Martins: Instant Blues legend!

The last time Birmingham City won the League Cup was in 1963 when they defeated local rivals Aston Villa 3-1 on aggregate. It was their only major title in 48 years until Obafemi Martins changed all that on Sunday at the Wembley Stadium with a last-gasp winner that ensured the Blues won the Carling Cup at the expense of favourites Arsenal 2-1
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Martins is generally regarded as a fine striker. His pace and powerful shots make him one striker many defences would be wary of anytime. But the 28-year-old has not been as successful as many football pundits predict.

After playing for six European clubs since leaving Nigeria in 2000, Martins has only scored 75 goals in his club career while in his 34 appearances for the Super Eagles, he has scored 18 goals. But one important thing about Martins is that some of his goals have turned out to be match winners.

Martins’ goal for Inter Milan against Bayer Leverkusen in the 2002/03 UEFA Champions League secured a place in the quarterfinals for the Italian club. He scored a winner again against AC Milan in the competition but his side lost out on the away goals rule.

Martins won the Italian Serie A title, the Italian Cup (twice), and the Super Cup, all with Inter. He played European football with Inter, Newcastle and Wolfsburg, winning the UEFA Intertoto Cup with Newcastle. His highest scoring league seasons so far have seen him score 11 goals in both the 2004–05 Serie A, and 2006–07 English Premier League.

On November 14, 2009 when Nigeria needed to top the 2010 World Cup qualifying group, Martins, who had been missing in the Super Eagles line-up due to injury, rose to the occasion, scoring two important goals against hosts Kenya in Nairobi to give Nigeria the World Cup ticket.

Sunday’s match was Martins fourth outing with Birmingham City since joining the club and manager Alex McLeish seemed to know the right moment to introduce the striker in crucial games. A fact Martins has come to accept.

Martins played down his new-found legendary status by admitting he just wants to carry on scoring goals. He insisted his teammates deserved the credit.

“I don’t know that (I’m a legend now). I just want to play my football for the team,” he was quoted as saying by the Birmingham Mail on Monday.

“It’s not easy coming in when the team are doing well so they deserve all the credit, they did well today (Sunday).

“I’m happy for the team and the fans.”

The former Newcastle player came off the bench in the 83rd minute replacing Keith Fahey who had created problems for Arsenal until his departure.

Martins latched onto a mistake from Laurent Koscielny in the 89th minute and coolly slotted into an empty net to spark wild celebrations among the Blues fans.

He had another chance just a minute later when he attempted to lob Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny only to see the young stopper block his attempt.

In the last minute of stoppage time Martins then rounded the keeper, and failed with his speculative effort but his vital goal was enough to secure a Blues win.

“I think this is the easiest goal that I’ve ever scored in my career and it’s very important,” he added.

“I’m glad I scored and we won – I’m very happy.

“The gaffer said to me I was going to come on in the second half and I was going to try my best. The gaffer did it right. I think it was my second touch.

“It seems easy, but I took my time to score and I’m glad we won.

“Sometimes as a striker you just have to believe because you never know what’s going to happen. I was expecting it, and he made a mistake so I just put it in.

“I am happy for the players and the fans because Birmingham needed this trophy.”

With a strike speed of 135km per hour, the ninth hardest shot ever recorded in football, and a sharp focus on goals, Martins looks likely to regain the top striking position in the Eagles as Nigeria continue their campaign for the 2012 Nations Cup.

In his last outing for Nigeria, Martins scored the first goal against Madagascar in a Nations Cup qualifier in September and he created the second scored by Michael Eneramo.

Martins’ third goal in the game was disqualified by the Tunisian referee Jedidi Slim, who ruled that the Madagascan goalkeeper was fouled before the goal.

Former Wolfburg striker Jonathan Akpoborie believes Martins will reach the top of his career in the English Premier League.

He told our correspondent on the telephone on Monday that English football was not as tough as the German version and that Martins would find it easier to overcome defences in the EPL.

He said, “I’ve not played in the Russian league before but I know Martins did not play enough matches to bring out his best in that league. The Bundesliga however is the toughest league in Europe and if he could survive there, then he can do better in any part of the world. What the EPL has over the Bundesliga is publicity.

“Martins has grown in his game and it is good for him and Birmingham that he is rediscovering himself at this time of the season. I believe he will be one of the top scorers in the coming seasons and perhaps win more laurels for his club.

“He might have had a terrible experience with the Eagles at the World Cup but if he is consistent with his pace and form, he will be the player to look up to in the team very soon.”