The agent to Super Eagles striker, Olanrewaju Kayode, has given reasons for his recent move to Genclerbirligi in Turkey on a two-year-deal.
Ezinne Dora Kayode, agent and wife of Kayode, revealed that the player endured a tough time at another Turkish Super Lig side, Sivasspor, where he spent two seasons on loan, before another loan adventure at Umraniyespor last season.
She stated that Kayode was starved of game time, and was used out of his preferred position.
Speaking with journalists, a delighted Ezinne Dora admitted that the last two seasons had been tough for her agent, adding that the decision on the transfer had to be made in order to enable Kayode re-discover his scoring form.
“It was a very tough decision you know. He hasn’t been lucky in the past two season. We needed a place where Kayode can play consistently because we want him to be back on the radar, to start scoring goals. We chose this club because they love him, and the coach has promise to put him back on the track. It is a traditional club, well-known club, very organised club with big facility,” she stated.
Speaking further, the agent said: “He will enjoy in this new club because he knows that he has to use this opportunity to show himself again or re-introduce himself again. That is why we chose Genclerbirligi in Turkey.”
“We wanted a place he would go and enjoy football. He hasn’t been enjoying football. The last time he played at Sivasspor, he was used as a winger and that was not his position. It made him sad, and it affected him psychologically. A footballer wants to play and wants to be in the right position. At the same time, the coach was not giving him the minutes to play. He got few minutes: Ten minutes, five minutes, even playing him as a winger. It got him devastated. So we wanted where he would enjoy his football like at Austria Wien, Maccabi Netanya. We believe he will achieve a lot with this club, and it is going to be a magical moment,” she stated.
On why an established striker like Kayode would move to such club in Turkey, she explained: “Sometimes, in life, we have to step back in order to move forward. He needs to go where he would be appreciated, where he can explore. He is not a kind of striker that stays in one place. He moves around. For example, if he scores 15 goals, 16 goals or above, you think bigger clubs wouldn’t come? People want to know, is this Kayode we used to know?
“Football is full of ups and downs. It happens in footballer’s lives. For me, he has made name for himself and will continue to do so until he retires,” she stated.
