BY OJEIKERE AIKHOJE
In football, heroes come and go.
That’s the situation at Uyo based Glo Premier League side, Akwa United where the exit of the club’s most outstanding player in the 2012/13 season, Mfon Udoh, has created more problems for the new man in charge, Patrick Udoh.
It's just a coincidence that they happen to have the same last name.
As the new gaffer, it’s his job to find a replacement for the striker, who enters the history books at the club after 17 goal-hero, Akarandut Orok.
Udoh joined Akwa from Unicem Rovers in 2012 but nothing significant happened to him in his first season in the topflight.
In fact, it was so bad that he spent more time in the stands and later on the bench than on the field.
It was a difficult period for the youngster who was almost shown the exit door under former gaffer, Solomon Ogbeide.
No one believed he was good enough to complement the established stars in the attack.
The club banked on experienced striker, Ibrahim Babale, who left Sunshine Stars to provide the goals in their return to the top flight.
Add the presence of Musa Najare and Haruna Babalo, perennial campaigners in the top flight then you’ll understand why Udoh had no chance to play.
Ubong Ekpai, who came from the lower division with the club and Joseph Osediaye, signed from Bendel Insurance spent more time on the field than Udoh.
For the player who was signed after doing well during trials, his time was yet to come.
“I wasn’t considered good enough, but I refused to be discouraged. I continued to work hard,” Udoh told naijapremierleague.net.
However, his story changed on the last day of the 2011/12 season when he excelled against Heartland.
It was a reversal of fortunes for him.
Udoh displayed silky touch and intelligent link play that left everyone excited on match day.
His five-star outing turned out to be the ticket that guaranteed a place at Akwa for the 2012/13 campaign.
“I played well and Heartland even requested for my services, but Akwa refused,” Udoh said to naijapremierleague.net.
2012/13
It’s simple to summarize Udoh’s 2012/13 campaign.
From a player who managed to convince the coaches he metamorphosed into the “trusted one”.
Somehow, the exit of Babalo, Babale, Osediaye and Najare created fresh openings in the team and Udoh grabbed the opportunity in style.
It wasn’t an easy task with striker like strikers like Ukeme Davies, Emmanuel Enize (Ocean Boys), Dauda Eboh (Sunshine Stars) and Hingir Son (Niger Tornadoes).
Ekpai got on the scoresheet, but his departure for trials in South Africa ensured Udoh remained “man in the news”. Since the exit of Orok, no Akwa player has come close to his record.
Udoh didn’t score 18, but enters the record as the first player to score 16 goals since the exit of the former top scorer.
To make it even more interesting, Udoh had the best record on road trips with five goals at Kaduna, 3SC, Lobi, Dolphins and Enugu RangersWhat kind of player is he?
He’s a creative forward, technically gifted, comfortable on the ball and also plays as a second striker. So he’s capable of operating in a number of positions.
Udoh is not unaware of the task ahead and to compound his problems Eboh and Son have left the club.
“The return of Ekpai from South Africa is good for the team, but we have to find a finisher like Udoh who will get the goals,” said the former First Bank and Bridge FC coach. Udoh needs strikers to score goals to guarantee success in his assignment. In the absence of his namesake, he has to raise a new striker to get the job done.
Perhaps, Alabi Akpatapipi, the former Bethel FC forward, who was on loan at troubled Zamfara United could be the next big star.
“I didn’t meet Udoh, but Ekpai has told me about him and the club. I’m ready for the task here,” he told naijapremierleague.net
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