Al Ain veteran midfielder Ebrahim Diaky has called for patience for the club’s Nigerian striker Emmanuel Emenike, insisting replacing their legendary former attacker Asamoah Gyan is no easy task.
Emenike was signed to replace the prolific Ghana striker after the latter moved to Chinese giants Shanghai SIPG on a two-year contract estimated to be worth £227,000 (Dh1.23 million) a week in the summer.
But the Nigerian has been unable to replicate the form of Gyan, who plundered an astonishing 95 goals in 83 appearances for The Boss between 2011 and this year, leading to heavy criticism from many Al Ain fans.
However, Emenike helped silence some of his critics when Al Ain hammered their bitter rivals Al Ahli 3-0 in the Arabian Gulf League on Saturday, a game he started only because of an injury to the UAE international Saeed Al Kathiri.
The Nigerian’s cool one-on-one finish made it his fifth goal in seven games in the top- light since his loan move from Turkish giants Fenerbahce.
Diaky, 33, hopes Emenike can continue in this rich scoring vein.
He said: “He has had his difficult moments, but now it is coming slowly, slowly.
“The pressure at Al Ain is not easy, especially when you come after a striker like Asamoah Gyan — he left a big name behind.
“Emenike is a great striker. I have told him to keep working and it will come for him.”
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