goal.com
After conducting post-match interviews the 19-year-old striker walked into the visitors' changing room at Villa Park where his singing and dancing team-mates greeted him
Manchester City striker Kelechi Iheanacho revelled in the jubilant support of his team-mates immediately after scoring a hat-trick against Aston Villa on Saturday.
Iheanacho, 19, walked off the Villa Park pitch with the match ball after notching his first career treble in a 4-0 FA Cup victory, and was immediately grabbed for post-match interviews in the tunnel.
When he made his way into the visiting dressing room his City team-mates, who had arranged themselves into a group during his media obligations, began dancing around and singing “Iheanacho”, the latest chant in the City fans’ songbook which was given its first airing in the Midlands.
“I couldn’t believe that,” he told reporters after the match. “It was a great feeling for me, so I’m happy, being among them and playing with them.
“I’m very happy having them as my team-mates, they help me in training and in games, they help me to keep going, so I’m happy.”
Iheanacho has been tipped to reach the big time at the Etihad Stadium and, having already scored five goals in four starts this season before putting Villa to the sword, became the youngest City player to score a hat-trick in 61 years as City progressed to the FA Cup fifth round.
But he was evidently in no mood to rest on his laurels as he spoke to the press less than an hour after full-time, espousing the importance of working hard and continuing his journey in football.
“I need to build my confidence to play in the team, it’s what I need to work on, work hard and get my confidence to play.
“That’s what I’m working on now, to build confidence. There’s nothing to fear, it’s professional football, so I need to build my confidence to play.”
Pellegrini was full of praise for Iheanacho after the game, having previously urged the youngster to take his chances when they are presented, and it transpires he had a similar message before Saturday’s game.
“He told me to work hard every game, that it’s my opportunity to be in the team, that I should work hard, so I went in to try my best and work hard.”
Iheanacho himself has revealed in the past that his first preference when leaving Nigeria was for Porto, but after once again admitting that – in hushed tones – he is more convinced than ever that he made the right choice in moving to City.
“I’m happy being at City, playing at City at the moment. I wanted to go to FC Porto before but my father said that coming here we would have a great future.
“It was the right decision, I’m happy.”
The Nigerian is expected to be named in City’s Champions League squad for the knock-out stages when it is submitted to Uefa on Tuesday, and although he insists that is not something he has discussed with his manager, he says he is hoping to succeed in that and much more besides. “I’m hoping to achieve more in football, so I have to work hard every day so I can achieve more.”
No comments:
Post a Comment