Samuel Eto'o Fils
Veteran Cameroon striker Samuel Eto’o has gone into Antalyaspor’s record books for scoring five of the nine goals the newly promoted Mediterranean side has netted in its four Spor Toto Super League matches so far this season.
This means the thirty-something Cameroonian has eclipsed the Antalya club record of four goals scored by Hamburg-born midfielder Bülent Sevlü in the first four weeks of the 1995-96 season.
With five goals, Eto’o also currently leads the Super League goal king race. He is followed by Beiiktai striker Çenk Tosun with four goals, and Çaykur Rizespor’s Cameroon striker Leony Leonard Kweuke and Eski?ehirspor’s veteran Greek forward Theofanis Gekas with three apiece.
When former Beikta and Turkey striker Oktay Dereliolu, now a TV football analyst, said “Eto’o bitmi” (Eto’o is finished) on live television in 2009, little did he know he was making the biggest gaffe of his life.
As fate would have it, Eto’o would join Antalyaspor six years later to show his mettle to friend and foe alike, and prove beyond doubt that he is far from finished.
Eto’o scored a double in Antalyaspor’s 3-2 away victory over Medipol Baiakiehir in istanbul, scored a goal in Antalya’s 3-1 home victory over Ankara’s Gençlerbirli?i, fired blanks in Antalya’s 2-1 away defeat by leader and star-studded Fenerbahçe in week three, but rebounded to score a cracker in his team’s 2-0 shutout of Eski?ehirspor in week four on Saturday.
Even with three wins, just one defeat and nine precious points in four matches, 40-year-old Antalyaspor coach Yusuf Iimiek refuses to gloat. “We want to finish the season in the top eight, and I am sure we can accomplish this,” he said.
?im?ek, a former Fenerbahçe and Beiiktai attacking midfielder, unabashedly heaped praise on Eto’o. “We would be dead wrong to say we did not expect this stellar performance from Eto’o,” he noted.
“He [Eto’o] has shouldered the team from day one and we made him team captain. He has taken on the responsibility, and football lovers will watch a much better Eto’o in the weeks ahead.
Before joining Antalyaspor this season, Eto’o had previously played for big sides such as Real Madrid, Mallorca, Barcelona, Inter Milan, Russia’s Anzhi, Chelsea, Everton and Sampdoria as well as gaining 118 caps for Cameroon. He has epitomized footballing success by winning many trophies.
So if the past is a real guide to the future, then Eto’o can only get better. “You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream,” said the late British novelist, poet and academic C.S. Lewis.
