Nigeria’s John Utaka walks the streets of France like an idol. Just as club boss canonises him, fans now see him as a hero. But the Nigerian says his best has yet to come. He says he will continue to baptise opponents with goals every week like the biblical John the Baptist.
After scoring 10 goals in three matches, you may not wonder anymore why Utaka was nicknamed Torpedo by the Egyptian fans. His great vision and dribbling skills, coupled with his explosive acceleration and unerring finishing, have certainly placed him as one of the best strikers in the world.
After last weekend’s feat, officials of the French club, Stade Rennais, are in joyous mood over the terrific form of the Super Eagles’ striker, who has now become a terror with his goal-scoring prowess, as he intensifies effort to end the season as the top goal scorer in French League.
So far, Utaka has been very impressive in the league, as he scored another goal last weekend in his club’s 2–0 win over Troyes to bring his goals’ haul to 11.
The Nigerian international, recently, scored four goals in Rennes’ 4–1 French Cup win at SR Colmar.
His newfound scoring magic has sent jitters down the spines of all football pundits, who were opportune to watch him fired blanks at the last African Cup of Nations in Egypt.
Utaka actually went back to France to rediscover himself, and has used his gift to market his long-time dream of playing in more lucrative league in Europe.
The Eagles’ attacker had indicated his intention to play in England, but he has yet to find a suitable place to pitch his tent. Now, he has the opportunity to make hay while the sun shines, and he has never relented in his effort to confirm his arrival with goals.
"It's a thing of joy for me to have scored so many goals in such a short time, but don't get confused, it's as a result of team effort," Utaka, who registered back-to-back hat tricks against RC Lens and Olympique Lyonnais in late February before getting injured said.
Goals had previously been scarce for Utaka. The 24-year-old failed to score at the last African Cup of Nations in Egypt. And before now, had recorded only three for Rennes since his summer move from Lens, in addition to one for Nigeria in a FIFA World Cup qualifier. However, he is wise enough to know that, in football, it’s generally best to go with the flow.
"I've seen a lot in my career and this won't change my approach to the job," he said. "One day you are up, the next, down."
Prior to his €6 million transfer to Rennes, Utaka spent three years with Lens, whom he had joined from Qatari outfit, Al Saad.
Ironically, his last goals for Lens came with a treble in a 5–2 victory against Rennes last May.
His latest scoring streak coincided with the absence, through injury, of Rennes's Switzerland forward, Alexander Frei, yet Coach Laszlo Boloni insists there’s more to Utaka's blossoms than just the chance to play as an out-and-out striker.
"Utaka has found his mark and feels more comfortable with us," said Boloni. "That's very important for a forward."
The player scored his 10th league goal of the season, and Ghanaian John Mensah got his first as Rennes picked up a sixth successive league win over Troyes last Saturday.
Rennes are now fifth in the French League, just a point off a UEFA Cup place.
Utaka is now joint fourth top goal-scorer in France’s Ligue 1 along with Nantes’ Malian striker, Mamadou Diallo.
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