The one-cap Nigeria international was Trabzonspor’s most outstanding performer as they soared to a historic championship triumph last year
Trabzonspor Vice President Faruk Hacıhaliloğlu has revealed that his daughter quarreled with him when Nigerian forward Anthony Nwakaeme left the club in 2022, Soccernet.ng reports
Trabzonspor defied all odds to lift the Turkish Super Lig title last year, ending a 38-year wait for glory in the championship.
Nwakaeme was crucial to that victory as he scored 13 goals and assisted ten others in only 30 league appearances for the club.
However, Nwakaeme’s contract expired at the end of that season, and despite the player and Trabzonspor expressing their desire to extend the deal, no compromise could be found.
The Nigeria international left Turkey that summer and joined Saudi Arabia’s Al-Fayha on a free transfer.
Many of Trabzonspor’s fans – including Vice President Hacıhaliloğlu’s daughter – were disappointed that the club did not pull all the stops to ensure Nwakaeme remained in Trabzon.
The top executive has finally shared how Nwakaeme’s departure caused a breakdown in his relationship with his daughter.
In an interview with Trabzonspor’s magazine via BeinSports, Hacıhaliloğlu said, “When my daughter heard that Nwakaeme, who made a big contribution in our championship title win, would leave the team, she came to me and begged, ‘Dad, don’t let Nwakaeme leave.’
“No matter how much I tried to explain the situation, she didn’t want to understand or listen. In fact, she quarreled with me for a long time.
“He left. Then, when she calmed down, she learned the facts and hugged me and agreed with me.”
After Nwakaeme left Trabzonpor, the champions lost their crown the following season, stumbling to a sixth-place finish in the league.
Nwakaeme, whose only appearance for Nigeria came in a 1-1 draw with Algeria during the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, has five goals and an assist in 16 games across all competitions for Al-Fayha this term.
