Scoring my first goal in Swedish topflight was memorable
A former Golden Eaglets midfielder, Ishaq Abdulrazaq who plies his trade in the Swedish top flight with IFK Norrkoping has said scoring his first goal for his European club was memorable and he will savour the moment for a long time. In this interview with Trust Sports, the player popularly called ‘Golden boy’ by his teeming fans said he will redouble his effort because he wants to prove his worth in the Swedish topflight. Abdulrazaq also said he is not going to betray the trust of his managers.
How did you start your football career? I am Abdulrazaq Ishaq, popularly known as Golden Boy or Razaki. I was born and brought up in Hayin Banki, Kaduna state. I started playing football when I was very small because I grew up watching my elder brothers playing the game. When I started playing with my seniors then people used to give me some money and that motivated to keep playing the game. Most people were surprised the way I could contend with bigger players. So I continued playing at primary school, where our PHE teacher likes me very well and he encouraged me to keep working hard. And when I get to secondary school, I continued and my Games Master also fell in love with my game. However, it was during one U-12 match between my secondary school, Sardauna Memorial College and Pepsi Academy Kaduna which I played well that Pepsi invited me to train with them. I later stopped going to Pepsi because I could not afford transport fare to Ahmadu Bello Stadium every day at that time. That is how it all started. How much support did you enjoy from your family?
At initial stage, my dad was not supportive. But one day, I was selected to travel to Benin City in Edo state for U13, and I told them I can’t travel because my dad will not allow me. But they insisted that I must travel with them. I then asked them to come and meet my dad. Luckily enough for me, they convinced him and he even gave me 3,000 Naira. Since that time, he started supporting me but warmed me to focus on what I will be doing and to have faith in God. How did you get into the National U-17 team, the Golden Eaglets?
When we returned from Benin, one manager, Danjuma took me to Unity Academy Kaduna. It was at Unity Academy that they took me for trials with the Golden Eaglets. I went for the screening and passed and was selected. That time we could not qualify for the Nations Cup. We had a poor outing. After we came back, I went back to training. The NFF then called us that we would travel to Korea for another tournament which was originally supposed to be for U20, but somehow our U-17 was selected travel. We had another poor outing because we were U17 team, playing against U20 teams.
Can you tell us how you were signed by IFK Norrkoping FC in the Swedish league?
I was just 15 years old then, and since that time when every scout came from abroad, I would be selected to go and play the match. That was how I was selected by one scout during one of those scouting programmes. He took my picture and left and I didn’t hear from him. After a long time, I even forgot about until when he came with my picture looking for me. The scout was able to locate my manager and that was how I travelled to Sweden to join IFK Norrkoping FC. But I was too small to sign, so they kept me in their junior team. I will do three months there and come back home for three months up to the time I signed professional contract this year after I attained 18 years. Now that you have signed professional contract, what is your ambition?
My ambition is to prove my worth by giving my best. I will do my best and leave the rest to God. But I hope to bring something new and different to Norrkoping. I will try my best in ensuring we improve the team to be better than what it was. How many years did you sign?
I signed four years contract. I want to settle down and ensure I give my best performance for the club. It was an honour for the club to trust me with four year contract. It means they have confidence in me. What was it like when you scored your first goal?
I was over the moon. It was very nice moment for me, though unfortunately we lost the match. But I hope to build from there by God grace. As a former U-17 player what are you doing to play for the Super Eagles?
Playing for Super Eagles is not easy. You have to prove your worth at your club first and you must be playing very well and regularly before they will invite you. So I will wait for my time to come. But I think I can start with the Flying Eagles since I am still within the age range. Who is your role model?
It was Luka Modric of Real Madrid, but now that I am more of an attacker, I watch Cristiano Ronaldo more. What message do you have for your fans?
I can see and feel their love and I appreciate them all. I will keep doing my best to make them happy. One love to them all.