IKENWA NNABUOGOR queries Enyimba’s Anayo Iwuala’s move to Tunisian giants Esperance, saying the dashing winger deserved better…
Anayo Iwuala kept the Nigerian spirits alive that have been ages at the Tunisian giants, Esperance Sportive du Tunis, by signing a three-year contract there.
Iwuala’s switch is the latest high-profile Nigerian trading between the multiple-time Tunisian champions and Nigerian players dating back to 1994, when former 3SC and Super Eagles striker Taofeek Malik became the first Nigerian to wear the famous ‘Blood and Gold’ colours.
Iwuala arrived Tunis with full bragging rights on the back of his superb showing for club and country, which also ensured the previously unknown player figured prominently in Gernot Rohr’s Eagles and even captained the ‘B’ team against Mexico last month.
His Eagles debut against Benin Republic in the last lap of AFCON 2021 qualifiers caught the eye of clubs outside Nigerian shores and his Enyimba were only waiting for the big pay day.
Esperance eventually won the race for his signature, committing him to a contract worth $45 000 per month in a three-year deal that made Enyimba $500,000 richer.
But the big question remains – Is Iwuala only good enough for a club on the African continent?
Is the Esperance switch the best Iwuala could get?
Were the interested European clubs not convinced enough to sign him?
Could his agents’ interests have swayed him to jump at Esperance?
Was time running out on time or was he desperate to leave the unprofessional NPFL to quickly become also a foreign-based pro?
The youngster, just 22, is no doubt, good enough to begin his career in Europe and develop to become a complete finished product in no distant time.
But it can be argued that Esperance’s monetary package is mouth-watering and could well not have been topped by whatever any European club could table and hence, his decision to head to Tunis.
That said, Esperance have opened a good door of financial security for the youngster who was only playing non-league football few years ago, but it will remain to be seen if he will strike his way to better financial fortunes post-Esperance.
Typically, Esperance and the rest of the top clubs in the north of Africa are a very hard place to pull through and leave an everlasting legacy and that’s one of the dangers of association with those Maghreb clubs.
Players must be supremely top quality to escape the wrath of the higher-ups and most brutally the fans, who have no business with patience.
Esperance’s demands are ultra-high and should the top acquisition falter, the end may be near.
The Tunisian giants have maintained a tradition of poaching the best legs in the sub-Sahara and make fortunes on them when European clubs come calling thereafter.
From Zambian striker Kenneth Malitoli to Nigeria’s Michael Eneramo, the Tunisian giants have maintained a steady good piece of business with these special players.
Will Iwuala emulate the Malitolis, Eneramos, Ahinfuls to chase glories in Europe or elsewhere?
It’s either Iwuala gets in the groove immediately and forces Esperance to sing his glory or he sinks into oblivion.
Foreign players take all the brickbats if anything goes wrong and most times do not have patience for foreigners to bring along their scoring boots or magic wands.
Even Esperance’s best-ever foreigner Eneramo endured initial hard times and was even shipped on loan across the border at Algeria’s USM Alger, before he returned to set Tunisia on fire with all his personal and club records.
What if Iwuala forgot his shooting boots at Enyimba, what happens to his fledging career?
Former NPFL top shot Junior Lokosa has yet to recover from his Esperance misadventure as could be seen with his recent travails at Simba SC of Tanzania.
Lokosa and Flying Eagles winger Bernard Bulbwa were some of the Nigerians who did not cut at the perennial Tunisian champions.
Belgium, France, Denmark and even Turkey would probably have been better destinations for Iwuala where a combination of lots of factors would have helped his career to take him to the next level.
No doubt, Iwuala is a special talent and will definitely develop better in Europe than North Africa.
Former Eagles players Julius Aghahowa, Garba Lawal, Obinna Nwaneri and Michael Eneramo springboarded Esperance to Europe glory, but it remains to seen if Iwuala would follow in their footsteps.
And what becomes of his Eagles chance?
Will Rohr still continue his development as he plans the Eagles for the future with his signing for Esperance?
In truth, it appears dicey now for Rohr to continue inviting him to his Eagles, but the whole decisions lie with the coach.
Meanwhile, welcome to Esperance, Iwuala. Prove your class to move on to greater heights!
