Anichebe wants to return to English football by buying a club in drive to enhance boardroom equality

FORMER Super Eagles striker Victor Anichebe is eyeing a return to football over the forthcoming season after being away from the game for two years adding that he is even considering the prospect of buying a club to get back.

Anichebe, 32, had a very successful spell as a Premier league player with Everton and also had spells with Sunderland and West Bromwich Albion. Speaking about the racism he suffered during his time at Everton and the need for education to be able to stamp down on abuse in the future, Anichebe said there is a need for more Black, Asian and minority ethnic representation at boardroom level in the sport.

He added: "I would like to go down that route of owning a team, I do have a group of people that are quite wealthy guys and together we could come together and go down that route. I spoke to Tim Howard, who is part of a group that bought a club in America and they also own a club here in the UK.

"I don't see why we can't all come together as players and buy clubs. I do think that is another way to really affect change, as instead of wanting change, we can be the change ourselves. We can place ourselves in those positions."

After a brief spell in China with Beijing Enterprises having played in the Premier League for Sunderland and WBA following his departure from Goodison Park in 2013, Anichebe has been away from the game. Last year he had trials at Doncaster Rovers but did not end up signing with the club.

Anichebe added: "We have to have a seat at the table to really effect change. We can't try and affect change from the outside and looking in. I have seen a couple of players say they want to become chief executives or sporting directors and I think that is what we need to do.

"We need to aspire to these positions but also, when we aspire to these positions we then need to get an opportunity to be in these positions.  I just feel like people are not going to stop until change happens, whatever that looks like.

"I do feel like a lot of people want change, not just black people but I feel white people as well. Right now it feels like we are losing momentum as it feels like nothing is really happening."