Guy Kuemian Venanle is one of the most exciting footballers
in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL). Blessed with pace, trickery, an eye for the unconventional
pass and a low centre of gravity, the attacker is wowing the fans with touches
of brilliance week after week.
He made his debut as a second half substitute for Rivers
United in the 1-2 defeat to MFM FC at the Agege Stadium, Lagos and quickly made
a decisive contribution; crossing unerringly for Obomate Frederick to head home
late in the game.
The Ivorian netted his first goal of the season on match day
five as Rivers United beat Nasarawa United 1-0 in a tension-soaked game in Port
Harcourt.
He sat down with Rivers United media to discuss how he’s
settled in at his new surroundings.
Rivers United Media: How did you feel scoring your first
goal for Rivers United?
Guy Kuemian: I was very happy to score that goal for Rivers
United particularly as it was the winner and it arrived so late in the game.
The goal was important because it gave us a win which helped
take us up to fifth on the league standings.
It is not easy to play in the Nigerian league….it is an
extremely difficult league to be successful in but I will strive to score more.
Rivers United is your first football club in Nigeria
but where did you play previously before coming to Port Harcourt?
I previously played for Moroccan clubs, Moghreb
AtleticoTétouan, Raja Casablanca as well as a Gabonese club, US Bitam.
I joined Rivers United from an Equatoguinean club, Leones
Vegetarianos.
Which of these previous football clubs did you enjoy
your best memories as a professional footballer?
I had a great time in Morocco with Raja but my time at
Leones Vegetarianos is absolutely unforgettable.
How does the NPFL rate with the Moroccan Botola and
the leagues in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea?
If you are not strong, physically, you cannot survive in
the Nigerian league. I was shocked when I first saw a Nigerian league game.
The defenders don’t hold back in their tackles and the pace
is something else.
In Morocco and the other countries I played in previously,
the teams are more tactical but nowhere near as physically strong as the
Nigerian teams.
I am adapting to the NPFL slowly and I even scored in my
last game. That will give me the motivation to do even more in the days to
come.
Your wife and two kids are in Abidjan; how difficult
is it coping without your family?
It’s hard….very hard but then, that’s football for you.
As a professional, you know that sometimes, you have to travel far away from
home away from the people you love.
This is not the first time I am leaving my family behind in
Abidjan. Nigeria is the fourth country I am playing in, professionally.
However, I am working to see that I relocate my family to
Nigeria.
You don’t speak a word of English. How do you
communicate with your teammates who are predominantly Anglophone?
Well, it’s not the easiest thing in the world but I have
a friend in the team, Yaovi Douhadji who speaks English.
We had been friends even before I joined Rivers United so he
helps me in that regard.
I want to thank him for helping me adapt. I have also made
new friends like (teammate), Gabriel Olalekan who is now desperately trying to
speak French.
Douhadji has just been called up to Togo’s national
team…any chance of you getting a call up to play for your country any time
soon?
It’s the dream of every footballer to represent his
country so yes, I hope so but the Ivory Coast is blessed with so many
world-class footballers.
We will see how it goes but I am really happy for Yaovi. He
has important games coming up for Togo against Tunisia and I wish
him the best.
Guy, thanks for your time.
Any time.
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