Emmanuel Emenike praises Russia coach Valery Karpin ahead of Super Eagles clash

By Oluwadamilola Olaleye

Former Nigeria striker Emmanuel Emenike has offered high praise for Russia national team head coach Valery Karpin, calling him “a great coach and person” ahead of Friday’s international friendly between Nigeria and Russia at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow.

Emenike, who played under Karpin during his time at Spartak Moscow, reflected on their relationship in an exclusive interview with Metaratings.ru, revealing the Russian coach had a lasting impact on his career.

“Karpin was like a father to me,” Emenike said.

“When I first arrived at Spartak, I went eight games without scoring, but he kept his faith in me. He gave me confidence, and then I started scoring. He’s just fantastic—both as a coach and a person. The whole team supported him.”

The 2013 Africa Cup of Nations winner acknowledged the quality of both squads, predicting a challenging and entertaining match.

“It will be interesting to watch. The Nigerian national team has many strong players based in Europe, and the Russian squad is full of talent as well. Karpin only calls up the best players, and his teams always play with passion.”

Though no longer closely following the Russian national team, Emenike expressed confidence in Karpin’s leadership: “When you play in Karpin’s team, you do it with a burning heart. He’s an excellent coach on and off the field.”

Now retired, Emenike enjoyed a journeyman career that included spells in Russia, Turkey, England, Spain, South Africa, and Greece.