Peter Utaka
China-based Nigerian striker, Peter Utaka, in this interview with ’TANA AIYEJINA talks on his Chinese adventure, european sojourn and his absence from the Super Eagles
How do you feel ending the Chinese topflight league on a high note by winning an Asian Champions League ticket for Beijing Guoan?
I feel great and fulfilled because one of
the reasons I signed for Guoan was to help the club perform better. So,
I am excited, happy and fulfilled when I see myself as one of the
turning points.
Your brace in the 3-1 defeat of
Shandong last season actually sealed the Champions League spot for
Guoan. Would you say you have justified your signing with that fantastic
performance?
I don’t think so. I was signed because of
my ability and the coach has confidence in me. I believe that the team
could have picked the ticket without me. However, I was signed to add
more value to the team. Gouan have talented players with experience,
like the highly respected Frederick Kanoute. As a matter of fact, I
have not justified my move because I didn’t settle well on time on my
arrival due to the transfer stress and sickness but I thank God I was
able to find my feet at the right time. I am only hoping to get better
next season and that is when the fans can see my best. But I am happy to
have made an impact in my first season with Gouan.
Your coach in Dalian Aerbin, Aleksandar Stanojevic, is also your coach at Gouan. Did he play a role in your tranfer to Beijing?
Well, it’s all about understanding. He
(Stanojevic) was instrumental in my move and I am happy that I didn’t
disappoint him with my performance. He has so much confidence in me.
Again, he encourages and respects your personality.
What is your view about Gouan’s vociferous fans?
They are lovely people. When I joined the
club, there was so much expectations from the fans. Sometimes they
would tell me they want me to score two, three goals in a match. The
most important thing is that even when the goals were not coming, I
still got applause from them and that was quite amazing. I think the
fans and coach made me rediscover my scoring form because of their
belief in me.
Why did you opt for China despite interests from EPL clubs West Ham and Fulham?
I am not crazy about playing in England. I
read the reports about these clubs but I think it was not concrete
enough for me. People say England has the best league but it may not be
the best destination for every player. China was the right move for me
and I have no regrets. I scored 20 goals in my first season in China,
which is not bad. I also had offers from top clubs in Germany, France
and Italy but I wanted the Chinese adventure after paying my dues in
Europe.
But there is this widely held belief that the Chinese league is for players close to retirement. Do you agree?
Everybody is entitled to their opinion.
If you can measure the ages of foreign players in China, you should get
the answer. I totally agree that old and very experienced players play
in China but it is a matter of option. We are here to make name and help
develop the league.
In Dalian, you played alongside
Malian Seydou Keita and now you are playing with Frederick Kanoute at
Gouan. How influential have these great players been on your Chinese
sojourn?
When you mention these big names, you are
talking about my family. They are my family because we live together as
one. I knew Keita way back from France when he played along with John
(Utaka); ever since, he has been my friend. He contacted me when he
wanted to join the Chinese league and we talked about it and he made the
best choice by coming here. He’s just a lovely guy you can always find
around you anytime. On the part of Kanoute, he’s a nice brother and
friend too. I have so much respect for him. He is an experienced and
technically gifted player. And both players are the major reason why you
can see the African flair in Chinese football.
In your last game for Dalian, you
scored four goals against Yakubu Aiyegbeni’s Guangzhou R&F. What did
he tell you after the game?
Yak is my big brother, we didn’t discuss
about the match in detail but he congratulated me and wished me well in
the subsequent matches. Yak is one of the star players lighting up the
Chinese league and the fans love him. Now you can see why somebody like
Sven Goran-Errikson said the Chinese league is growing very fast.
You are a fighter in front of goal…
Yes. I always want to score goals and
justify my pay. It is not every striker that fights for goals. I score
goals with ease and that is why I was once called a Gentle Killer by my
teammates.
During the last transfer window, it
was speculated that your brother, John would join you in China but he
opted for the Turkish league instead. Did it come as a big blow to you?
Honestly, I wanted John to come to China
because of his wealth of experience in Europe. He’s really needed here
but he opted to play in Turkey, which is not a bad option either. John
is a player with class and would have helped a great deal in developing
the league here. But I think the option of playing in China lies with
him.
Was it a coincidence seeing you and your brother playing football?
We come from a family where we believe in
what we intend to do. I and John got the right support from our family
to play the game. And I think John made things easy for me because I
tried to follow his footstep. If John didn’t show promise when we were
younger, I guess it would have been difficult for me to keep playing.
Your first European club was Dinamo
Zagreb but it seemed your foreign career actually blossomed when you
moved to Belgium in 2003…
Yes. All I wanted at that time was enough
playing time and I laboured hard to achieve that. When I joined KVC
Westerlo from Maasmechelen, I was eager and the coach saw that I was
ready to play. I gave my best in training and my performance on the
field opened the door for a move to a big club like Antwerp.
There were reports that you once
considered playing for Belgium when you were shunned by the Super Eagles
coaches. How true is this?
To be candid, I was never desperate to
play for Nigeria while I was in Belgium. All I wanted then was to make a
name for myself and keep my head straight. John was already in the
national team doing well. So, I wanted to emulate him by also playing
for my country. I was only loved in Belgium; I never considered playing
for them. Though I have Belgian citizenship, my dream has always been to
play for Nigeria right from my playing days on the streets of Enugu.
In your first season in Denmark, you had instant impact in the league. How easy was it for you?
I heard a lot of good things about OB
Odense. So, when I joined them, I felt at home immediately. The fans
showed me love and that was the secret of my success. There was a day I
told the coach that I wanted to lift the club with my goals because that
was why they signed me. The next day, the coach said in a press
conference, ‘Utaka is here to lift the club.’ I saw it as a big
challenge, which helped me to work harder. My first season was just a
tip of the iceberg. When we qualified for the play-offs, everybody
commended my efforts and they told me that I could become the top scorer
in the league.
Would you say you had a better time in Denmark than in Belgium?
No, Belgium was actually better for me
because I built my career there. I was already mature and exposed when I
joined OB Odense.
How did you feel scoring on your Nigeria debut in a 5–2 win over DR Congo in 2010?
It’s always a special feeling for most
players because it is a great thing to represent your fatherland and I
thank God I was able to justify the call-up even if my stay in the
national team didn’t last long. The camp was thrilling, everyone knew
each other. In fact, we were one family.
But some felt you should have been called up earlier before then…
Of course I can’t decide for myself; the
coach knows when best to invite any player. But I believe it came at the
right time because I was able to show what I was capable of doing like
my brother. It was a wonderful experience playing alongside Joseph Yobo,
Mikel Obi and Nwankwo Kanu, who I cherish so much.
What is your assessment of the Eagles under Stephen Keshi?
We have all seen the wonderful work the man is doing and the players are ready to play for him.
You scored three goals in seven appearances for the Eagles but you have been left out of the team by Keshi. Do you feel bad?
No. I tell people who tell me that I
deserve to still be in the national team that there is time for
everything. Being out of Eagles does not mean I am not capable. And it
is not that the coach does not know everybody’s ability. All of us
cannot be there at the same time; the coaches are really doing well. And
I understand their decision in sticking to the winning team. I could
have done the same thing because result matters. In my clubs, I wear
Nigeria wristband. That is a sign of patriotism and support for my
country.
You almost made Lars Lagerback’s team to the 2010 World Cup but instead John made the squad. Was it a bad moment for you?
I was not there but my brother was there
and the name ‘Utaka’ was represented. That means I was there. I always
respect coaches’ decisions. No matter how big a player is, he can never
be bigger than the team and his coach. The moment I knew I was not
going, I went straight to congratulate my brother. The same thing
happened to the Uche brothers. Of course everybody wants to play for the
team but it is not a do-or-die affair. So I don’t hold any grudges.
Do you think you still stand a chance of playing for Nigeria?
I don’t want to talk about it because the
focus now is on the 2014 World Cup and I don’t want people to think
otherwise. But I will keep supporting the team.
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