Post by Les on Oct 15, 2024 10:01:57 GMT
safc
Eliezer Mayenda: "This team has the quality to push on"
After a brilliant start to the 2024-25 season, Eliezer Mayenda sat down with safc.com as part of a wide-ranging interview about his journey from a boy in France to the Stadium of Light.
18 December 2021. A proud moment in the career of Mayenda who stepped out for his professional debut for Sochaux.
He came on as a late substitute in a Coupe de France tie against Nantes as a 16-year-old. His first goal for the club came in the following season during a resounding 5-1 win over FC Annecy in February 2023. His permanent move to Wearside followed in the summer of the same year.
This time period represented a solid grounding in football, and it would act as a source of pride for any youngster but that doesn’t mean to say it was a seamless transition without its hurdles.
Mayenda said: “In France, it was different. I was in the academy of Sochaux, but I became a professional player at 16. It’s not easy because you have to concentrate in every training session, and I was a kid.
“It is a different mentality. If you have the talent, you need to work everyday.
“You can play so many games in general at 16. Lamine Yamal was this age and he has played more than 50 games, but that isn’t the case for everybody.
“It was a good time though because I felt good but it wasn’t easy. My second season I was 17 and I went on to play 15 games for the first-team. That was a good time because I was confident and strong. More confident in my mind. But that was because I needed to learn. At 16, I needed to work every day.”
Similarities can be drawn with the current complexion of Sunderland’s first team. Chris Rigg has become a mainstay in the team this season at the age of 17 and the pair’s journey can be mirrored. “When I was in France, it was similar for me and Riggy,” he added. “I talked with him about that. I said that he is a special player, and everybody knows.
“We need to be careful with him because he is young and hopefully, he can play every game, but we need to be careful because I was in the same situation in France.
“It’s been a good season for him so far so hopefully he can keep it up. I am so happy for him, but I know myself that it is not easy. But he works hard every day so hopefully it won’t be a problem for him.”
At 19-years-old, Mayenda is in the infancy of his career but has already realised the importance of hard work from an even earlier age.
Born in Zaragoza in Spain, Mayenda and his family moved to France, where his football journey began. Judging by the way he talks about his parents, it’s easy to see where his work ethic comes from.
“My dad and my mum helped me a lot,” he continued. “My dad talks to me every day about discipline, and it is really important in football. If you have discipline, then you can do anything.
“You can score goals and play well but the discipline is very important. He speaks with me every day about that and he is proud of that.
“As a kid, everybody wants to become a professional footballer and it’s not easy. If you can become professional, it’s an amazing grace. Some people say it’s lucky but it’s not that, it’s work and it’s discipline but it’s important to be graceful.
“My parents are really proud and they helped me with everything.
“My whole family were at the Stadium of Light when I scored two goals. It was incredible. I think my mum cried but I’m not sure! It was an amazing moment. My father said he didn’t cry but I don’t believe him!”
A special moment for the Mayenda family was Sunderland’s 4-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday with the forward getting on scoresheet twice.
His first goal was the pick of the bunch from the game, after capitalising on a mistake and producing an outstanding strike from distance.
He said: “I watched the goals after the game, and I saw the fans and it was emotional. It was incredible. It was special for me.
“It’s not easy but if you practice this every day then it is more natural in the game. When I controlled the ball, I thought that it was a long distance out, but I knew that I could shoot.
“If you are confident, you can score. It was a natural movement for me. If you practice this every day, then it becomes easier.”
A goalscoring instinct in football has often been described as an art form. Strikers can go through goal-droughts only to rediscover themselves later down the line.
Some of greatest strikers in the world follow a similar path and it remains important to learn from the best in the game. “I liked Fernando Torres” Mayenda admitted. “For me, he was one of the best Spanish strikers of all time. The first example though is Ronaldo. He was the most complete number nine of all time.
“If you want to help the team, you need to be fast, technical, strong. Ronaldo is a good example of that. He can shoot, score goals, defend, he was fast, strong and technical and I work every day in training to become all of those things. All of this will make me better.”
Mayenda and the rest of the squad can afford to be pleased with their start to the current campaign. The Lads currently sit top of the Sky Bet Championship after nine games in the season with six wins. Up next is a trip to Hull City next Sunday.
Régis Le Bris admitted that the international break will be put to good use offering ample time to reflect on their progress so far. Looking ahead, self-belief is the message with the squad hoping to maintain their current form.
“Every supporter wants to see us back in the Premier League” the 19-year-old added. “It won’t be easy, but this team has the quality to push for that this season and be in a strong position.
“We’ll play another 40 games so the season is long, but we have good quality in defence, midfield and attack. Patto is amazing in goal too. We need to believe in ourselves. We need to be confident in every game.
“Our ambition is to get to the Premier League, but we need to work to get there. We work very well in training every day. It’s a good start this season but we need to keep going. Everyone has the same objective and I believe in my teammates.
“Last season, I said that we need to be patient with team because it is really young. I am playing more games, we have more quality, the gaffer is a good coach, and he knows what we need in this team.
Eliezer Mayenda: "This team has the quality to push on"
After a brilliant start to the 2024-25 season, Eliezer Mayenda sat down with safc.com as part of a wide-ranging interview about his journey from a boy in France to the Stadium of Light.
18 December 2021. A proud moment in the career of Mayenda who stepped out for his professional debut for Sochaux.
He came on as a late substitute in a Coupe de France tie against Nantes as a 16-year-old. His first goal for the club came in the following season during a resounding 5-1 win over FC Annecy in February 2023. His permanent move to Wearside followed in the summer of the same year.
This time period represented a solid grounding in football, and it would act as a source of pride for any youngster but that doesn’t mean to say it was a seamless transition without its hurdles.
Mayenda said: “In France, it was different. I was in the academy of Sochaux, but I became a professional player at 16. It’s not easy because you have to concentrate in every training session, and I was a kid.
“It is a different mentality. If you have the talent, you need to work everyday.
“You can play so many games in general at 16. Lamine Yamal was this age and he has played more than 50 games, but that isn’t the case for everybody.
“It was a good time though because I felt good but it wasn’t easy. My second season I was 17 and I went on to play 15 games for the first-team. That was a good time because I was confident and strong. More confident in my mind. But that was because I needed to learn. At 16, I needed to work every day.”
Similarities can be drawn with the current complexion of Sunderland’s first team. Chris Rigg has become a mainstay in the team this season at the age of 17 and the pair’s journey can be mirrored. “When I was in France, it was similar for me and Riggy,” he added. “I talked with him about that. I said that he is a special player, and everybody knows.
“We need to be careful with him because he is young and hopefully, he can play every game, but we need to be careful because I was in the same situation in France.
“It’s been a good season for him so far so hopefully he can keep it up. I am so happy for him, but I know myself that it is not easy. But he works hard every day so hopefully it won’t be a problem for him.”
At 19-years-old, Mayenda is in the infancy of his career but has already realised the importance of hard work from an even earlier age.
Born in Zaragoza in Spain, Mayenda and his family moved to France, where his football journey began. Judging by the way he talks about his parents, it’s easy to see where his work ethic comes from.
“My dad and my mum helped me a lot,” he continued. “My dad talks to me every day about discipline, and it is really important in football. If you have discipline, then you can do anything.
“You can score goals and play well but the discipline is very important. He speaks with me every day about that and he is proud of that.
“As a kid, everybody wants to become a professional footballer and it’s not easy. If you can become professional, it’s an amazing grace. Some people say it’s lucky but it’s not that, it’s work and it’s discipline but it’s important to be graceful.
“My parents are really proud and they helped me with everything.
“My whole family were at the Stadium of Light when I scored two goals. It was incredible. I think my mum cried but I’m not sure! It was an amazing moment. My father said he didn’t cry but I don’t believe him!”
A special moment for the Mayenda family was Sunderland’s 4-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday with the forward getting on scoresheet twice.
His first goal was the pick of the bunch from the game, after capitalising on a mistake and producing an outstanding strike from distance.
He said: “I watched the goals after the game, and I saw the fans and it was emotional. It was incredible. It was special for me.
“It’s not easy but if you practice this every day then it is more natural in the game. When I controlled the ball, I thought that it was a long distance out, but I knew that I could shoot.
“If you are confident, you can score. It was a natural movement for me. If you practice this every day, then it becomes easier.”
A goalscoring instinct in football has often been described as an art form. Strikers can go through goal-droughts only to rediscover themselves later down the line.
Some of greatest strikers in the world follow a similar path and it remains important to learn from the best in the game. “I liked Fernando Torres” Mayenda admitted. “For me, he was one of the best Spanish strikers of all time. The first example though is Ronaldo. He was the most complete number nine of all time.
“If you want to help the team, you need to be fast, technical, strong. Ronaldo is a good example of that. He can shoot, score goals, defend, he was fast, strong and technical and I work every day in training to become all of those things. All of this will make me better.”
Mayenda and the rest of the squad can afford to be pleased with their start to the current campaign. The Lads currently sit top of the Sky Bet Championship after nine games in the season with six wins. Up next is a trip to Hull City next Sunday.
Régis Le Bris admitted that the international break will be put to good use offering ample time to reflect on their progress so far. Looking ahead, self-belief is the message with the squad hoping to maintain their current form.
“Every supporter wants to see us back in the Premier League” the 19-year-old added. “It won’t be easy, but this team has the quality to push for that this season and be in a strong position.
“We’ll play another 40 games so the season is long, but we have good quality in defence, midfield and attack. Patto is amazing in goal too. We need to believe in ourselves. We need to be confident in every game.
“Our ambition is to get to the Premier League, but we need to work to get there. We work very well in training every day. It’s a good start this season but we need to keep going. Everyone has the same objective and I believe in my teammates.
“Last season, I said that we need to be patient with team because it is really young. I am playing more games, we have more quality, the gaffer is a good coach, and he knows what we need in this team.