With the second half of the European season now up and running, Owngoalnigeria.com takes a look at the Nigerian players who failed to impress at their clubsides in Europe during the first half of the season.
Maduka Okoye – Impressed when he made his debut for the senior national team of Nigeria but at club level where he keeps goal for the B team of Fortuna Dusseldorf, the 20 year old has really struggle to make his mark. He conceded 26 goals in 13 games with just one clean sheet to his name.
Leon Balogun – Finally made a deadline day move to Wigan Athletics after failing to make a single Premier League appearance for Brighton and Hove Albion with his two appearance so far coming in the FA Cup and Carabao Cup. Overall he hasn’t been a success in England since his move after the 2018 World Cup.
Kenneth Omeruo – Unlucky to be included in this list due to the fact that his team is struggling. However since his permanent transfer to the Spanish side he hasn’t matched the height he reached while on loan last season. He is clearly struggling just like the rest of his teammates.
Brian Idowu – From starring for Nigeria at the World Cup to missing out on a spot in the Africa Cup of Nations Idowu has really regressed. In the first half of the season he only played seven league games for Lokomotive Moscow although he played four of their games in the group stages of the UEFA Champions League.
Stanley Amuzie – Many expected him to be a regular in the Super Eagles by now after making his debut in 2016 but the former Sampdoria youth team prospect has gone from grace to grass since then. Presently clubless after he was released by Slovenian side NK Aluminij last year.
Oghenekaro Etebo – Frozen out at Stoke City in the first half of the season just few months after he was voted the player of the season for the club for his performance in his debut season last term out. Now in Getafe he will be hoping for a better second half of the season to make the Laliga side trigger the option of signing him permanently.
Ogenyi Onazi – Injured for most part of the first half of the season but even when he was fit he wasn’t considered for a spot in the team. Eventually terminated his contract and joined Denizlispor in search of form and game time. If you want to know what will happen when the next Super Eagles list is out. He is expected to miss out.
Azubuike Okechukwu – This season was billed as one where he will stamp his authority at Istanbul Basaksehir and force his way into the senior national team of Nigeria. That has not been the case for the 22 year old former captain of the Nigeria U23 as he has only lasted the entire duration of the game four times this season in the 13 games he has played so far.
Henry Onyekuru – Had a time to forget in France with Monaco. Expected to build on his performance in Turkey for Galatasaray, he fail to make an impression and it didn’t come as a surprise when he was loaned back to Galatasaray for the rest of the season.
Samuel Kalu – Inconsistency and injury have turned him into a peripheral figure at Bordeaux. When fit he sometimes sit on the bench as he has lost his spot while out injured this season. Presently expected to miss around one month with another injury.
Taiwo Awoniyi – From scoring seven goals in nine games for modest Belgium side Mouscron to struggling to get game time in Germany with Mainz 05, the on loan Liverpool forward has failed to matched expectations since his move to Germany.
