Talismanic Kenyan midfielder Victor Wanyama, currently turning out for Major League Soccer (MLS) was once described by a former long serving Harambee Stars manager Edward Oduor as humility personified. After stomping the national stadiums representing Kenya for a decade and half, Wanyama finally retired from international football. The 67-cap player went through ridiculous situations under unscrupulous football administrations just to don the Kenyan color.At club level, Big Vic or The Lion of Muthurwa equally trod tricky trails to accomplish a commendable professional career in Kenya, Belgium, Scotland, England and now Canada. Mozzart Sport caught up with the soft-spoken midfielder for an exclusive interview. Thank you for making time for this interview Victor, briefly tell us where your football journey began.My football story begins at Nairobi Country Bus, that’s where I used to play with my friends from a very young age, we were doing it for fun then. While in high school (Kamukunji High School) I got a chance to train with Nairobi City Stars and played for them in the league for I think two or three games. I then went to AFC Leopards, I did not have a contract with them but they gave me a league card and I featured for a couple of games. I was born a Leopard, Leopards is like home for me because my dad played for the team, he coached them. That was basically my career in the Kenyan Premier League.Victor Wanyama has NEVER tasted alcohol. I know my GOATHis interview dropping on Saturday morning. pic.twitter.com/QalbQa0gLp— Ole Teya (@Kevin_teya) October 6, 2021 You went to Sweden for trials but did not stay there despite you impressing. What exactly transpired?When I went to Sweden for trials with Helsingborg when my brother Mariga was there, the coaches were really impressed with what I showed during the trials. I was comfortable with him (Mariga) around but when his departure from Sweden to Parma became imminent, I decided to return home because I was young, in a new country, it was very cold and it was going to be difficult for me to cope. I returned home and joined JMJ Academy; I was with them for around six months, training as I waited for the next move. I then moved to Belgium in 2008 to join Beerschot.Pic dated 28th Feb 09. Victor Wanyama (3rd from left) was with Belgian club Germinal Beerschot but played in a local tournament on a hot & dusty pitch while in Kenya. Yesterday he qualified for the #UCL semi-final with @SpursOfficialLion of Muthurwa we are proud of you! 🇰🇪 pic.twitter.com/XJuvbjtjVP— Idah Waringa (@IdahWaringa) April 18, 2019 We can say Beerschot gave you a career breakthrough, how can you describe your time in Belgium?When I moved to Belgium, I played for Beerschot’s U21 team which is their reserve team for two years. I would get involved with the senior team once in a while as a late sub before I slowly established myself as a first-team player at the club. I learned a lot at Beerschot and I can say that I developed both as a player and as a person there.They say Belgium is a good league for players from Africa and other lowly ranked countries to start their careers, do you agree with these sentiments? Moving to Belgium was a wise decision because it is a good market for other European teams. Many teams across Europe come to Belgium to watch matches and scout talents. So in 2011 Beerschot was facing financial challenges and they needed to sell some key players to raise funds and as fate would have it, I was among those made available for sale and they got some good money when I left for Celtic. Victor Wanyama made a very wise decision by retiring very early from that finished harambee stars team— African Al Capone (@MweshThedon) October 8, 2021 Before you secured the move to Glasgow, were there other clubs interested in your services maybe? There was interest from England, both Aston Villa and Birmingham City were interested in my services but penetrating the English market then was not easy. There were also offers from a couple of Russian teams like CSKA Moscow, their offers were really good moneywise but my agent advised me to turn them down because he did not think they were good for my career at that stage, we needed a team where I would develop and that’s how we settled on Celtic.🗣️ Victor Wanyama:”Celtic is still like a family to me. It is still a home. They gave me a platform on a big stage and I took it.” pic.twitter.com/3G7gZbFb3t— Celtic Soccer Show (@CelticSoccrShow) December 23, 2019 Do you regret turning down a big-money move then? Looking back I think we made the right decision, had I maybe decided to move to Russia, maybe my career would have taken a different path. Credit to my agent because he was so focused on a team that I would develop, he told me that money would come later and that I should first focus on making a name in football.You were so popular among the Celtic fan. How did feel like playing at the Paradise? Celtic is more than a football club, for me, it was a family. We were tightly knit, fought for each other well. The way they treat the players is good, the fans are amazing. I really loved it at Celtic and, to be honest I was not really happy when my time to leave came. Celtic is a team that will remain close to my heart forever. That goal against Barcelona, tell us more about the encounter against one of the best teams ever? The night before the Barcelona game, it looked unreal, this young man from Muthurwa was going to play the best team in the world then because Barcelona would really press against opponents and ensure that you did not play your game. I tried to calm myself by playing video games to help me stop thinking about the huge task that lied ahead. During the game, we did well I scored, we won and that is probably one of the proudest moments of my career.Morning all, another fan view of Victor Wanyama’s goal against Barcelona. The advent of technology has made so many footballing moments easy to record. Imagine having smart phones in Lisbon in 67! pic.twitter.com/T0GXLpmVF0— Lisbon Lion (@tirnaog_09) February 16, 2021 McDonald Mariga, your elder brother how much of a role model was he to you as you tried to follow in his path to become successful? He was always an inspiration to me because I tried to follow in his footsteps always. He was very ambitious and hardworking. He kept pushing himself and I tried to emulate him, I looked up to him and he also mentored me. Oliech too had gone pro and they opened many doors for younger players and for me Mariga and Oliech are Kenyan legends because they were big role models then I have massive respect for them.You played against a Glasgow legend, Scott Brown. How was it like playing alongside him in midfield and generally being in the same team with him?What a character he was! I loved playing with him because it was amazing. It was crazy playing alongside him because he motivates players and gives us that hunger and fire to win ahead of big games. I really enjoyed playing alongside him and other Celtic players. Off the pitch, he is a great guy, humble and funny. Scott is a great guy but on the pitch, he is disgusting to play against but I loved it because we formed a good partnership and we understood each other well. He was also a real Celtic man because he had offers to move to the premier league but he decided to stay which was a good thingWe need to appreciate our Kenyan sports personalities more. Yaani Victor Wanyama used to rub shoulders with akina Messi. In this match, he almost even broke the GOAT into two with this strong MLuhya omundu tackle 😂😂😂#Curfew size 8 President of Kenya Museveni pic.twitter.com/JuSjrwQjRH— Big Man Bazu (@bigmanbazuKE) October 1, 2021 Then came the move to the English Premier League. How eager were you to become the first Kenyan to grace arguably the world’s best league before the move finally materialized? To be honest, I was not so excited to exit, I did not have any pressure to leave, because Celtic was so good to me, we were winning titles, and playing the Champions League consistently. I did not have any problems and for me, it was the right club to be. But Southampton made a big offer and Celtic could not resist it and I had to move because it was an important deal for the team. In the end, I was happy because I was taking on a new challenge, the club was happy and I was also moving to a top league.Victor had his moments….#Kenya’s Victor Wanyama shone at Southampton before moving to north London.Wanyama provided some fireworks 💥 for Tottenham. pic.twitter.com/8KIYjdOkOF— Oluwashina Okeleji (@oluwashina) January 12, 2021 At Southampton you worked with Mauricio Pochetino and Ronald Koeman, how was it like working with the two top coaches? It was great working under Pochetino because he understood me well, I understood him well and he was clear on what he wanted from me, he was a great motivator as well, when you worked hard there was no problem with him. We competed well, he started a project and when he left the foundation was strong and we continued to perform well under Ronald Koeman. Koeman is a great coach and I equally enjoyed working with him. He is very keen on details and wants his team to play good football. Outside football, I learned many things from him as well because he would stop and give you some life lessons.You worked with Poch, Koeman, and Mourinho in the EPL. How would you describe the three coaches? Mourinho is a good motivator, honest, and hated to lose matches. When he had something to say he would do it on your face. Poch is a good manager, outside football he advises you and he loved it when you worked hard and play football the way he wants. He has top management skills and all-around he is an amazing coach. Koeman is also a great coach, he is similar to Poch, he is keen on small details and he focuses on individual player development.You grew up as a Manchester United fan and I believe that you still support the club. Was it odd playing against the club you were fond of? When I joined the premier league I had to drop it, I had to become my team’s fan first so when playing Man United I was fully focused on my club. I even scored once against them while playing for Spurs. But when United is playing and I am not engaged I definitely watch them because I am still a fan because I am now playing in another league. #OnThisDay May 14th 2017. Premier League.Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 Manchester United@VictorWanyama (6) @HKane (48). Rooney (71)pic.twitter.com/Wjkt2oGm91— HotspurMemories (@HotspurMemories) May 14, 2021 Many EPL teams were interested in your services during your time at Southampton and at Spurs. Can you tell us of offers that you received but never really materialized? There were a couple. Spurs tried to sign me 2-3 times while I was at Southampton but they were turned down several times. Leicester City too tried but the Saints were not willing to let me go and I did not want to fight with the club. Liverpool too made contact but it was not a solid thing. After one season at Spurs Conte wanted to sign me for Chelsea but it was never going to happen because Spurs would not even entertain the thought of me exiting.You formed one of the best midfield partnerships with Mousa Dembele at Spurs. How were you guys able to have such good chemistry? I knew Dembele from Belgium because he also went through Beerschot and it was fun playing alongside him because he is a great and intelligent player he understood me and I also understood him very well. We made a great partnership, we dominated many teams in midfield in the league. It is unfortunate that we did not win a title because we had the talent Your injury woes began in 2018, how much of a blow was that rough spell to you? It was my lowest moment. I was injured for long and when you know when injured football does not wai for you, everything moves on. Sometimes I would rush things and I would suffer a setback but I stayed strong mentally and I also had Mariga who supported me because he had faced an injury that ended his career, he told me my injury was not as bad, and true to his word I came back.Victor Wanyama: Wish we still had this beast, injuries seem to have taken a toll on him but at his best he was incredible. pic.twitter.com/Y58y1XIEBM— Tøm (@TomCOYS) November 2, 2018 Last year you finally decided to exit the Premier League, what informed the decision to quit what many players consider a dream league? I was unhappy because I wanted to play consistently again and so I decided to go where I would play. There were a few offers that Spurs turned down. Celtic wanted me on an initial loan deal, there were some French teams that expressed interest, there was Club Brugge but I did not really want to go back to Belgium. Coach Thiery Henry then called me, explained the club’s ambitions and the project he was building, and as you know he is a legend and I bought the idea and I moved and so far I can say I am enjoying playing the MLS, so far so good. Can we say that you are done with the English Premier League or is there a chance for a return? Right now I am focusing on my team, it is a good project and I hope they keep me longer because I am fit and enjoying football. I do not know what the future holds, everything is open and we can see what will happen in the future. Which team do consider as the best you have played in? I think the Spurs team of 2016-2017 was a good one. Hugo Lloris in goal, we had a back three of Toby Alderweireld, Eric Dier, and Jan Vertonghen. Then there was Kyle Walker, and Danny Rose as wing-backs, Mousa Dembele, Christian Eriksen, and I in midfield, and then Dele Alli behind Harry Kane. We still had some great players on the bench like Sonny (Son Heung-min). For me, that was the best team I played in but unfortunately, we did not win titles.The 2019 UEFA Champions League final, how much of a blow was the defeat to Liverpool to you as an individual and the team in general It was a very painful moment that we seemingly did not move on from quickly. We carried it into the new season and it was evident in how we performed, we were still hangovered. The title was so near, yet so far.Which goal do you consider as your best in the English Premier League? There is a header against Manchester United, there is that long-range goal I scored against Hull City. Both are good goals but I think my best is the volley against Liverpool at Anfield, that is my favorite of all the goals I scored in the English Premier League.Victor Wanyama goal against Liverpool pic.twitter.com/BaVX2aUxjL— FootballWTF (@FootballWTF247) January 10, 2020 Many believe that that the African Cup of Nations Qualification match against Uganda at Namboole Stadium in 2011 is one of your best in Harambee Stars colors, do you share the same sentiments? The game against Uganda is probably one that I played well or rather one that we played well as a team. But you see for the national team it is about the role and instructions that you are given so sometimes the way that you play may not be too appealing to the fans because of the instructions given.You recently announced your retirement from the national team, what informed the decision to quit? I felt it was the right time for me to hand over; nobody pressured me to do it. It is something that I thought about for some time and I decided to pass it on. There are no hard feelings and I will remain Harambee Stars’ number one fan. I enjoyed playing for the national team, there were many challenges but we coped and I don’t really think that I have any regret playing for my country. I enjoyed it until my final game.What do you consider as your proudest moment while playing for the national team? Qualifying for AFCON was my best moment and getting a very tough group (laughs). We had to be finalists in our group but it was a good experience for me to play for my country in such a competition.Harambee Stars skipper Victor Wanyama says team is ready for the challenge at AFCON and he hopes for a good start #Soka pic.twitter.com/qzqrAcF6xI— Soka (@Soka_Ke) June 7, 2019 You have played with 2-3 generations of players in the national team, which would you rank as the best Stars’ team you’ve played in? I have played with many great players and I loved and enjoyed playing with them. The group that had the likes of Jamal Mohamed, Mariga was a tough one because getting into the national team was not an easy thing because we have so many talented players. The midfield specifically was very competitive. You sometimes came under heavy criticism from fans who believe that you did not pay to their expectations, was this a challenge for you? Being the leader, you have to be ready to get some blame; I carried a bit of blame and pressure on my shoulder. In the beginning, it was tough but I slowly learned to cope with it. I have played for many clubs, and have a lot of experiences sometimes you play well sometimes you play badly, you win some, you lose. In the games that you don’t win you get a lot of criticism. If everything was smooth then it wouldn’t be fun as well.You are a role model to many upcoming players. What would you advise them to do to get the breakthrough? Football is about hard work, in training, in games and you never know who is watching. When you give your best the universe has a way of rewarding you. You should never give us. My advice to them is that they should continue pursuing their dreams.What are your plans once you retire from club football? Will you leave the game altogether? I want to stay in football, at this moment I cannot say what exactly I will do, I can’t decide what I will do right now because I am still playing. When the right time comes I will make that decision, I would like to give back what football game me.You are building a wolrd-class academy in Busia, your home county. Tell us more about this project.Many players come from the Western region but it has always been hard for them because there are no proper academies there and they have always had to come all the way to Nairobi. I then decided to set up one there so that we can nurture these talents from a young age and also it is my passion to give back what football has given me. It will be good to see Kenya producing big talents in the future and it will be an honor if some of these players come from my academy, it will be the best feeling ever. We will be open to players to players aged 7 to the u19 but details will be out when the project is ready, it is too early to speak because a lot of things are in the pipeline.Harambee Stars skipper Victor Wanyama today inspected work progress of Victor Wanyama Academy in Busia. #Betsafe pic.twitter.com/5xDnmXuQPz— Bonface Osano (@bonfaceosano) January 7, 2021 What facilities will be in the academy?We will have swimming pools, gyms, training, pitches, a mini stadium and all the facilities that academies in Europe have.You acquired a British passport. Does this mean you plan to relocate to the UK after football? Not at all. I am a Kenyan, a proud Kenyan. The passport does not change a thing. It is an opportunity to do other things but I will be based in Kenya.What does a life of a pro footballer look like? You have to sacrifice a lot to be successful, for example, I have never tasted alcohol in my entire life because I do not think it’s good for me. You need to work hard, rest well, you have to check what you eat, and you have to understand that football is a full-time job, actually more than an ordinary job. You have to look after your body, basically, you have to be very disciplined.Your parting shot? Let’s keep supporting our young talents, let them do what they love. Be it football, rugby, or anything that they are interested in. Support and encourage them because it will lead them to great heights in the future.
