Nottingham Forest bustling player Emmanuel Dennis has revealed that Brazil legend Ronaldinho was his footballing idol growing up.
Dennis joined The Reds from Watford, arriving at The City Ground from Vicarage Road on the back of scoring 10 goals in 33 Premier League starts last season.
The exciting forward, who has netted one goal for Forest, vows to do more by entertaining Forest fans with his pace and skill, taking inspiration from his childhood hero Ronaldinho.
“My idol growing up was Ronaldinho,” the 24-year-old said. “He’s the reason I’m a footballer today.
“I just love everything about that guy and his talent with a football inspires me a lot. When I play, I just like to entertain people and have fun.
“I really like to nutmeg people. I had the most nutmegs in Europe last season which was crazy.
“I just love to have fun on the pitch, but I also want to score goals and add assists.
“I don’t really set targets, I just like to go and play and express myself.”
Dennis scored his first Forest goal since his £20m move from Watford in August, with Forest moving off the bottom of the Premier League with a hard-fought draw against Aston Villa.
The result ended a sequence of five consecutive defeats for Steve Cooper’s side, who move up to 19th in the table, a point above Leicester and four behind Villa who remain 16th.
Roared on by a vociferous City Ground crowd, Dennis gave the hosts the perfect start, capitalising on some poor marking to head in Morgan Gibbs-White’s free-kick after drifting across the front of a static Villa defence.
However, Ashley Young leveled seven minutes later with a superb effort from 25 yards that flew into the bottom left corner.
It was Young’s first goal for Villa since 2011 – when he was in his first spell at the club – and it was the only notable moment of attacking inspiration from two sides that otherwise struggled creatively in the final third.
Steven Gerrard’s team had an Ollie Watkins effort correctly ruled out for offside and appeals for a penalty waved away when Forest captain Ryan Yates appeared to catch Ezri Konsa, too often their final ball or shot lacked the precision to trouble home goalkeeper Dean Henderson.
Credit: thenationonlineng.net
