A Rising Star: Kelechi Iheanacho of Manchester City
As the only female child of my parents and growing up in the midst of
men – uncles and brothers, all I was made to watch were only action
movies, you know the shooting and bombing kind of films, the
terminators, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone, the likes of
Wesley Snipes and all that.
This made me watch Rough diamond – the movie where I got to know a lot about the production and the worth of these precious stones – diamonds. I just likened the Nigerian and Manchester City player, Kelechi Iheanacho to a rough diamond.
“It is really hard in my country, Nigeria, it is really hard in Africa, I started playing football since I was a kid, I played everything even things that are not football, because I love football, my parents don’t want me to play football, they want me to go to school but I was stubborn and I played football – I love football,” he told mcfc.com.
Discovery of the diamond in Kelechi Iheanacho
The then 16-year-old took the world by storm when he won the FIFA world cup in Dubai two years ago to the amazement of many Nigerians and football fans.
When the tournament was held, the teenager who was barely known proved his worth by wining a major tournament, a FIFA world cup, from grassroots football in an academy in his hometown – Owerri.
So, some scouts discovered the raw diamond, brushed it and took this diamond to the world stage. But because of the worth and the quality of this precious jewel it shone so much that he won laurels. And, a recognition by CAF for the most promising talent to emerge from Africa in 2013, yet he was rough so to speak but of course a worthy and precious item for those who know his worth.
Like any other player you can think of, he was a stubborn child who lived a tough life. Name the successful footballer who is not – if not on the pitch but off the pitch, so he has not done anything wrong, a harmless stubbornness is a valuable quality to excel.
“Life was tough, I was stubborn, it is my dream (as a player) to go higher,” He told mcfc.com.
Refining the diamond
After his experience at the U-13 and U-17 and a short stint with the senior national team, Super Eagles – a lot of powerhouse wants to acquire this guy and refine him into something worthy of investment, of course with little bit of more efforts they can brush him and bring out that glitter, that beauty in the diamond.
Big names like Arsenal, FC Porto scrambled for his signature but the big money team, Manchester City took him into their Academy where he signed his first professional contract.
‘I thought I was so small to go to the U-17 when I saw big boys play, I said can I make it and the coach gave me confidence to play and I went to the world cup and that was how I started.
From a local academy to an international football academy, the journey to greatness and refining began for the young boy who has never travelled to England before. Of course he was supported by his father James Iheanacho, sadly, his mother had passed on few years before then.
“I want to work hard everyday so I can stand up to expectations of the team, club and coach they gave me confidence, Yaya, Sergio etc, they encourage me, they always say to me keep going keep chasing the defenders, keep going,” he said.
A previous jewel cannot be kept for so long, he was drilled, trained and of course refined – in a short while he started scoring goals against big clubs like AC Milan and Sporting Kansas, he also provided a lot of goal assists.
He refused to stop there, as he showed the determination to be fully refined into somebody worthy of millions of pounds.
Pellegrini set his eyes on him and couldn’t help but invite him to the main squad of the team when he clocked 18. Woooow! Just out of the blues, he made the main squad set to be trained under one of the best managers – it helped his development and enhanced his talent.
Diamond taking over the world stage
“It was a surprise for me, it was my dream to be in the first team, it was a huge expectation because the first team, they play a professional game with professional players and I hope to learn more from them,” he told mcfc.com.
The diamond was polished. He scored his first goal against Crystal Palace in September 2015 in the space of two years after clinching the world cup in Dubai, he gradually became bigger and better and of course refined into a precious jewel worthy of a place in a very talented Manchester city side.
He trained with the super eagles and said its a priviledge to train with the players that he idolized as a kid.
He scored a hat-trick in the highly competitive FA Cup for his team, Manchester City. All eyes were on him, anywhere he goes, he shines and glitters to the amazement of many. He is gradually turning into a world class player and can only get better and better as he goes through polishing and refining in the hands of the experts.
Pep Guardiola who is reputably one of the best managers in the world and a fantastic man-manager, is coming on board to take charge of the team, how lucky is Kelechi. Hope Pep continues from where Pellegrini stops and shower him with loads of love and assistance.
Future worth
“My father is very proud of me now,everywhere he goes they just point at him, he is very happy and excited.” he said.
This report was put together by Aderonke Bello, an associate
editor and head of the sports desk at Naij.com, in recognition of the
fast-rising Kelechi Iheanacho.
This made me watch Rough diamond – the movie where I got to know a lot about the production and the worth of these precious stones – diamonds. I just likened the Nigerian and Manchester City player, Kelechi Iheanacho to a rough diamond.
“It is really hard in my country, Nigeria, it is really hard in Africa, I started playing football since I was a kid, I played everything even things that are not football, because I love football, my parents don’t want me to play football, they want me to go to school but I was stubborn and I played football – I love football,” he told mcfc.com.
Kelechi Iheanacho
The then 16-year-old took the world by storm when he won the FIFA world cup in Dubai two years ago to the amazement of many Nigerians and football fans.
When the tournament was held, the teenager who was barely known proved his worth by wining a major tournament, a FIFA world cup, from grassroots football in an academy in his hometown – Owerri.
So, some scouts discovered the raw diamond, brushed it and took this diamond to the world stage. But because of the worth and the quality of this precious jewel it shone so much that he won laurels. And, a recognition by CAF for the most promising talent to emerge from Africa in 2013, yet he was rough so to speak but of course a worthy and precious item for those who know his worth.
Like any other player you can think of, he was a stubborn child who lived a tough life. Name the successful footballer who is not – if not on the pitch but off the pitch, so he has not done anything wrong, a harmless stubbornness is a valuable quality to excel.
“Life was tough, I was stubborn, it is my dream (as a player) to go higher,” He told mcfc.com.
Kelechi Iheanacho as an U17 player
After his experience at the U-13 and U-17 and a short stint with the senior national team, Super Eagles – a lot of powerhouse wants to acquire this guy and refine him into something worthy of investment, of course with little bit of more efforts they can brush him and bring out that glitter, that beauty in the diamond.
Big names like Arsenal, FC Porto scrambled for his signature but the big money team, Manchester City took him into their Academy where he signed his first professional contract.
‘I thought I was so small to go to the U-17 when I saw big boys play, I said can I make it and the coach gave me confidence to play and I went to the world cup and that was how I started.
From a local academy to an international football academy, the journey to greatness and refining began for the young boy who has never travelled to England before. Of course he was supported by his father James Iheanacho, sadly, his mother had passed on few years before then.
“I want to work hard everyday so I can stand up to expectations of the team, club and coach they gave me confidence, Yaya, Sergio etc, they encourage me, they always say to me keep going keep chasing the defenders, keep going,” he said.
A previous jewel cannot be kept for so long, he was drilled, trained and of course refined – in a short while he started scoring goals against big clubs like AC Milan and Sporting Kansas, he also provided a lot of goal assists.
He refused to stop there, as he showed the determination to be fully refined into somebody worthy of millions of pounds.
Pellegrini set his eyes on him and couldn’t help but invite him to the main squad of the team when he clocked 18. Woooow! Just out of the blues, he made the main squad set to be trained under one of the best managers – it helped his development and enhanced his talent.
Kelechi Iheanacho
“It was a surprise for me, it was my dream to be in the first team, it was a huge expectation because the first team, they play a professional game with professional players and I hope to learn more from them,” he told mcfc.com.
The diamond was polished. He scored his first goal against Crystal Palace in September 2015 in the space of two years after clinching the world cup in Dubai, he gradually became bigger and better and of course refined into a precious jewel worthy of a place in a very talented Manchester city side.
He trained with the super eagles and said its a priviledge to train with the players that he idolized as a kid.
He scored a hat-trick in the highly competitive FA Cup for his team, Manchester City. All eyes were on him, anywhere he goes, he shines and glitters to the amazement of many. He is gradually turning into a world class player and can only get better and better as he goes through polishing and refining in the hands of the experts.
Pep Guardiola who is reputably one of the best managers in the world and a fantastic man-manager, is coming on board to take charge of the team, how lucky is Kelechi. Hope Pep continues from where Pellegrini stops and shower him with loads of love and assistance.
Future worth
“I am full of confidence and not shy to play for the national team of Nigeria believing that the senior players are better,” he said at a media parley in Abuja.
The future is here, as we know time does not wait for no one. Tick,
Tock it sounds and we hope he gets better and of course gets more sought
after as time goes by. My wishes for him is to lift the FA Cup, English
premier league and the FIFA world cup for Nigeria – it is a
possibility.“My father is very proud of me now,everywhere he goes they just point at him, he is very happy and excited.” he said.
Aderonke Bello for Naij.com
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