Awoniyi hopes for bright future as career takes shape in Belgium

The Belgian league is renowned as a top class development league, and several Nigerians have benefited from its reputation.

Currently ranked eighth in UEFA’s country co-efficient, the league was a stepping stone for the likes of Daniel Amokachi, Sunday Oliseh, and Celestine Babayaro.

The paradigm has not shifted in recent times, both Henry Onyekuru and Wilfred Ndidi earning moves to top European leagues, and following in their footsteps is a certain Taiwo Awoniyi.

Awoniyi, a member of the World Cup-winning side of 2013, is the rave of the moment in Belgium’s premier league competition, the Jupiler Pro League.

The bulky striker has scored six times in seven matches- another fine strike secured a point for Mouscron on Friday night- and has been selected in the league’s Team-of-the-week for five weeks on the bounce since his January arrival at Royal Excel Mouscron.

His match-winning performances have dragged Mouscron, a municipality club, away from relegation fears- sixteen points off relegation place- to possible Europa League qualifiers spot, accumulating 18 points in a seven-game unbeaten run since the Nigerian’s arrival, after managing just 17 in the previous 19 matches.

Speaking to TheCable, the 21-year-old striker says he is not fazed with the pressure every forward is dealing with, but hopes to score more goals regardless while also looking out for the team.

“For me, I believe every striker’s goal is to always score. But to be honest, I don’t have any [goals target], [the] most important thing for me is the victory for the team and if the goals come glory to God but it is my prayer to score more goals hopefully,” he said.

Awoniyi’s path to Mouscron recognition has, however, been a long one.

The highly-rated striker who learnt his trade at the Imperial Soccer Academy in Dubai, was snapped up by Liverpool after impressive performances as part of the successful 2013 Golden Eaglets squad which won the World Cup in UAE, and loaned out to ensure his development.

Loans at Frankfurt (Germany), NEC (Holland) and Genk (Belgium) did not pan out well, but his Mouscron spell has been a hit.

AWONIYI: EVERY PLAYER WOULD LOVE TO PLAY FOR KLOPP

Liverpool coach, Jurgen Klopp, is however known to give young players the opportunity to become first team players and Awoniyi, while praising both club and manager, shared his optimism of being part of the Anfield first-team set-up in the future.

“Klopp is an amazing personality every player would love to play under, am still a Liverpool player,” he stated.

“Playing under the club and in the team is why am still under contract but whatsoever happen in the future, I will forever be grateful to Liverpool for all the opportunities they give to me to make me who I am today, but it is my greatest dream to be part of the club.”

Standing at exactly six feet and with a bulky stature reminiscent of a certain Rashidi Yekini, the Ilorin-born striker, hopes to be part of the senior Eagles in the near future.

He believes he can learn from “every striker” but models himself on forwards such as Drogba, Ibrahimovic and Henry, and their attributes were evident in his match-winner against KV Oostende.

EXPECTING SUPER EAGLES CALL

Awoniyi showed pace, poise and cleverness to evade his marker, dart beyond the defence and clinically converted to give Mouscron a perfect start to 2019.

Mentored by former Super Eagles of Nigeria midfielder, Seyi Olofinjana, from whom he says he learns “a lot from in the world of football”, Awoniyi looks towards the near future with hope and believes attributes such as humility and self-discipline would help him closer to his dreams.

With his current strike rate of a goal every 91.2 minutes, national team coach, Gernot Rohr, would have no choice but to give this fledging Eagle a call up to take his first flight with the senior Eagles.