A SPECIAL DELIVERY
Former Celt backing new Gers striker Umar
ONE word comes to Pierre Van Hooijdonk’s mind when he thinks of Rangers new boy Umar Sadiq.
“Special. He’s a special one,” he says.
And he should know, having watched the Nigerian striker at close quarters for his former club NAC Breda in Holland last season.
Sadiq was on loan at the Dutch club but will spend this season in Glasgow at Ibrox after Steven Gerrard snared him from AS Roma. Former Celtic hit-man Van Hooijdonk was hugely impressed by the 21-year-old’s stint in his homeland where he bagged five goals in 12 games. Now a player agent, he believe Sadiq has a unique talent and has compared him to one of his country’s legendary attackers, ex-arsenal, Ajax and Inter icon Kanu. Van Hooijdonk said: “Some of the thing Sadiq will do on the pitch, you won’t believe. He can produce pieces of magic. “He’s only 21 but he’ll do certain things which make you think: ‘How long have you been playing the game for’? He’s a very unusual player. He’s really fast, which is a big advantage for a player now.
“That’s why he was successful in the period he played for NAC Breda.
“They didn’t have anyone with pace before Sadiq arrived so it allowed them to put the ball in behind defences for him.
“And he’s a confident lad. When he gets the ball, he can play. But his body language is completely different to most players. It’s hard to explain until you see him.
“He’s got a bit of the Kanu about him. He has the same kind of style.
“He might not be at Kanu’s level yet but it will be very good to go from Dutch football to the Scottish league. I expect him to play and that’s what he needs.”