Football
Exclusive: TP Mazembe Can Win The Champions League — Shaibu Suleman Optimistic Of Club's Chances
TP Mazembe's Shaibu Suleman is embracing his new role as a forward and believes his team can win the CAF Champions League despite challenges. He is determined and working hard to score goals and help the team succeed, aiming for both continental and domestic titles.
TP Mazembe Media.
TP Mazembe youngster Shaibu Suleman is enjoying his new role at the DR Congo club and believes the Linafoot giants can go all the way in this season's CAF Champions League.
Regarded as the classic utility man, Shaibu and his Mazembe side will have to negotiate a group containing Al Hilal Omdurman, MC Alger and Young Africans to win the prestigious African football title for the sixth time.
That is some task however, as following the suspension handed out to the Ravens by football's governing body FIFA from registering any new players for three transfer markets, the club management has stuck to their means. That had forced manager Lamine N'Diaye's hand and Suleman who started out primarily as a goalkeeper is told to lead the line.
Having taken to his new position like a duck to the waters, the Nigerian is not looking back. With a brace already in a 3-0 league win over Panda B52 and then helping his side secure a point against MC Alger, the former Nigeria U-17 international is poised for more.
Shaibu is clearly not making up the numbers up front for his team, but has strongly reiterated he wants 'to be involved in every good thing about scoring' as they bid to bring home not just the Champions League but the Ligue 1 as well.
DETERMINATION, HARD WORK AND BELIEF ARE WHAT PUSHED ME
Speaking exclusively to SportsBoom.com about his drive to swap his gloves for scoring boots, Shaibu admitted it is down to hard work and the belief he had in himself to do it.
"I can say I just determined in myself that I can do this, step in there since the club needed that firepower up front", he told SportsBoom.com. "And it's just hard work ever since. It is not easy but it's something that can be worked on, and I'm happy that much of what we have being working on is going coming off fine."
"I know it will become tougher as time goes on, especially in a competition like the Champions League but I will only get better. All I can hope for is enough time and belief in me from my coach and teammates as well."
ABOUT MY NEW ROLE
"Yeah I'm enjoying the role a lot", he said when quizzed about how much of fun is it in his new role.
"It requires a lot of work though, but I’m happy with that. I just want to get out there and show I can do this consistently for my team, help them score goals and win matches."
TP CAN WIN THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
TP Mazembe had started off their 2024/25 Champions League adventure on a fair note after posting a goalless draw with Algerian side MC Alger on match day one.
With a date versus group leaders Al-Hilal on the horizon, a tie which could well swing things very much in their favour going into the knockouts, Shaibu believes they could go on to add another continental title to their cabinet.
"We want to win, that is the first thing I will say about our aspirations this season in the competition," he said. "Not just the Champions League, we want to win the league as well. And we're working together as a group to achieve it.
"Nothing comes easy, but I always believe that with hard work and determination everything is possible."
Since he broke loose from the shackles of long hours huddled up in a hot classroom learning Mandarin Chinese and Pinyin at the famous Confucius Institute, UNIZIK, Emmanuel Chinaza has embraced sports and football in particular, and it helped that he grew up in the football-crazy city of Anambra.