Football
Some Kwara United players got their 2010 pay in 2015 — Ismaila
Meet one of the highest goal scorer with ten goals in the local league. Adeshina Ismaila Gata is from Kwara state and a graduate of Kwara State polytechnic.Gata plays for Ifeanyi Uba FC. He speaks with ESTHER EGBE about the game and more.
HOW did you manage education and football at the same time?
It’s very simple, because my father was a teacher so he made sure I studied as a student. I left Enyimba because of school.
In Enyimba you never had a chance to go to school?
There was a chance but not much than when am in my state playing at the same time schooling.
Tell us your football background, how you started, what have you done for your homeboys, who are like your number-one fans? Also I want to know if you really had the support of your parents when you decided to take a career in football.
I started with Kwara United Feeders later join the main team and I was not registered. Later joined Prime FC of Osogbo. I played there for first round and I scored seven goals for them before joining ABS in the same year and scored seven again, making 14. We have a promotion that time and I went to Dolphins in the following season and later came back to ABS and I played with them for premier that season but didn’t finish with them since |I had to move to Kwara United for that season.
Apart from football, what other career would you have considered?
I would have love to work in bank because am an Accountant.
What is the most expensive thing you have ever bought with football money?
My House is the most expensive thing, I have used football money to buy.
Where is the house located?
My house is at Ilorin.
What is it like traveling hundreds of kilometers to go honor a league match, do you think that clubs are risking the lives of players by subjecting them to such rigorous long journeys?
It’s Nigeria league and there is nothing I can do about it.
So because it’s Nigeria league it’s normal?
The only thing I can say is if Nigeria management can raise the level of their managing clubs it will be easy for Nigeria team to travel by Air.
Even in Europe teams do play midweek matches? Or the lifestyle of our players?
Udoji is a very good defender but it can’t defend for the whole 90minute without a mistake and mistakes result to Goal. ChineduUdoji is my team mate and captain, when am in Enyimba and I even play against him last week, so not too difficult for an Attacker to score. In Europe not all the team travel by road. We are evening maintain our lifestyle than people in Europe.
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You have played for FC Kukesi of Albania and in Cairo as well, how do you compare those leagues to NPFL? What’s the difference?
There is a big difference.
Like? Nigeria is better right?
Nigeria league is based on Nigeria mentality. The difference is payment and in Europe they deal with contract.
Most clubs in NPFL are regular culprits when it comes to players welfare, salaries, bonuses, and other allowances, how would you score your current team, in regards to quick response to your financial agreement, also how do you feel when you worked so hard and at the end you are been owed backlog of salaries?
Niger Tornadoes is trying Base on payment and kudos to my Chairman he make promise And fulfilled it. And some clubs are owing some players now like Kwara united now owing last season two month salary and 100percent sign off fees.
A lot in the NPFL are owing, happy your club is free from that?
Yea Kwara United. That’s the league for you.
Do you think that the LMC and NFF are doing enough to protect player’s interest, especially in making sure that clubs honor their own part of the contract? What would you prefer as a sanction for teams that owes players for more than a month?
Gratitude to LMC and NFF for protecting players because I could remember last season Kwara united paid some debt to their players and am even among the players they paid and the money is 2010 debt.
2010 debt paid in 2015?
Yes, it’s was paid.
From your videos in YouTube, you seem to be a dead ball specialist, and also got sweltering shots, which coach influenced you in reaching such a near perfect level in set piece?
I was inspire when I watch the Thierry Henry spot kick. So lovely. I learned it from him.
If you leave IUFC today, will you consider joining the flying Antelopes? I got there invitation last season When I play against them in Abuja, Didn’t think of joining any club now even including Enyimba.
Why didn’t you consider joining them?
Not now.