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Celebrating African legends: Adebayor and Kanu through Danny’s eyes
Completsports.com His special series continues that highlights the lasting impact of the great Africans on the Premier League, this time with the former defender of England and Manchester City, Danny Mills, reflecting on the brilliance of Emmanuel Adebayor and Nwankwo Kanu.
Mills, who faced both legendary strikers during his career, paid brilliant taxes to his unique qualities: the explosive power of Adebayor and Kanu’s fascinating natural ability, while placing them within an era that described as “full of incredible attack talents.”
Adebayor: Arsenal star, city arrival and a memorable goal
Speak exclusively to completearsports.com, backed by Which bookieMills described Emmanuel Adebayor as a striker with “strength, power and unpredictability.”
“I once played against Adebayor when I was in Arsenal. It’s strong, powerful and unpredictable,” Mills recalled.
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Adebayor arrived in England with Arsenal in 2006, where he scored 46 goals in 104 games before joining Manchester City in 2009, just when Mills left the club. Later he appeared for Tottenham Hotspur and Crystal Palace, leaving behind an indelible brand in the English game.
“Adebayor was perhaps a more powerful striker, with a career and finishing power. He was more a traditional striker: strong, powerful, fast, he scored all kinds of goals. I remember him mainly when he scored in the Etihad [against Arsenal]He ran along the field on the east side in front of Arsenal fans. Yes, it did not fell particularly well, obtaining all kinds of abuse throughout the game, “Mills said.
Kanu: the languid genius that could not stop
While Adebayor was revered for his physical domain, Mills reserved a special type of respect for Nwankwo Kanu, describing the Nigerian icon as blessed with an extraordinary natural talent.
Also read: ‘Kanu is my idol, god of football’ –ebayor
“Kanu-when he went to Arsenal, he was a bit unknown. It seemed that he had a 15 feet, you know. But he had this incredible ability to drag, I don’t know, Flip-Flop, as they call him there.
The former Super Eagles captain won two African player awards of the year (1996 and 1999) and spent five years in Arsenal, scoring 30 goals in 119 games. He was part of the 2003/04 deformable team, before spending later at West Bromwich Albion and Portsmouth, where he helped the club win the FA Cup in 2008.
“Kanu was one of those who had 6 feet 2, 6 feet 3, I don’t know, ridiculously tall, languid, but he had incredible skill. I would say Kanu had much more natural ability than adebayor,” Mills observed.
The golden era of EPL strikers
For Mills, the period in which Adebayor and Kanu shone in the Premier League was part of a golden generation of strikers, a moment that believes it was much more difficult for defenders compared to the present.
“I can be impartial, but I look back. I think 10, 15 years ago, the Premier League was full of attacker talents. Each team had two or three great strikers. I am not sure that you can say the same thing on this day and age.”
The old side of Leeds United made comparisons between great Africans and English stars, pointing out the physicality of the league at that time:
“You had Adebayor, Kanu, Drogba, Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp, Andy Cole, Dwight Yorke, Teddy Sheringham, Hernan Crespo, Mark Viduka, Robbie Fowler, Alan Smith, Ian Wright, was just a team with an insufficient team. All teams were very difficult to play. physicality
Rooney vs Kane, and why the old school was harder
Mills also contrasted the strikers of his time with today’s best strikers, making a revealing comparison between Wayne Rooney and Harry Kane.
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“Harry Kane’s numbers are better, but I would prefer to play against Harry Kane every day of the week. Because Rooney had absolutely everything: rhythm, power, I would hit you in the air, I would hit you, I would make you nut, I would twist in the circles, work you, I would overcome you, with incredible intelligence and the consciousness of the game. That was sensational.
He added that changes in arbitration have also made it easier for modern strikers:
“The players have to be a bit cute on this day and age, but there is no physical contact. They are not being beaten, blocked in each race, grabbed the ball, knocked down. Every opportunity where it is a foul now is almost a straight red card. For the strikers, it was much more difficult to score goals 10, 15 years ago.”
Adebayor, kanu: legacy of African legends
Adebayor and Kanu may have brought different styles to the Premier League, one through pure power, the other with elegant unpredictability, but together they helped shape the identity of the African players in England.
His legacies continue to inspire the current generation of African talents who strive to leave their mark on the most competitive league in the world.
By nnamdi ezekute
