Though the chances of 24-year-old James getting a look-in in the Super Eagles under Franco-German coach Gernot Rohr is somehow bleak, the Chinese-based striker is upbeat his time will certainly come, reports MORAKINYO ABODUNRIN
LEKE James, the Nigerian striker with Beijing BG has not ruled out the prospect of playing for the Super Eagles despite quitting Europe for the less-seeing Chinese League almost a year ago.
Playing in the Far East is usual consideration of players who are ready for their Indian Summer and it came as a huge surprise when the youngster jumped the ship of Norwegian Tippeligaen club Aalesund where he was regarded as a hero after scoring 45 goals, including 12 assists in 101 games under four seasons for the club.
Though 24, the chances of James getting a look-in in the Super Eagles under Franco-German coach Gernot Rohr is somehow bleak James was still up beat, adding, if God wills, he will still play for the Nigerian national team.
“To be sincere, I felt bad that despite being on top of my game while in Norway scoring goals, national team coaches never gave me a chance but I believe that what is meant to be will be; if I ‘m destined be there, I will be there at the right time by the grace of God, “declared the former Bridge Boys of Lagos striker.
James had a great time in the Norwegian league so much so his transfer to the Chinese league came as a huge surprise to Aalesund manager Trond Fredriksen who reportedly stated as much in an interview with local tabloid Aftenposten: “We are stupid if we think Toy remain for ten years, so we have a good plan; we are preparing that there comes a day when he(Leke) can leave, and we trying to get a list of players that may be able to replace him. It’s not easy to get a striker of his calibre.
“If we get a good price for Leke, I think the team will emerge stronger from it and It would give us opportunities to use someone else in that position and strengthen us elsewhere, whilst it may give us opportunities to develop other squad members but I wish of course that he will remain for many years,” said Fredriksen.
Of course, good things don’t last forever and James was soon on his way to the money-spinning Chinese League with utter regret: “It was not easy to say yes, because it´s a hard decision to leave a place where I feel at home. It was really hard to say goodbye because we are a family in AaFK; It feels like the first time I had to leave my family in Nigeria and leave for Europe. And I want to say sorry to the fans that felt hurt about this decision, I hope they understand and accept it.”
James has settled down well at his new club, Beijing Enterprises Group Football Club or commonly known as BG, which according to an online search engine is a professional Chinese football club that currently participates in the China League One division under licence from the Chinese Football Association (CFA).
The team is based in Beijing and their home stadium is the Olympic Sports Centre (Beijing) that has a seating capacity of 36,228. Their current majority shareholder is the conglomerate Beijing Enterprises Holdings Limited. Beijing Enterprises Group F.C. was founded as Beijing Baxy F.C. in 2004 by former Chinese footballers Guo Weiwei, Wang Tao and Guo Weijian, as an amateur football club. By 2009, the club’s youth team were considered good enough to take part in professional football and the club entered the third tier of Chinese football at the beginning of the 2009 China League Two season.
After failure to win promotion from the previous season, the club decided to take over financially struggling China League One side, Beijing Hongdeng, and took over their position within the league at the beginning of the 2010 league season
Beijing Baxy finished the 15th of 16 teams in the 2012 season and was supposed to relegate to China League Two; however, they were spared from relegation due to Dalian Shide’s dissolution. In February 2013, Croatian manager Goran Tomić was officially announced as the new coach of the club and after signing some high-level players, including Nigerian Stephen Makinwa, Lucian Goian, Ryan Griffiths and Hu Zhaojun, Beijing Baxy finished historic high record of 7th place in the 2013 season. Beijing Baxy had a 21-match-unbeaten (8 wins and 13 draws) start in the 2014 season. They remained the hope of promotion until the last round and eventually finished in 4th place. Goran Tomić won China League One Coach of the Year award in December 2014.
On 25 December 2014, Beijing Enterprises Holdings Limited bought majority shares of the club and the club name was changed into Beijing Enterprises Group F.C.
They would also change the club’s badge and home kit from all white to blue and red as well as bring in former Beijing Guoan manager, Aleksandar Stanojević, on the 12th of January 2015 on a three-year contract with the club. In December 2016, the team officially sacked Aleksandar Stanojević, and signed Yasen Petrov as their new manager.
Meanwhile, James has been firing on all cylinders for BG and on the last count, and has scored 13 goals in 24 appearances for the club and enthused the Chinese league is competitive like any other league elsewhere in the world.
“The Chinese league is improving speedily and contrary to belief of many; it’s not a bad League as people look down on it because it’s not Europe. It’s a tough league for foreigners and the good thing is that the organisers are really putting in a lot to make it better,” he stated.
They said Rome was not built in a day and James, as a matter of fact, is not in the league of players to be described as bonafide overnight success stories having started his career kicking the round leather game on the dusty fields around Kaduna metropolis in Northern Nigeria.
Of course, Kaduna is a notable soccer city in Nigeria with the production of many illustrious names like Ayo Ogunlana, Dahiru Sadi, Ishaya Jatau, Daniel Amokachi, Garba Lawal, the Babayaro brothers (Celestine and Emmanuel), Tijani Babangida, amongst others, and Leke remembers with nostalgia his humble beginning.
He explained: “I started playing football on the street just like every other kid growing up in Kaduna and at the early stage, it was difficult for me because my parents did not want me to go close to playing football but wanted me to go to school like most parents.
“But they saw the passion I had for the game. They saw it growing day by day and a lot of coaches coming home to plead with them to allow me follow my heart because they saw in me I have what it takes to be a great and successful footballer.”
He would later begin his professional football career with Bridge Boys, before he was transferred to Aalesund in January 2012. However, an injury the during pre-season hindered his path into the first team and he did not get back into full training until the start of July.
He made his first appearance for Aalesund coming on as a second half substitute against Tirana in Europa League and scoring twice in Aalesund’s 5-0-win on 26 July 26, 2012. And three days later, he made his debut in Tippeligaen against Stabæk.
“Playing in Norway was a great and nice experience for me and I consider Norway my second home,” purred James. “I remember my first year in Norway, I was doing well in the pre-season training, getting ready for the season but I got injured when we were about rounding off the preparations.
“It took me half of the season to recover and it was really frustrating and scary; but God took control of everything and my coming back to the team was fantastic.
“I really had a great time in Norway and the only regret was that the national team coaches never gave me a chance despite my good showing with Aalesund. Sincerely, I felt bad but I believe that what is meant to be will be. If I am meant to be there playing for the national team one day, I will be there at the right time.”
Leke believes his time has come after settling down with a girl of his dream, adding marriage has truly improved his maturity on and off the field.
“Getting married is a different life. For me, it’s a better life that comes with more responsibility, change in mentality. It took a while for her to be convinced that I was for real. But to God be the glory, that is history as we are now living happily.
“The feeling was awesome when she finally agreed to be my wife. I felt a different person in my whole-body system. I was extremely happy.
“My dream is to play at the highest level in football and to keep breaking my previous goal-scoring record every season; and being married now has really helped my focus. “
James in the meantime has not forgotten about his roots in Kaduna and he explained the rationale behind a self- sponsored soccer tournament: “The grassroots tournament in Kaduna was aimed at giving back to the society, where I started from, so as to expose more hidden talents and it was a platform where they can show and bring out the qualities they have in the game of football.
I am also trying to empower the youths so as to reduce crime in the society while they are engaged in what they love to do, that is playing football. “
All work without play would definitely make James a dull striker and he told Sport & Style about his lovable destination for a holiday: “I love it at Gran Canaria, an Island in Spain. It has a nice weather, cool place and good food.”
No wonder James has shown such vitality on the soccer pitch with his excellent scoring record from Norway to China.
