upcoming fixture against Libya in October. If not that one, the next,” ikeme told BBC as he recounted his battle with cancer.
The 32-year-old who was diagnosed with acute leukaemia in July 2017, took over from Vincent Enyeama after his sudden retirement from the national team in 2015.
Read Also: Ikeme to Resume Eagles Job October – Rohr
“I had a couple of blood tests at the start of pre-season that showed my platelets were a little low,” Ikeme told BBC Sport. “There was no massive alarm. I carried on training – I was fit, I was healthy.
“We did a hard session, then went to the gym. I had a bleeding nose. I never told the doctor anything because I knew he would pull me out of training – for some reason, this time I told him about the nosebleed and a slight headache.
“It is still not over for me now. I am still being treated. I still have hurdles to jump.”
“The World Cup was the hardest thing, football-wise, for me to deal with,” he continued.
“I can’t explain how joyous playing for Nigeria was for me. To know my whole family was proud. To know I was representing 200 million people who are mad about football. I love it there.