Top football players agent Ezinne Dora Kayode has tipped her husband and Nigerian forward Olanrewaju Kayode to lead Sivasspor to the group stage of the UEFA Europa Conference League and go on to shine in the maiden season of Europe’s newest club competition.
In the ongoing Europa Conference League, Sivasspor have felt the impactful play of the forward in the competition, as he has scored twice already in the qualifying rounds, compelling his wife and agent, Ezinne Dora Kayode, to boldly declare that Kayode will shine in the competition with his Turkish-based club.
The 28-year-old, who is on loan at Sivasspor from Ukraine’s Shakhtar Donetsk, was outstanding as the Turkish Super Lig outfit eliminated Georgian club Dinamo Batumi last Thursday to advance to the Europa Conference League playoffs with a 3-2 aggregate score.
Capped four times for the Super Eagles, Kayode, who is among a select few to have featured for Nigeria at all age-grade levels, as well as the Olympic team and the senior national team, was on the scorecard in the first leg of their playoff match in Georgia, netting the winner as Sivasspor edged out their hosts 2-1. The reverse fixture ended 1-1 in Turkey after extra time, as Sivasspor did just about enough to advance to the final qualifying round.
That upcoming round will see Sivasspor battle Denmark’s FC Copenhagen in a two-legged fixture for a place in the group stage of the UEFA Conference League and Ezinne Dora Kayode, one of the few women to have broken into the male dominated world of football agents, insists the former Austria and Spain-based forward is itching to bang in the goals that would ensure a place in the group stage for the Turkish side.
Speaking with The Guardian in Lagos, the licensed players’ agent, who has been a strong pillar of support to her husband, was so emphatic with what the fans of Sivasspor should be expecting from Kayode in the new season, saying he possesses the requisite skills and firepower to take Sivasspor to the lucrative group stage of UEFA’s newest football competition.
“My husband is a dependable force at Sivasspor. He is very much ready for the new Turkish Super Lig season to begin,” she said. “He is also extra motivated to go all guns blazing for Sivasspor in the Europa Conference League.
“He is already proving that he means serious business this season as seen by the goals that he has scored in the qualifying rounds of the Europa Conference League. And he is also assisting his other teammates to get into the groove of scoring goals and helping Sivasspor to achieve success this season.”
A trained lawyer, Ezinne Dora Kayode also said her husband is fired up and in great shape as Sivasspor launch a three-pronged assault for success in the Turkish Super Lig, the Turkish Cup, and the Europa Conference League. She also insisted that her hubby has never been the lazy type, but a calm, calculating, irrepressible and diligent player, desirous of repaying the confidence reposed in him by the coaching crew, teammates and fans of Sivasspor.
“Kayode knows that the expectations of Sivasspor are very high this season; representing the club in the Europa Conference League and, at the same time, they will want to challenge for the Turkish Super Lig title and also do well in the Turkey FA Cup. These are the three tasks for the club this season and I believe the Nigerian spirit in my husband will be fired up to deliver what is expected of him on the field of play.
“People should not forget that he was one of the players who propelled Sivasspor to get the ticket to represent Turkey in the Europa Conference League, so he feels he owes the club good performances and I trust him to live up to the top billing. Kayode and his teammates at Sivasspor know that they cannot rest on their laurels but as they have to keep marching forward to achieve great things,” added Ezinne Dora Kayode.
The UEFA Europa Conference League fixtures will take place on Thursdays along with UEFA Europa League games, though the final in Tirana will be a week after the UEFA Europa League final in Sevilla on 18 May 2022.