Nigerian midfielder, Theophilus Awua, who recently joined Italian Serie B side, AS Cittadella, as a loanee from newly prompted Serie A club, Spezia Calcio, is looking to become a mainstay in manager Roberto Venturato’s team pushing to make massive impact this term.
Citta are currently fifth in the Serie B table on 10 points. Venturato’s men have recorded three wins, one draw and a loss (in the last game against Monza).
In this exclusive interview with
RAFFAELE CAMPO for Completesports.com, Awua talks up his chances of becoming a better player at Cittadella.
Awua, how are these first few months going for you in Citadella?
Awua: “Well, not as I wanted, but well. Except the last game [vs Monza], the team is winning and this is the most important thing, more than the individual player”.
You have played twice in the Italian Cup, but not yet in the league. Did you expect more playing time?
Awua: “It is obvious that everyone in a team wants to play and not to sit on the bench. I certainly expected more games, but it is the coach who decides and I respect every Venturato’s decision. I’m sure that my time will come”.
Also Read – Rohr Alert: Arokodare Has Qualities That Aren’t Easy To Find –FC Cologne GM, Heldt
Talking about it , what kind of a coach is Venturato? How are you with him?
Awua: “He’s a great manager, and if I chose Cittadella, it was mainly because he was there. With him, I can improve a lot. Every year, he always brings Cittadella to the play-off, and in in a league like Serie B, it’s never easy. I also really appreciate his footballing principles: he wants an aggressive team, which has ball possession and always attacks”.
Aside from the club, do you like Cittadella as a city?
Awua: “It’s a very nice place, not a big city and in one day you go around it all. But I like the quiet nature of Cittadella, so it is absolutely fine”.
You arrived in Italy in 2016, what is your best memory in this country?
Awua: “Surely the Scudetto I won with Inter’s Primavera in 2017, it was a great satisfaction for me . I was in the team with players like Zappa, Pinamonti and Vanheusden. Our coach was Stefano Vecchi. He was a very important person for me: I had just arrived from Nigeria, and he taught me a lot of tactics, which is very important and practiced in Italy more than every other country. I learned many things from him”.
Before arriving in Milan, you played for the Nigerian club, FC Abuja. In this period, the situation in Nigeria – about SARS [Special Anti-Robbery Squad] is being talked about all over the world. What is your opinion about it, and your message for the people who faced problems from it?
Awua: “We all hear and feel what is happening. My whole family lives in Nigeria, whenever I can, I go back there. I will just say that I would really like that things will become better for all, seeing certain things hurts very much …”
