There Rasa in Valceresio, as reiterated several times, is a sporting event that transcends the purely football aspect to also embrace that of entertainment and entertainment. It goes without saying that every evening the Peppino Prisco of Arcisate has a certain appeal which leads many people to approach Rasa: two years ago, for example, the swimming champion Nicolò Martinenghi attended the double gold and silver medal at the World Championships in Budapest for a few days. Last night, however, he was in the stands enjoying three top-level matches Kenneth Obinna Mamah.
L’striker born in ’98after a complicated first season in Varese, exploded in the Rossi/Porro year (with relative triumph in the Sanremo playoffs) and the excellent season led him to the leap into Turkish Serie B at Goztepe where in 31 seasonal appearances he scored 5 goals. Loot that was repeated again this year (in 26 appearances) combined with level performances that contributed to the Giallorossi club gaining promotion to the Super Ligthe Turkish Serie A: the pre-season training camp will begin in a few days (the championship in Türkiye starts earlier)but in the meantime Mamah took advantage of the stop to return to Varesea place that has always remained in his heart due to the love he had for it (and especially certain people) demonstrated towards him.
While Papillon Malnate played an excellent first half against Serramenti Valceresio, the Nigerian striker confided to us still follow Varese as a fan: “I followed the championship from afar and I’m happy with how the team went; Maybe it could have been done even better, but that’s okay. It was important for Varese to return to these levels to improve further. What was missing last year? I couldn’t say, also because certain dynamics have to be experienced from within: perhaps we simply needed to give the team more time. I was in Varese for two years and the first season we didn’t do very well, while in the following season we managed to win the playoffs. Sometimes it just takes a little patience and you never win individually“.
Mamah himself had plenty of patience, even more so, as we said earlier, after a first season that was anything but simple. It was Ezio Rossi who wanted to confirm it saying, in unsuspecting times, that he saw the class of ’98 as the potential for a growth path similar to that experienced by Junior Messias (with the Turin coach at Casale and subsequently arrived at Milan). Mamah does not forget her former coach: “I will always thank Ezio Rossi for what he did for me, but I also want to mention David Sassarini and Gianni Califano: I arrived in Varese with them and they have always been close to me. When I had the two knee injuries, the fans and Mister Rossi played a very important role by giving me support and encouraging me towards my return. Repeat Messias’ career? Never say never. One thing I understood is that you must always believe in it, without ever giving up“.
Certainly Mamah never gave up and the passage to Türkiye it was certainly a wonderful reward for the work done: “I thank God for what I’m experiencing: at Goztepe I’m growing a lot and, although the level of organization in Varese was exceptional, the pace of the professionals is something else entirely. I have become a 360° athlete on and above all off the pitch, but I know I just have to continue to improve because next year it will be even harder: having arrived in Serie A is a wonderful satisfaction and also an incentive to work much harder . My dream? I keep it to myself, otherwise it won’t come true“.
It is inevitable, however, to close with the ritual question. Given that, according to Transfermarktthe current value of its price tag is €650 thousand (quite out of budget for a Serie D)but hoping that Varese can one day embrace a very different category, will we see Kenneth Mamah again in the red and white shirt? “Never say never, football is sometimes unpredictable. At the moment I’m focused on my career, I’m thinking about Goztepe and always giving my best. However, I hope that Varese can recover because they have wonderful fans who deserve only the best. The best memory in Varese? I have many, starting with the crowd, but if I had to choose a particular moment I would say the goal in the 90th minute of the 2-1 against Lavagnese: I entered at a delicate moment and decided it in the best way. In general, however, I will always and only speak well of Varese from all points of view“.
Matteo Carraro
