1993 Fifa U17 World Cup-winning coach Fanny Amun has opened up on how he stood his ground against the legendary Arsene Wenger and former Super Eagles coach Clemens Westerhof, refusing their advice to deploy Nwankwo Kanu in midfield.

Kanu first rose to prominence at the U17 World Cup in Japan, where he scored five goals, including a hat-trick against Canada, to inspire the Golden Eaglets to a second world title. 

The former Progress Bank starlet was initially spotted by Amun during the Bankers Cup and was subsequently invited to strengthen the Golden Eaglets squad ahead of the tournament in Japan.

Kanu had been on Wenger’s radar long before sealing a move to the north London club in February 1999.

While preparing the Golden Eaglets at Papendal in the Netherlands, both Wenger and Westerhof urged him to play Kanu in midfield, insisting he was best suited for the role.

In an interview with ThePlayzone podcast, Amun explained: "We qualified and went to train in Papendal. Arsene Wenger and Westerhof came to meet me. They said I should play Nwankwo Kanu in midfield, that he's a midfielder. I said I've heard.

"Celestine was an outside right player, and Charles Okonedo, who became the libero, was an outside right player. That's how I converted them back.

"I said Kanu is a second striker. He said, 'No, good midfielder who can hold the ball'. I said no because I knew the medical undertone that he had."

During his five years at Arsenal under the iconic Wenger, Kanu helped the club secure two Premier League trophies, two FA Cups and a Charity Shield.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel