Enyimba new boy Yarou enjoying centre-back role

Benin international Nabil Yarou

Thursday Jan 14, 2021. 16:00

Benin international Nabil Yarou says he is enjoying his role as a centre-back with Nigerian giants Enyimba.

The 27-year-old, who joined the Peoples Elephant in September last year, has spent much of his career playing in midfield, but finds himself in the heart of defence for his new club.

And it’s a role he is excelling at, having put in a match-winning performance for Enyimba when they defeated Wikki Tourists in a Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL) clash last weekend.

Yarou headed home the only goal of the game on 25 minutes, sealing a second straight win for Enyimba at the start of the new season.

Speaking to his club’s official website, the Benin player revealed how his previous experience in midfield has helped prepare him for a deeper role.

“I was a midfielder from the beginning. That’s what everybody knew me for. I played more from the centre, mostly as a defensive midfielder,” he explained.

“But it was when some of our defenders were injured that my coach told me to play in defence. I played both at right-back and at centre-back. At that time, I still preferred the midfield, but I had to do what the team needed me for.”

Yarou has come to terms with his new position and is ready to improve: “Then when I was invited to the national team as a defender, I knew it was time for me to begin to see myself as a defender. I also scored for the national team as a defender.

“Now that I’m at Enyimba, nobody knows I ever played as a midfielder so I just play where the team wants me. But I believe that my background as [a midfielder] has also helped me as a defender.”

Yarou will hope to feature for the Peoples Elephant when they face either compatriots Rivers United or Bloemfontein Celtic in the playoff round of the CAF Confederation Cup next month.