Kenneth Omeruo: What went wrong?

[Dammy]

Four years ago, he had the world at his feet with a commanding performance in the center of Nigeria's defence as the Super Eagles won the 2013 African Cup of Nations. He consolidated his rising profile with a good outing at the 2013 Confederations Cup and teams from all over Europe took notice with Chelsea eventually winning his signature. I recall logging onto the Chelsea fans forum, WAGNH, and they were excited about getting him. Another good showing at the 2014 WC enhanced his reputation and I remember Oloye, a defender of no small repute in his time, posting that Omeruo was the next great thing in CD in naija football. However, since then, his career and refused to take off as expected and loans to Championship team, Middlesbrough and further loans to middling Turkish teams have seen his profile lowered. He is yet to play a single match for Chelsea and since then players like Eric Bailly and Koulibaly, have emerged as CDs of higher profile commanding transfer value in the region of 40 to 50 million pounds. He is currently training with the Chelsea reserves while another middling Turkish team, newly promoted Gotzepe are bidding for his services. He has lost his starting place in the SE and it is inconceivable that a player with his profile is among the Chelsea loan army of players of less pedigree. Could it be wrong career choices that seem to have derailed his once promising career? He is only 23 and I believe he is at the cross road where he has to take the hard decision that would take his career forward.

[Kabalega]

Four years ago, he had the world at his feet with a commanding performance in the center of Nigeria's defence as the Super Eagles won the 2013 African Cup of Nations. He consolidated his rising profile with a good outing at the 2013 Confederations Cup and teams from all over Europe took notice with Chelsea eventually winning his signature. I recall logging onto the Chelsea fans forum, WAGNH, and they were excited about getting him. Another good showing at the 2014 WC enhanced his reputation and I remember Oloye, a defender of no small repute in his time, posting that Omeruo was the next great thing in CD in naija football. However, since then, his career and refused to take off as expected and loans to Championship team, Middlesbrough and further loans to middling Turkish teams have seen his profile lowered. He is yet to play a single match for Chelsea and since then players like Eric Bailly and Koulibaly, have emerged as CDs of higher profile commanding transfer value in the region of 40 to 50 million pounds. He is currently training with the Chelsea reserves while another middling Turkish team, newly promoted Gotzepe are bidding for his services. He has lost his starting place in the SE and it is inconceivable that a player with his profile is among the Chelsea loan army of players of less pedigree. Could it be wrong career choices that seem to have derailed his once promising career? He is only 23 and I believe he is at the cross road where he has to take the hard decision that would take his career forward.

What is he doing off the field?

[Coach]

Wrong decisions. Many here were chastising the Championship and it's many suitors, championing the glamorous Premier divisions decorating central Europe. And so he went and in doing so, inflicted the greatest of injuries upon his career. Simply put, the radar is far wider the closer one is to the epicentre. In Turkey, no one gives a hoot about what Kennwth is doing. After Middlesborough, he should've opted for another Championship loan, instead the head was redundant in the decision making process and so...Oh my God, they killed Kenny.

[felarey]

In hindsight, maybe he shouldn't have gone to Chelsea, a team that will always look to the transfer market to solve its problems and has millions to burn. Never saw him play for Chelsea, even in preseason. Being a foreigner he didn't have the extra edge an englishman, german, spanish, french, italian etc. would have. If 23, he still has time to get to the top. Coaching and playing experience might be responsible for drop in form.

[Dammy]

I think he should move on loan to a top 5 league. He still has the pedigree to attract decent teams like last season when Villareal and Celta Vigo were interested in him. Chelsea has loan players in Ligue 1, Bundesliga, La Liga and Serie A. He should opt for a loan move there, especially in a World Cup season. He may have to take a cut in pay as a price to pay to get his career back on track. Playing in a top league would enable him to regain his spot in the SE and if we qualify for the WC next year, he has the greatest platform to showcase his talent and get his career back on track. Like Coach, posted, nobody cares what he does in Turkey.

[Coach]

^And herein lies the problem, the ever indulgent Nigerianisms that place style over substance. Top league this, top league that, was it not the pursuit of said Premierships that saw Omeruo end up where he is. After a stint at Boro, consensus was that King Kenneth as too big for the Championship. Fast forward a year and more, Nigeria's number one is a mid table Championship stalwart. Kenneth does need big, top or whatever else, what he needs is surroundings in which he can blossom, grow and develop his game, within eye shot of the necessary. The Championship should be his hunting ground, if he has any sense, it may well be his only lifeline. Another move to the Premier League of Whogivesashit and he's roadside kill.

[Dammy]

^And herein lies the problem, the ever indulgent Nigerianisms that place style over substance. Top league this, top league that, was it not the pursuit of said Premierships that saw Omeruo end up where he is. After a stint at Boro, consensus was that King Kenneth as too big for the Championship. Fast forward a year and more, Nigeria's number one is a mid table Championship stalwart. Kenneth does need big, top or whatever else, what he needs is surroundings in which he can blossom, grow and develop his game, within eye shot of the necessary. The Championship should be his hunting ground, if he has any sense, it may well be his only lifeline. Another move to the Premier League of Whogivesashit and he's roadside kill.

He needs to step up his game, he has already played 2 seasons in the championship with Boro and you think he should continue his football education at that level. That is not progress!, He can definitely get a mid table club in any of the major leagues to sign him on loan or what was Chalobah's pedigree when Napoli signed him on loan? Hector has just finished a loan spell at Eintracht Frankfurt and Christensen at Monchengladbach. Is it an over indulgence for Omeruo to seek a similar arrangement that have been available to players of lesser pedigree?

[Coach]

His mid-table move to Turkey nko? How many seasons has Carl Ikeme spent in the Championship? On what supporting evidence does any top tier club earmark Omeruo as their starting centre-half? At this stage, there is nothing more important than game time. Omeruo need not repeat the same mistake or risk sentencing his career, in its infancy, to the doldrums. Leeds, Sunderland, Birmingham are all clubs of comparative stature to any mid table, nonentity in continental Europe. As for Chalobah, kindly list the number of appearances made for said Napoli.

[Dammy]

His mid-table move to Turkey nko? How many seasons has Carl Ikeme spent in the Championship? On what supporting evidence does any top tier club earmark Omeruo as their starting centre-half? At this stage, there is nothing more important than game time. Omeruo need not repeat the same mistake or risk sentencing his career, in its infancy, to the doldrums. Leeds, Sunderland, Birmingham are all clubs of comparative stature to any mid table, nonentity in continental Europe. As for Chalobah, kindly list the number of appearances made for said Napoli.

There you go contradicting yourself, you had earlier stated that nobody cares what he does in Turkey or is he not getting plenty of game time in Turkey but how has that helped his career?. I mentioned a mid table team in a major league because of the exposure that it will give him and the boost to his career. Like Taribo West said, If Awaziem gets playing time at Nantes and Omeruo decides to stay in Turkey, then Awaziem would supplant him in the SE pecking order. Based on your logic, on what supporting evidence would the likes of Leeds, Birmingham or Sunderland earmark Omeruo as their starting centre-half? My point again is that if fellow CDs with lower profiles than Omeruo like Djilobodji can get a loan at Werder Bremen, Christensen at Monchengladbach and Hector at Frankfurt, all top tier German teams and regular game time, why not Omeruo?

[papilo]

Nothing went wrong. He was pulling above his weight and he has finally found his level. To be honest, the clubs he has played for recently are his level. The Chelsea move was a strange one. He was not and has never been good enough to play for Chelsea or any top premier league side for that matter. The most overrated Nigerian defender in years without a doubt. Many are insinuating that he left Middlesborough because he did not want to play in the championship. This is not the case. Middlesborough did not want to keep him.

I watched him a lot while at Ado Den Haag just before he got invited by Stephen Keshi (R.I.P.). He played regularly for a poor Den Haag team who did not think he was good enough to play center back. At right back, he was average and offered nothing going forward. You don't loan a player from Chelsea and keep him on the bench especially if you are Ado Den Haag. That's how it works in the Netherlands. Luckily he was invited for the 2013 AFCON (as a right back because we were struggling in that position) and had a good tournament at center back, and when he returned to Den Haag, he began playing as a center back. I remember reading in one of the newspapers in Holland when the coach was asked why he moved him from right back to center back, his response was that 'you don't keep Drogba silent if you are not a good center back'. That nations cup win was good for his CV and made him look better than he actually is.

[oloye]

He would have been better of staying in Holland than signing for Chelsea,that singular move was a career killer.
Don't get me wrong, it is not because Chelsea is a bad club,it is simply that the place was stacked full of quality competitors.

Young players should steer clear of big teams unless they are special and unique and can easily rise to the top of the queue. The Chelsea scenario was a precarious one, Omeruo simply had no chance,not even on the bench,not with a queue that was not moving fast enough. Look at what became of Make and the young French chap,who at one time was knocking on the door only to suffer that nasty injury which shunted him to the back of the line.

The useless loan system does not help your career it does not leave room for mistake or stability, you are not here or there. Any loan move that is more than a season and involves being touted around like an action item is one that easily destroys a player's career.

To say I am disappointed that Turkey is the best Omeruo can end up is putting it mildly

[Enugu II]

I think Omeruo is overrated but so are several of the current SE defenders. That is just my tuppence. I saw him at ANC 2013 and I remember stating that he was being overrated but definitely better than Yobo at that stage in Yobo's career. However, I was drowned out by the hype surrounding him. Then at Confed Cup, one horrendous error led to a goal by Spain and similar error occurred in one of the ANCQ shortly after. These errors, see Zambia game also, seem to be part of his play. I just do not believe he is what the hype says he is. However, measured against our current SE defenders, he surely belongs but that is not stating much.

[danfo driver]

Lol. Nigerians do not want to face the obvious. He is not good enough. He even failed in division 2 (boro)

[smartbrother]

Four years ago, he had the world at his feet with a commanding performance in the center of Nigeria's defence as the Super Eagles won the 2013 African Cup of Nations. He consolidated his rising profile with a good outing at the 2013 Confederations Cup and teams from all over Europe took notice with Chelsea eventually winning his signature. I recall logging onto the Chelsea fans forum, WAGNH, and they were excited about getting him. Another good showing at the 2014 WC enhanced his reputation and I remember Oloye, a defender of no small repute in his time, posting that Omeruo was the next great thing in CD in naija football. However, since then, his career and refused to take off as expected and loans to Championship team, Middlesbrough and further loans to middling Turkish teams have seen his profile lowered. He is yet to play a single match for Chelsea and since then players like Eric Bailly and Koulibaly, have emerged as CDs of higher profile commanding transfer value in the region of 40 to 50 million pounds. He is currently training with the Chelsea reserves while another middling Turkish team, newly promoted Gotzepe are bidding for his services. He has lost his starting place in the SE and it is inconceivable that a player with his profile is among the Chelsea loan army of players of less pedigree. Could it be wrong career choices that seem to have derailed his once promising career? He is only 23 and I believe he is at the cross road where he has to take the hard decision that would take his career forward.

When has gotten a proper chance in the chelsea first 11?
Chelsea are notorious for buying talented young players and ruining their careers by putting them in a perpetual cycle of loan here, loan there
We were saying the exact same thing about Moses this time last year
calling him a wasted talent, overrated etc
ofcourse Coach - the nigerian football-mocking shakespeare wannabe- was the loudest detractor
Fact is we have all seen with our two eyes how good Omeruo is / can be given the opportunity
His club status doesn't change that.
All he needs is a permanent place is a decent team and good run of games and his star will rise again

[Coach]

Far from contradiction, rather a case of the baton being taken amd the race run in the wrong direction. The point made way back when was that, at that stage in his career, the Championship was a perfect curriculum. In quintessential Nigerian fashion, consensus boasted of his being too big for the Championship, Holland, Italy, Spain they cried. Today, Omeruo has ground to a halt, the promise flippantly overlooked. The better than Cahill they said, is gathering dust and disappearing from relevance. Again, in the vernacular, like Lupe Fiasco lite, if he knows what's good for himself, get back to the Championship, if he's lucky a newly promoted, but will they come looking?

[EMIR KONGI JAFFI JOFFA]

You guys are truly delusional! Nigeria is a country with 150mil passionate football fans yet it doesn't have 1 single decent football pitch but you think Turkey is a 2nd rate league. Didn't okocha ,Amo and uche play there as SE captains? This epl obsession really has u guys screwed up.

[maceo4]

Lol. Nigerians do not want to face the obvious. He is not good enough. He even failed in division 2 (boro)

True, but besides Balogun who is very average, the rest of our defenders (including Omeruo) are slightly below average. Even Troost is not very good and struggled when I watched him in Belgium last season. But like Keshi did, we can still make a decent TEAM out of our average to below average players. Its all about finding the right mix like Balogun and Troost, they complement each other well in the back.

[Cellular]

I think Omeruo is overrated but so are several of the current SE defenders. That is just my tuppence. I saw him at ANC 2013 and I remember stating that he was being overrated but definitely better than Yobo at that stage in Yobo's career. However, I was drowned out by the hype surrounding him. Then at Confed Cup, one horrendous error led to a goal by Spain and similar error occurred in one of the ANCQ shortly after. These errors, see Zambia game also, seem to be part of his play. I just do not believe he is what the hype says he is. However, measured against our current SE defenders, he surely belongs but that is not stating much.

Kpom!

I hope he improves but I doubt it.

I don't rate any of our current corps of central defenders. They are all average at best.

[kalani JR]

Same thing with Chrisanthus, Rabiu and Baby Messi.

[Rawlings]

The elephant in the room: old age

[Ebyboy]

[quote="oloye"]He would have been better of staying in Holland than signing for Chelsea,that singular move was a career killer.
Don't get me wrong, it is not because Chelsea is a bad club,it is simply that the place was stacked full of quality competitors.

Young players should steer clear of big teams unless they are special and unique and can easily rise to the top of the queue. The Chelsea scenario was a precarious one, Omeruo simply had no chance,not even on the bench,not with a queue that was not moving fast enough. Look at what became of Make and the young French chap,who at one time was knocking on the door only to suffer that nasty injury which shunted him to the back of the line.

The useless loan system does not help your career it does not leave room for mistake or stability, you are not here or there. Any loan move that is more than a season and involves being touted around like an action item is one that easily destroys a player's career.

To say I am disappointed that Turkey is the best Omeruo can end up is putting it mildly[/quote]

Kpom! Just look at what has happened to Iheanacho............
I won't put down Turkey. I would say though that he should be
doing better IN Turkey.

[Bigpokey24]

Ken reports for preseason. .all of una head no dey house. ....he is still miles ahead of that Awazie defender who has no clue on defending

[jette1]

same thing that went wrong with Dele Adeleye