{"id":4272,"date":"2021-04-18T19:58:15","date_gmt":"2021-04-18T19:58:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/umuakatimes.com\/topnews\/?p=4272"},"modified":"2021-04-18T19:58:15","modified_gmt":"2021-04-18T19:58:15","slug":"usa-superkid-daryl-dike-in-the-eyes-of-uk-sun-newspaper","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/umuakatimes.com\/topnews\/usa-superkid-daryl-dike-in-the-eyes-of-uk-sun-newspaper\/","title":{"rendered":"USA superkid Daryl Dike in the eyes of UK Sun newspaper."},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/span> 580<\/span> Views<\/span><\/div>

Editor’s note:<\/strong> Umuaka Times stumbled into an article written by the famous British Sun newspaper about Daryl Dike. Below is an edited part of the article.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Daryl Dike grew up falling in love with the Premier League and Didier Drogba while eating his mum\u2019s pancakes for breakfast. The 20-year-old American striker is on the brink of getting there himself after a staggering two-and-a-half months having Championship defences for breakfast. Daryl Dike is loving life at Oakwell since joining on loan from Orlando City in February. Dike has scored eight goals already for Barnsley as they chase Premier League football. Little was known about this incredible talent when Barnsley boss Valerien Ismael signed him on loan until the end of the season with an option to make the move permanent.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

But his eight goals in 14 games since moving from MLS club Orlando City has attracted huge interest from Premier League clubs including Manchester United, Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea, West Ham, Tottenham, Everton and Leeds.<\/p>\n

Yet, with the Tykes sitting sixth, he could be playing top-flight football at Oakwell next season instead.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It is some story for a kid who heralds from Oklahoma \u2013 hardly a hotbed for footballers. But Dike comes from a soccer-mad family who persuaded him to shun playing American Football.His brother Bright, sister Courtney and cousin Emmanuel Emenike all played for Nigeria. The striker \u2013 whose parents Jacinta and Vincent are Nigerian \u2013 said.<\/p>\n

\u201cFootball was always all around me. \u201cI\u2019d wake up every Saturday and Sunday and the first thing I\u2019d do was watch a match live on TV. Sometimes I\u2019d have to get up earlier than usual so not to miss the game”.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cMum would always be making breakfast \u2013 it would be pancakes, biscuits, eggs or cereal \u2013 and I\u2019d eat while watching the football.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI grew up thinking, \u2018One day I\u2019d love to get the opportunity to be a professional footballer.\u2019<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI watched a lot of football \u2013 Premier League, Championship, even League One and Two. It was a big deal for me to reach the level of playing in England.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Dike started supporting Chelsea because of Drogba and standing at 6ft 1in tall with a powerful physique he has striking similarities with his childhood idol.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He admitted: \u201cI loved Drogba, I enjoyed watching him. He was someone I\u2019ve always looked up to and Chelsea was my team.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It was ironic Dike made his debut this side of the pond against the Blues in the FA Cup in February \u2013 coming on as a second-half sub.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cJust to make my debut in English football was crazy but to do it against Chelsea, a top European team I supported, was surreal.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI managed to get Callum Hudson-Odoi\u2019s shirt and will keep that as a momentum. It\u2019s something I\u2019ll never forget.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Dike only turned pro with Orlando just over a year ago.But in that time he scored eight goals in 17 games in the MLS and has been capped twice for the USA \u2013 coming on as a sub in a 7-0 win against Trinidad & Tobago and the 2-1 victory against Northern Ireland. So the burning question is why did a footballer swap the glamorous and warm surroundings of Orlando \u2013 the home of Disney World \u2013 for the chilly Yorkshire market town of Barnsley?<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Dike said: \u201cI was on national team camp and the day before one of our games, my agent said Barnsley wanted to sign me.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI told him I\u2019d focus on the national team and talk after. I was able to get my first USA cap and that was a phenomenal.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cTo be able to come to Barnsley I had to have won a cap. I spoke with my agent and family and felt it was a great opportunity.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI knew about the team as I had often watched the Championship and other leagues below the Premier League.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cSo the next day I was on the plane to London and got driven up to Barnsley.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI was amazed when I arrived because in Orlando it had been blistering hot \u2013 but in Barnsley it was freezing cold and snowing! I thought, \u2018Wow, this is a bit different!\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Dike has been unable to familiarize himself with the town and surrounding area because of lockdown restrictions \u2013 and has been holed up mostly in his apartment studying a finance degree. He said: \u201cI\u2019ve been watching TV, playing video games and catching up with friends back home \u2013 but I\u2019ve also been doing schooling.<\/p>\n

Dike has loved the close-knit family feel at Barnsley which has helped him settle.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m trying to get into green finance and have been attending university lectures online. I\u2019ve always been a numbers guy and interested in math.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cEducation has been a big thing in my family so I\u2019ve kept up with that.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d love to play until I\u2019m 75 but I don\u2019t think the body will allow me so after football I want to pursue a career I enjoy and a degree will help me.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

However, Dike \u2013 although he is yet to play in front of fans at Oakwell \u2013 has been bowled over by the reception he gets when walking around the town. Hardly a day passes without a Barnsley fan stopping for a chat or sending him a letter via the club or social media. The offer to come to Barnsley came out of the blue while Dike was on international duty. Dike holds aloft his No10 Barnsley shirt when he was unveiled in February.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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