Dora Kayode, agent and wife of Nigerian striker, Olanrewaju Kayode, has explained the reasons for the player’s transfer to Genclerbirligi on a two-year deal.

Kayode endured a tough time at Turkish Super Lig side, Sivasspor, where he spent two seasons on loan, before another loan adventure at Umraniyespor last season. The 30-year-old was starved of game time and used out of his preferred position.

Speaking in an interview, Dora admitted that the last two seasons had been tough for Kayode, noting that the transfer had to be made, in order to enable the Nigerian international rediscover his scoring form.

“It was a very tough decision. He hasn’t been lucky in the past two seasons. We needed a place where he can play consistently because we want him to be back on the radar, to start scoring goals like Kayode. We chose this club because they love him, the coach loves him and promised to put him back on the track.

It’s a traditional club, well-known club, very organised club, with big facilities.

“He will enjoy there because he knows that he has to use this opportunity to show himself again, or reintroduce himself again. That’s why we chose Genclerbirligi in Turkey”, she said.

Speaking further, Dora stressed that Kayode suffered mentally at Sivasspor.

“We wanted a place he would go and enjoy football. He hasn’t been enjoying football. The last time he played at Sivasspor, he was used as a winger and that’s not his position. It made him sad and that affected him psychologically. A football player wants to play and of course wants to be in the right position.

“At the same time, the coach was not giving him the minutes to play. He got few minutes: Ten minutes, five minutes, even playing him as a winger. It got him devastated. So we wanted where he would enjoy his football like at Austria Wien, Maccabi Netanya. We believe he will achieve a lot with this club and it is going to be a magical moment”, said Dora.

Defending why an established striker like Kayode would move to such a club in Turkey, she argued that, “sometimes in life, we have to step back in order to move forward.

“He needs to go where he would be appreciated, where he can explore. He is not a kind of striker that stays in one place. He moves around.

“For example, if he scores 15 goals, 16 goals or above, you think bigger clubs wouldn’t come? People want to know ‘Is this the Kayode we used to know’? Football is full of ups and downs, it happens in footballer’s lives. For me, he has made name for himself and will continue to until he retires”, Dora said.

Speaking on the target for her husband, Ezinne Kayode, said, “to make everything come back to place at the end of the day.”