Sheffield Wednesday striker Saido Berahino determined to make up for lost time after difficult past
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After a frustrating start to life at Sheffield Wednesday since arriving from Belgian top-flight side Zulte Waregem last summer, Owls fans finally caught a glimpse of Berahino’s quality against Cambridge United on Saturday when he netted a hat-trick and unselfishly laid another goal on for his team-mate George Byers.
If things had been different – his indiscretions as a young man have been well-documented – he could still be a Premier League player.
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Hide AdInstead, he will be hoping to earn just his ninth League One start of the season against Accrington Stanley on Tuesday evening.
“As a player you grow, mature, and see things differently," a reflective Berahino told The Star.
“I am 28 now, 29 soon, and of course there is a reason I am playing in League One. A lot of things have happened behind closed doors but as a player you learn and push on, aim for the best.
“When I look back at my career, I want to look back and say I gave it my all after what I went through. This is what I am doing.”
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Hide AdBerahino returned to England last year following a two-year stint in Belgium, which was preceded by a nightmare spell at Stoke City that was cut short three years early following his £12 million move in 2017.
Despite his proven ability at a higher level, he has so far struggled for game-time in S6 with 13 of his 21 league appearances coming from the bench.
Still, ‘I am enjoying it here’, he declared, thanks in part to a former promotion-winner at this level with the Owls, who played with Berahino at West Brom.
“Great fans, great stadium, and I knew they (fans) would always be behind me,” he added.
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Hide Ad"I played with Chris Brunt and he told me ‘if you give your all, the fans will always back you’. He told me ‘go and be a hero, get them promoted’. That’s what I am trying to do.
“So far I am enjoying myself and it’s going well.”