Maresca almost gave me high blood pressure – Smallie

Social media influencer and content creator, Abdulsalam Idris, popularly known as Smallie, talks about his relationship with Victor Osimhen, how it has shaped his view of professional football and his love for Chelsea, in this interview with ABIODUN ADEWALE

You are often around football gatherings—playing, visiting stadiums, and vlogging. How demanding is this lifestyle?

First of all, I play in a team of celebrities and that can be fun. Mostly, I play to the strength of my teammates. We once had a match where I had to leave my natural position as an attacking midfielder or a forward to play as a defensive midfielder and even as a defender. Playing with celebrities is fun.

You get to play with some people and you will have to ask them why they didn’t pursue a career in football. There are also some you will play with and you will have no option but to tell them that they have no business on the football pitch. They know themselves too; I don’t want to call them out. On the other side, content creation is my passion, and infusing football into it makes it even more appealing to a larger audience that might be different from my niche.

What does participating in charity matches mean to you?

In the world we live in, especially in Nigeria, a lot of people need help, and it must come from somewhere and get to them. Some of the matches I play are usually charity games meant to raise funds for people in need or certain causes in society. I think it is a good cause, and kudos to all the people who have been organising charity matches in Nigeria—people like the former Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong, Asisat Oshoala and Oyiga. They have been doing a good job.

How did your connection with football begin?

Like every normal Nigerian child, my love for football grew on the streets, coupled with the fact that I am a very athletic person and I love sports generally.

Did you ever aspire to become a professional footballer?

I think every child would have had that ambition at some point, and mine wasn’t different. But as fate would have it, I am now carrying a camera and creating content. If achieving those dreams was easy, I would probably be playing with the likes of Victor Osimhen and Vinicius Jr., but it is what it is.

You support Chelsea. How has it been lately, especially after becoming world champions?

I have a lot to say about Chelsea and what Enzo Maresca has done to us. He basically introduced us to what I call a fake life—do well today and the opposite tomorrow. We won the Club World Cup, and that is one of the greatest things he has done for us. Aside from that, he could give me high blood pressure as a fan, especially with his substitutions.

Liam Rosenior is now in charge. Do you think things will be different for a long time under him?

We have always been in this phase—moving from one manager to another, and they end up not looking better than the last after the initial adrenaline. Hopefully, we will achieve something under him as well.

Having once aspired to be a footballer and now living a different dream, how do you view the connection between both worlds?

Being a social media influencer, I have had the opportunity to get close to professional footballers and clubs, and I can say that being a footballer is a very demanding job. I think it goes beyond the dream; it is about the sacrifice. I trained with academy players at Beyond Limits some time ago, and as much as I was making content, I could feel a bit of what they go through every day to become successful. That wasn’t just content for me; it was an eye-opener. People think these footballers have everything figured out, but they go through a lot of mental stress that most of us, who are not in their shoes, may never experience. I think the bigger they get, the tougher it becomes because they have to stay on top of their game and also keep a cool head off the pitch. Every life we live as humans has its advantages and disadvantages.

What is your relationship with Victor Osimhen like?

Osimhen is a very good friend of mine, and I look up to him. He is one of those footballers that amateur players should always look up to because of his desire to win and succeed. He is a team player who always wants to win for the team.

You were in Istanbul for his unveiling at Galatasaray. How was the experience?

In one sentence, I would say Osimhen made Istanbul explode. The stadium roared into life when his arrival was announced and when he got to the podium to address the fans. The love was massive—from Rams Park to every part of the streets I went to. Anywhere I mentioned his name, the love was overwhelming.

If there is one trait of Osimhen you would like to emulate, what would it be?

His relentlessness. Osimhen doesn’t relent, and it is one thing I admire about him.

How do you rate his status among Nigerian strikers?

What I will say is that he is on the path to becoming one of the greatest Nigerian players ever. I think that is what I can say.