Samuel: Nigerian product made in China

                                        

China-based Nigeria striker Aaron Samuel has proven that Chinese products could be relied on with his performance in his short Super Eagles career, writes ’TANA AIYEJINA

Not every China product is bad,” Brila FM boss, Larry Izamoje, said in reference to China-based Nigerian striker, Aaron Samuel, recently in an interview on the sports radio.

Over time, some Nigerians have had reservations for Chinese-made products. In fact, the quality of products from China is even a global issue.


According to Wikipedia, Chinese-made products have caused global concerns about their quality and safety and resulted in large scale product recalls. In the 2007 Chinese export recalls, for example, product safety institutions in the United States, Canada, the European Union, Australia and New Zealand issued recalls and import bans on a wide range of Chinese-made consumer goods, such as pet food, toys, toothpaste and lipstick, and a ban on certain types of seafood.

In Nigeria, so many jokes abound about China products, which they believe don’t last long. One of them is that of a Nigerian woman, whose daughter married a Chinese against her wish. A week after the woman gave birth, the baby, a boy, died.

Several mourners flocked the residence of the couple to console them but the Chinese man’s mother-in-law was inconsolable.

After numerous hours of consoling her, she wiped her tears and said, “I told my daughter that China products don’t last long but she ignored my warning and went ahead to marry a Chinese man. Now she can see that I was right.”

So, when Super Eagles gaffer, Stephen Keshi, handed an invitation to little-known Aaron Samuel, from China, for the crucial 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Sudan in Omdurman, expectedly there were disapprovals.

What with more accomplished strikers like Ike Uche, Obafemi Martins and Brown Ideye left out of the squad for a certain China-based 20-year-old striker, who should be playing in the more competitive leagues of Europe, if he was good enough.

The Guangzhou R&F man didn’t get on the scoresheet on his debut in the 1-0 defeat to the Sudanese and the critics seemed right.

In the reverse fixture in Abuja few days later, the Eagles, who needed a win to remain in the qualifiers, were being held 1-1 by the stubborn Sudanese until Samuel met a loose ball with a terrific left-foot lunge in the area to put the African champions back in the lead. The Eagles eventually won 3-1.

In the next game- another must-win- against Congo in Pointe Noire, returnee Ike Uche put the Eagles ahead before Enyeama parried a penalty away. There were anxious moments for the Nigerians until a minute to the end of the encounter, when another terrific strike from Samuel silenced the home fans and made victory sure for the visitors. It was his second goal in three games.

Suddenly, the ‘China-made’ had become the unsung hero and Nigeria’s most valued player of the moment. Perhaps, his name should have been Moses, rather than Aaron, after all his heroics rescued the Eagles from the initial bondage of elimination from the 2015 AFCON, before the team eventually crashed out after the 2-2 draw with South Africa on Wednesday in Uyo.

Very few Nigerians like Izamojeactually believe that really, not all products from the highly-populated Asian country are bad. At least Samuel has proven that.

“I remember an incident that happened some time ago. We were to travel and my colleagues replaced his car’s four tyres with China tyres. They said the tyres were good but I went online to find out how good they were,” Izamoje told our correspondent on the telephone.

“I compared them with tyres made in Japan and Europe and I found out that they had the same quality. So, I embarked on the long trip and back and nothing happened to the tyres. Samuel plays in China and he is not bad as well. It’s not about where the man is from but what he has to offer.”

But many wonder what a youngster should be doing in a league generally seen as meant for retiring foreign players.

The former 3SC forward only joined Guangzhou in July from Norwegian side Sarpsborgon a two-and-a-half-year contract worth €1.4m. He had previously played for Vålerenga, whom he joined from 3SC in 2012.

His impact was immediately felt in the Chinese League, as he amassed eight goals in 16 matches, an average of a goal in every two games.

The likes of Benedict Akwuegbu, Henry Makinwa and Emmanuel Olisadebeare some Nigerian players who once played in China, but unlike Samuel, it was during the twilight of their careers.

At the moment, former Eagles strikers YakubuAiyegbeni and Peter Utaka have been setting the Chinese league alight with goals after both players had illustrious careers in Europe.

Former Poland striker Olisadebe says the big striker has established himself despite playing in the Chinese league, which he described as “very physical.”

“He has proven himself despite playing in China. I played there for three years and the league gets better,” he said.

“I had my doubts about the player but he has done very well and deserves to play for the Eagles. He is a very good player but sometimes you can be good but find yourself in a league like China. Their game is very physical and full of running.”

Ace broadcaster Izamoje though believes that Samuel is made of sterner stuff than the Chinese league.

“He (Samuel) is the unfortunate child from a league that is not respected. Over time, the Chinese league has been derided but it’s not about where the man is from but what he has to offer. He is using the pedestal to show that he is not a material for the Chinese league.”

Olisadebe agrees.

He said, “At 20, I think it’s too early for him to be in China. He can get a club in Europe and then return later to play in China when he is about to retire. His two goals in three games for Nigeria will help him get a good club in a good league in Europe.”

Sadly, the Eagles have crashed out of the 2015 AFCON, a platform which Samuel would probably have exploited to the fullest, with his goals.

The fans expressed their disgust after Keshi brought on the big striker as a late substitute in the 2-2 draw against South Africa in Uyo on Wednesday.

“Ike Uche, Emmanuel Emenike and Ahmed Musa were missing chances they should have converted. I still don’t know why the coach kept him late before bringing him in,” Uyo resident, John Uduak, said after the match.

Another fan, Ebuka Ugochukwu, said, “Against South Africa, he came on too late and couldn’t make an impact because the coach didn’t get his tactics and substitutions right,” he said.

Even if you call him the Nigerian product made in China, Samuel knows that he has a herculean task in his hands convincing his compatriots that he can last long by banging in goals consistently for both club and country in the future.

Only that could convince his football-crazy compatriots that he is truly Chinese-made product from heaven.