Having been sidelined since he copped a hamstring injury
against Mali at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations, Emmanuel Emenike has
surely missed football but he is optimistic he would be back in the news
again after returning to training at his Russian club, Spartak Moscow.
And the player is anxious to play in Europe’s continental competitions once more after a first taste with Spartak.
“I can’t wait to return to the pitch. I have missed Spartak fans chants; they have been very supportive in my trying times and that is why I need to return to the team as soon as possible to pay them back with goals for their wonderful support. “I believe in my teammates and I am really impressed with what they did during my absence. Everybody is working hard towards securing a ticket for Europe. I think my return will boost the morale of the team,” Emenike said.
Emenike first had a feel of European continental football in 2011, when Spartak crashed out of the Europa League in the qualification round against Polish side, Legia Warsaw.
But he and Spartak came on stronger in the UEFA Champions League this season, putting up an assured performance as they reached the group stage of the competition, with the Nigerian striker scoring three goals in the process.
He scored first in the qualifying round against his former club Fenerbahçe, before he scored a brace in a 3-2 loss against Scottish side Celtic. Against Spanish giants Barcelona, Emenike was a constant thorn in the defence of the Catalans and even though he didn’t score against them, he forced an own goal from them with Dani Alves wrong footing the ball into his own net off Emenike’s dangerous cross.
Now he can’t wait to play in Europe again. Spartak occupy 5th position in the Russian Premier Liga and Emenike knows it’s a tall order to win a ticket to play in the lucrative Champions League with six games left to play.
But for him, even a Europa Cup place will do.
Emenike said, “At least we must qualify for Europa. My plan was to return from AFCON and push for the title with the team but injury disrupted that.
“But we are still on course. All we need is focus. When you play in a competition like the UEFA Champions League, you always dream of playing in it every year.
“I enjoyed the games I played against Barcelona and Celtic this season. They bring back good memories and scoring two goals in the group stage in my first season means so much to me. That is why I am looking for another opportunity to play there again with Spartak,” he told SUNDAY PUNCH.
But he said playing in Europe is not a do-or-die affair and hopefully, he wants to regain his place back in the squad.
Spartak coach Valery Karpin was forced to deploy new signing Majeed Waris in the starting line-up after injuries to Emenike and Yura Movsisyan.
“I’m not afraid of fighting for my place in the team; it’s about my ability and what I can offer the coach and the team.
“I’m just trying to work hard and take the opportunity when I’m given. I’m here to play and as long as I get the opportunity I’ll try my best.
“There are games you want to play in. I don’t like sitting on the bench. I’m just looking forward to playing again,” last season’s second highest goal scorer in Russia with 13 goals, said.
If there are two attributes that Emenike lacks, they are definitely not determination and goals (on and off the pitch).
Determination has seen the powerful Spartak forward climb from relative obscurity and poor background to become a global force as far as the game is concerned.
His goals have been the major factor behind the 25-year-old’s meteoric rise from Nigerian side, Delta Force in 2007 to a short stint in South Africa, where he played for Mpumalanga Black and FC Cape Town and earned his first salary as a footballer.
The Otuocha-born player moved to Turkey in 2009 and made an instant impression, scoring 16 goals on his debut season and leading Karabukspor to the second division title and automatic promotion to the Turkish topflight. He won the division’s Best Foreign Player award at the end of the 2009/10 season and had his contract extended by three years for €300.000.
He went on to score 30 goals in 50 games for Karabukspor before moving to Fenerbahce in 2011 for a reported €9m fee in a move shrouded in controversy. He didn’t kick a ball for the Turkish giants before he sojourned to Russia to join Spartak Moscow for €10m.
Again with sheer determination and hitting the back of the net consistently, he has had his market value rise sporadically from a “paltry” €300.000 three years ago to €12,000,000 after emerging as top scorer at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa with four amazing goals.
After signing a four-year deal with Spartak at the end of last season, Emenike increased his buy-out clause to $42m.
The player has never shied away from helping the less privileged. Despite the AFCON injury, Emenike made some donations in Lagos before flying back to Russia.
“What I am today is due to determination and God’s blessings. I will consider myself lucky because in less than five seasons in Europe, I have achieved so much.
“But I need to give kudos to my parents for giving me the opportunity to choose football as a career. My parents taught us to be givers rather than receivers,” he stated.
Even though the player admires the late Nigerian legend, Rashidi Yekini, he doesn’t want to be compared to the country’s all-time highest scorer.
Both share common traits: they are strikers, they score goals constantly and off the pitch, they are philanthropists but Emenike sees no basis for comparison.
“I have heard people call me Yekini. He was a great player but I think I would rather remain myself. I am just at the peak of my career. So I am not Yekini but with due respect, he was a great player,” Emenike said.
And the player is anxious to play in Europe’s continental competitions once more after a first taste with Spartak.“I can’t wait to return to the pitch. I have missed Spartak fans chants; they have been very supportive in my trying times and that is why I need to return to the team as soon as possible to pay them back with goals for their wonderful support. “I believe in my teammates and I am really impressed with what they did during my absence. Everybody is working hard towards securing a ticket for Europe. I think my return will boost the morale of the team,” Emenike said.
Emenike first had a feel of European continental football in 2011, when Spartak crashed out of the Europa League in the qualification round against Polish side, Legia Warsaw.
But he and Spartak came on stronger in the UEFA Champions League this season, putting up an assured performance as they reached the group stage of the competition, with the Nigerian striker scoring three goals in the process.
He scored first in the qualifying round against his former club Fenerbahçe, before he scored a brace in a 3-2 loss against Scottish side Celtic. Against Spanish giants Barcelona, Emenike was a constant thorn in the defence of the Catalans and even though he didn’t score against them, he forced an own goal from them with Dani Alves wrong footing the ball into his own net off Emenike’s dangerous cross.
Now he can’t wait to play in Europe again. Spartak occupy 5th position in the Russian Premier Liga and Emenike knows it’s a tall order to win a ticket to play in the lucrative Champions League with six games left to play.
But for him, even a Europa Cup place will do.
Emenike said, “At least we must qualify for Europa. My plan was to return from AFCON and push for the title with the team but injury disrupted that.
“But we are still on course. All we need is focus. When you play in a competition like the UEFA Champions League, you always dream of playing in it every year.
“I enjoyed the games I played against Barcelona and Celtic this season. They bring back good memories and scoring two goals in the group stage in my first season means so much to me. That is why I am looking for another opportunity to play there again with Spartak,” he told SUNDAY PUNCH.
But he said playing in Europe is not a do-or-die affair and hopefully, he wants to regain his place back in the squad.
Spartak coach Valery Karpin was forced to deploy new signing Majeed Waris in the starting line-up after injuries to Emenike and Yura Movsisyan.
“I’m not afraid of fighting for my place in the team; it’s about my ability and what I can offer the coach and the team.
“I’m just trying to work hard and take the opportunity when I’m given. I’m here to play and as long as I get the opportunity I’ll try my best.
“There are games you want to play in. I don’t like sitting on the bench. I’m just looking forward to playing again,” last season’s second highest goal scorer in Russia with 13 goals, said.
If there are two attributes that Emenike lacks, they are definitely not determination and goals (on and off the pitch).
Determination has seen the powerful Spartak forward climb from relative obscurity and poor background to become a global force as far as the game is concerned.
His goals have been the major factor behind the 25-year-old’s meteoric rise from Nigerian side, Delta Force in 2007 to a short stint in South Africa, where he played for Mpumalanga Black and FC Cape Town and earned his first salary as a footballer.
The Otuocha-born player moved to Turkey in 2009 and made an instant impression, scoring 16 goals on his debut season and leading Karabukspor to the second division title and automatic promotion to the Turkish topflight. He won the division’s Best Foreign Player award at the end of the 2009/10 season and had his contract extended by three years for €300.000.
He went on to score 30 goals in 50 games for Karabukspor before moving to Fenerbahce in 2011 for a reported €9m fee in a move shrouded in controversy. He didn’t kick a ball for the Turkish giants before he sojourned to Russia to join Spartak Moscow for €10m.
Again with sheer determination and hitting the back of the net consistently, he has had his market value rise sporadically from a “paltry” €300.000 three years ago to €12,000,000 after emerging as top scorer at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa with four amazing goals.
After signing a four-year deal with Spartak at the end of last season, Emenike increased his buy-out clause to $42m.
The player has never shied away from helping the less privileged. Despite the AFCON injury, Emenike made some donations in Lagos before flying back to Russia.
“What I am today is due to determination and God’s blessings. I will consider myself lucky because in less than five seasons in Europe, I have achieved so much.
“But I need to give kudos to my parents for giving me the opportunity to choose football as a career. My parents taught us to be givers rather than receivers,” he stated.
Even though the player admires the late Nigerian legend, Rashidi Yekini, he doesn’t want to be compared to the country’s all-time highest scorer.
Both share common traits: they are strikers, they score goals constantly and off the pitch, they are philanthropists but Emenike sees no basis for comparison.
“I have heard people call me Yekini. He was a great player but I think I would rather remain myself. I am just at the peak of my career. So I am not Yekini but with due respect, he was a great player,” Emenike said.
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