Golden Eaglets: Versatile Defender Adeniyi Makes Timely Recovery From Injury To Make The Cut

By Daily Sports on October 22, 2019

Defenders are usually judged by experts in the game on a number of qualities that include the ability to time tackles well, make accurate passes from the back that helps in the build-up play of the team and the mental and physical toughness to get stuck into battles and not whimp away with from contact.

Three years ago, fans at the Samuel Ogbemudua Stadium in Benin City were astonished to see a very young, then 14-year old defender file out for his then youth team against professional side Bendel Insurance in the FA cup and demonstrated all these qualities so impressively.

A player that young, and with a not too imposing frame at that time, holding his own against bulkier and more illustrious professionals is not too common, but Oluwatimilehin Adeniyi is a special breed of center back and he has marched on finely since 2016 to become a promising junior international who is set to play a part for Nigeria’s Under-17 team, the Golden Eaglets as they get set to begin the World Cup campaign in football’s home, Brazil.

Adeniyi’s inclusion in the team marks a happy turn around for the Sporting Dreams FC (a youth club based in Abuja) player after the steely defender suffered a serious knee injury just after the West Africa junior Nations Cup in Niger. The injury would keep him out of the African cadet Nations Cup competition in Tanzania.

One fan of his said: “I feared for the worse for him after the injury. I was sorry for him because it’s a harrowing experience to suffer a serious injury just when you had your dreams set for the Nations Cup and World Cup.”

Adeniyi’s coach at Sporting Dreams and one man who has cared for the lad almost as a personal child of his, Nnamdi Onuigbo was also pained by the injury.

“It was a tough period for him, missing the Golden Eaglets squad to the junior Nations Cup in Tanzania was hard to take, but we were united by faith and prayer through the dark period,” Onuigbo says.

Adeniyi followed the team’s progress in Tanzania with bathed breadth as the struggled to finish 4th. He sent messages of motivation to his teammates and he too was well aware that if he haboured any dreams of featuring in the World Cup in Brazil, then his teammates had to make it happen by qualifying. Qualified they did, albeit unconvincingly.

Adeniyi’s recovery went well, just in time to rejoin the Golden Eaglets led by coach Manu Garba in the latter stages of preparations for Brazil.

It is a testament to the importance of Adeniyi to the team that he made the final squad list despite the flurry of behind the scenes intrigues that usually characterise squad selections at the national team level.

Though a centre back primarily, Adeniyi showed his versatility during the West African Under-17 junior Nations Cup in Niger where he was drafted to the right full back position after the regular player in that position failed the MRI test at the last minute. Adeniyi gave a fine account of himself there, showing mobility, power and also getting a goal to help Nigeria finish second in that competition.

It is this versatility that makes the dark-skinned lad so vital to the Eaglets as they prepare to take on Hungary in Goiania on October 26 in their World Cup opener.

The Eaglets will then face Ecuador at the same venue on October 29 and later tackle Australia in Brasilia on November 1 in a Group B encounter.

Onuigbo is elated about the prospects of his boy. “God is great. Timi fought back from injury to make the cut. I’m backing him to help the Eaglets have a successful World Cup,” he says.

Adeniyi’s success in Brazil would be not only a good thing for himself and his family as he would be positioning himself to make a dream move to successful European club football, it would also represent big fulfillment for his current grassroots club Sporting Dreams FC who could surely make do with the training compensation and solidarity payment that the successful transfer of the player to a foreign professional club could bring.

Adeniyi

•PHOTO: Adeniyi

Source Daily Sports

Posted October 22, 2019


 

You may also like...
Oshoala Scores Brace As Barcelona Go Seven Points...

Katsina United coach to die in kidnappers’ den?...

Omeruo’s agent excited by Rangers’ appointment of young...

Delta State warns on CNS title

Sport England to invest £88m in grassroots sport...

Fans Slam NFF On The Appointment Of Yusuf...

 

Latest News Hearn slams Ngannou over Joshua defeat excuse Chelsea eye Martinez to replace Osimhen Visa unveils Amusan, Nwachukwu as global ambassadors I’m not under pressure to coach Eagles – Finidi Super Eagles focused on World Cup qualifiers – Omeruo Ibrahim: Striker who wants to emulate Lukaku at Chelsea Boniface ranked best African performer in Europe Napoli may reduce Osimhen price tag Mali beat Nigeria 2-0 in international friendly NOC commends Team Nigeria, government, media for victory at African Games JOF U-13 Cup: 8 Clubs Qualify For Quarterfinals Osimhen resumes training, fit for Atalanta clash

 

Most Read Rangers International going, going . . . (53,401 views) Amaju Pinnick: A cat with nine lives (44,406 views) Second Term: Amaju Pinnick, Other NFF Heavyweights Home to Roost •How Pinnick Broke the Jinx (42,548 views) Missing $150,000 IAAF Grant: Solomon Dalung’s Hide and Seek game (42,225 views) Sports Development: Zenith Bank on the zenith (42,006 views) Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje’s solid footprints, commitment to sports development in Kano State (41,888 views) Current issues in Nigerian sports: Matters arising (41,772 views) NFF Presidency: Pinnick, Maigari, Ogunjobi, Okoye in Battle for Supremacy (41,229 views) Olopade, BET9A wave of revolution in NNL (40,277 views) Commonwealth Games 2018: Shame of Muhammadu Buhari, Solomon Dalung (39,186 views) Ibrahimovic’s Man U exit: Whose decision is it? And in whose interest? (37,640 views) John Mikel Obi: Segun Odegbami’s Outrageous Call! (37,216 views)

 

Phone numbers

Tel: +234(0)8066020976
+234(0)8055068145
+234(0)7013416146
+234(0)8094272884

Email addresses

info@dailysportsng.com
support@dailysportsng.com
publisher@dailysportsng.com

Office address

No 3, Adetoun Close, Off College Road, Ogba, Ikeja Lagos.
Website: www.dailysportsng.com

Social Media