BIOGRAPHY
thoughts on the matter in Belgian
publication Sportmagazine in late 2016,
when he said: “I am unloved but I remain
on the pitch and there I’m just fine. A lot
of people try to create a buzz with their
blah-blah chat. I don’t look to prolong
the debate. I reply on the field. I draw
my inspiration from [US basketball stars]
LeBron James and [the late] Kobe Bryant.
Great champions who were criticised but
managed to make themselves respected.”
Even in his Belgian homeland he has
found popularity elusive, notably with
regard to the national team.
After his international debut in 2010
he needed eight further appearances to
get his name on the scoresheet and he
received heavy criticism for missing a
sitter against Bosnia in October 2016.
Only in the last three years or so havehave not translated into widespread fan
or media appreciation. Mention the name
Lukaku and the detractors immediately
come running with a string of negatives:
poor first touch, bull-in-a-china-shop
disposition, wayward positional sense and
flat-track bully tendencies, often accused
of not delivering against stronger sides.
It does not seem to make sense: a
player with so many alleged flaws and
yet still a major transfer-market prize,
costing over £187million in total. Signed
by Everton from Chelsea in 2014 for
£28m, moving to Manchester United
three years later in a £75m deal, and
making a £74m switch to Inter last
summer, he is no bargain-basement buy.
Lukaku himself is only too aware that
he is not to everyone’s taste. Check hisInspirational...the late LA Lakers basketball star, Kobe Bryant