i am AMAZING.

The Impeccable Quality Of A Professional Footballer!

[i am AMAZING. @AmazingDarey]

AJIBOLA DAMILARE AMAZING.
ROLLS-ROYCE CENTRE BACK.
PINPOINT LONG AND SHORT PASSES.
ELITE READING OF SPACE.
DOMINANT TACKLES AND INTERCEPTIONS.

AND YES, I SCORE TOO!

I AM AMAZING.

WATCH AND ENJOY!

[i am AMAZING. @AmazingDarey]

@CFCNigerian Hello boss, could we talk in the dm please?

[sc @sxdiqcarter_]

I’ve tweeted it before but I’ll say it again, everyone I know that traveled out 2-4 years there life has gotten significantly better in a way that might not have happened if they were still in Nigeria.

[Promise @KALADIMA1972]

Saw one reposting “preek wey go sweet, na from transfer you go know”. I was soo disappointed in my self
I was really disappointed
The fact that I even tried to exchange number with someone like that. I no rate my self for like 2 months

[TobyWrites @tobyasky]

Professional player don talk, make una con learn.

It’s only ignorant to say there’s no gap or there’s little gap, the gap is very wide.

Outliers do not render an hypothesis useless. It’s an outlier for a reason. Choosing Brighton even tells you his team cares about development

[Oyiga Micheal @Nsukka_okpa]

The emotional video of 18-year-old Zadok Yohanna calling his father after signing a five-year contract with Brighton broke the internet yesterday.

Just a year ago, he was developing his skills locally in Kaduna. Today, he represents a historic multi-million-pound transfer. 🇳🇬⚽

But here’s the real truth: Nigeria has thousands of Zadoks right now playing on secondary school pitches across the country, completely unnoticed.

We don’t need to reinvent the wheel.

We just need to fix and modernize the Principals Cup.

Does anyone remember the principal cup?

It was a secondary school tournament that ran every school in Lagos and in the end, a school was declared winner.

The modern Principals Cup must stop being “just a secondary school tournament.”

It must become Nigeria’s official recruitment conveyor belt for professional football.

How it should work:
Every NPFL and NNL club must formally partner with schools in their region. The top 50 players from the national finals get automatic, fully-funded trials with pro Nigerian clubs.

The Solidarity Dividend:
If a local academy like Ikon Allah FC can earn over ₦1.1 billion in solidarity payouts from one European transfer, NPFL clubs should be fighting to discover and sign these schoolboys first.

Therefore this is my Call to Corporate Nigeria: This kind of initiative cannot survive on passion alone. Me and my team are actively looking for forward-thinking brands ready to partner with us and scale this talent pipeline.
By backing the new Principals Cup, your brand gets:
• Unrivaled grassroots visibility across 36 states
• Real CSR impact (scholarships + life-changing careers)
• Global storytelling value — your logo becomes part of the next Zadok’s origin story
DM to partner.
Let’s build the pipeline.

[Mr. 9X @Utd_9X]

There is this my guy, his name is Dele. We used to call him Neymar. If you are from Ijumu LGA in Kogi State, there is no way you won’t be familiar with him. A proper baller with determination.

Dele comes to training alone. If no one is there, he will jog, do cone work, ball work, and leg fitness. His work rate was underrated. I happened to be in the same team with him for one season during the annual December Obaro Cup. I play as a number 9, and he plays in the number 10 role. Bro, that guy would dribble every defender and leave me with an empty net to score. God, I miss him so much.

Fast forward to 2021, when I became the Student Union President in my town, I used that influence to negotiate with a club in Abuja, City FC at Old Parade Ground, when their trials were open for that season. If you know City FC in Abuja, you’ll know they are good at getting players abroad. We spoke, and I also spoke with Dele to come over and try his luck, which we agreed on. We discussed accommodation and everything, and he asked to use a few days to raise some money to feed himself and buy new training materials pending the trial.

On one faithful evening, I saw his picture on Facebook and on our WhatsApp platform with the caption “RIP.” I was like, how?

Me and this guy had just spoken a few days before, and we had plans. Why and what happened? The question kept ringing in my head, and I was confused. I had to call a few people who later confirmed his death.

He died due to cardiac arrest while training on the pitch. He fell down while no one was marking him, and he wasn’t even with the ball. Due to the unavailability of first aid treatment, he passed away.

I was pained. I almost cried. I was so sad. I went back to our WhatsApp chat to listen to our conversations and said, “Oh my God… just a few days away from a trial that might have changed his life for good, and he died.”

Omo, things really happen in this life. I miss that guy. A proper baller and a huge talent left with the world barely knowing him.

To all the young talents out there, I pray you won’t die with your gift. May God answer your prayers one day, and may you get your own moment. 🙏

[Abiola Dauda @blackveron]

I saw some people tweeted about Zadok yohanna move from Nigeria to AIK in Sweden to signing for Brighton Albion in the premier league that the difference between playing amateur football and being a professional footballer is not too big, that's a BIG LIE.

The difference is very big and in some cases like Zadok yohanna it's called fast development which means in the space of 6months after signing his first professional contract with AIK he was playing with AIK U-19 but made a fast development to get to the first team.

Another angel is that when a club believes in your potential they will give you an appropriate time for your development before they expose you to first team football.

I was playing for Kalmar FF reserves for 3months when I first joined while training with the first team and it was my performance with the reverses that got me into the first team after three months.

Zadok yohanna didn't start playing with the first team but he was training with them for few months before he made he's first team debut. Even LAMINE YAMAL played few games in the La Ma Sia before making to the first team.

There is always a gap in between joining the club to the time you can make your first team debut and some players did that in few months why some in years.

Zadok yohanna break through from AIK Solna to Brighton Albion doesn't bridge the cap from Amateur to pro football because you must have that gap in between where you are to develop first before playing in the first team and Zadok yohanna development was a fast one and that's very rare at that level.

[Rilwan @Real1_balogun]

I hope someday, Jude Odion Ighalo will talk about his journey fully.

There’s no time I think about his career and not credit his incredible resilience. To spend those number of years in football, and only enjoying proper, proper big bucks towards the end says a lot about footballers from our part of the world. It’s not easy to do.

A career that has spanned over 20 years is no mean feat for anyone, especially an African footballer. And he spent majority of it in Europe, in top division teams.

Another player whose journey I respect is Brown Ideye.

Ideye was in the U-20 two years before Ighalo, and was a star in that team. Probably the most successful member of that team alongside Ambrose Efe and Elderson Echiejile.

He played at in Switzerland, France, then Dynamo Kiev. That West Brom move was their record transfer at the time and then Greece. A player who was good enough to consistently stay in top division European clubs. You may look at those things from afar and think they’re easy but those in the game know they’re not. Very difficult.

Those players also started locally. Ideye played for Ocean Boys. Ighalo played for Prime FC and Julius Berger, but times are changing.

The brightest journeyman we’ve had in the last 10 years must be Victor Osimhen. He’s played in Germany, Belgium, France, Italy and Turkey. He’s Nigeria’s biggest player of the last 20 years and he didn’t play in the local league. He also never got a chance to play U-20 like Ideye or Ighalo but he’s proven himself good enough at U-17.

Before Osimhen, there was Kelechi Iheanacho. There was Taiwo Awoniyi. There was Isaac Success whose path was similar to Ighalo’s — he played for Udinese, Watford and Granada too, but football is hard, you can’t switch off. You’ll go through big journeys. The game will test you. If you’re resilient, you’ll come out shining.

You simply can’t think the people who earn their stars were lucky. They worked hard. Some of them faced life-threatening situations — Osimhen and Awoniyi, and they carry scars that will break many people.

This is just to respect them, and tell that they’re big, big characters. Success is not easy.

[i am AMAZING. @AmazingDarey]

@shxkxbabu You don pami😭

[i am AMAZING. @AmazingDarey]

@Lana66__ Who

[Naija Ballers @9ja_Ballers]

As a footballer who plays for an amateur side in Nigeria and you live in some certain states in Nigeria, the chances of you being scouted is zero. If you live in the North, you can move to Kaduna, Kano, Jos and Abuja.

If you live in the East, come to Owerri, Enugu and Aba.

[i am AMAZING. @AmazingDarey]

One egg roll now nah N500.

A ti mo iru wahala ta wa😂

[SB @seyedele]

Friday.

Bought two egg rolls (buns?) and a Pepsi - N500.

Office provides lunch on Fridays.

My colleagues insulted me for drinking Pepsi tho. One thought I was broke and dashed me 1k.

Dispenser water - N650

Balance: N21,800.

[Wendell Okaro @Dojran2021]

1. The process of scouting, the move to AIK and the conversations, the full details of the deal with Brighton
Only the Academy, AIK,the agent, the scout and Brighton are involved.
2. The way clubs scout players, the Quality they seek, the positions they seek, the level of physical or technical development they seek varies from club to club.
I have see so many takes, so many "know it alls"
Everyone suddenly knows Zadok Yohana
Everyone knew He will be the next Messi but nobody promoted his talent only his academy.
It took a white man as Usual to come and take the crude oil we didn't value, refine it and sell it.
There are thousands of Zadok still on the streets today but you won't even answer them when they greet you!
If someone else does it, everyone will come with their hot takes and senseless arguments again.

[SCOREpion 🦂⚽🔥 @Hakeem_Onitolo]

A, who is not a scout: “It is not by videos; scouts don’t need it. Any fool can make football highlights.”

B, who is a scout: “Send me your videos for assessment, and if we are satisfied, we can fix a physical in-person trial.”

You know who to take serious.

[SCOREpion 🦂⚽🔥 @Hakeem_Onitolo]

Zadok didn’t make the National U-17 team btw - he was dropped. But the narrative by certain people (who are projecting their lack of ability onto others) is that if you are dropped at any stage or fail trials at any point in your career, it means you are not a good footballer.

Time and occurrences, once again, have proved this malicious narrative false.

In the end, malicious assertions cannot stand the test of time.

[SCOREpion 🦂⚽🔥 @Hakeem_Onitolo]

Remember that this boy was playing grassroots football in Nigeria a year ago.

The perfect proof that your life is just ONE occurrence away from changing for the better and turning around completely. In other words, if you are good enough at your craft, you are just a chance away from your breakthrough. Once you get it, everything compounds.

Do not let anybody tell you that you are not capable of achieving what you set out to achieve.

“Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t — you’re right.”

Congratulations, Zadok, and good luck 🥳

Remember, as long as it exists and you are good enough for it, you can get it.

Impossible is nothing‼️

[i am AMAZING. @AmazingDarey]

Trust!

[Richard Oluwamayowa @Olaogun_]

Congratulations Yohanna 👏👏

I’m next in line

[Abiodun Odebunmi @Harbiodun7979]

Miraculous working God . He still played in local team in Nigeria last year and today now.He has become an international player .What an unbelievable manifestation.

[TobyWrites @tobyasky]

I do not agree with that statement in quote.

Firstly, you mentioned that there’s not really much difference, yet you went on to mention like 6 differences.

These tweets can be misleading if we do not consider the factors in play.

Whenever there are outliers, it doesn’t automatically render an hypothesis incorrect.

Can @olisaemeka_G mention 5 players that made this same jump in a very short period like 18 months to the premier league. Just 5 from Nigeria in recent times? I’ll be waiting.

Do you know how many players move from Nigeria daily? How many of them move to such level in 18 months?

Outliers do not mean what you’re saying has become a fact or applies generally. There is a big difference, a very big one between grassroots and professionals.

Even clubs are aware of this difference. Clubs sign these players and loan them. Brighton might push him to USG, their sister club, which is what they’ve done with players like Mitoma who came from Japan, for their development…but we all want to see Zodak in the prem as soon as possible. Even clubs are aware of the difference in levels, they’re not foolish I assure you.

Osimhen you referenced went to Wolfsburg from u17, but was loaned to Charleroi (difference in levels), for him to gain experience and get used to the high levels, so he can “make up” for that difference. After Charleroi, he still touched Lille, we know France is a good hub for young players, you could see he was ready from that point.

Boniface you mentioned, went to Bodo, then to USG, before he touched Germany (took him about 4-5 years). You cannot cheat those levels, if you do, you’re an outlier, and outliers do not represent the larger dataset. There’s a reason players go to Sweden, Norway, Belgium, and the likes to develop. In fact, if Zadok debuts in the premier league and hits the ground running, he’s in the higher class of outliers, because that is not common.

Again, those things you call structure, nutrition, etc, cannot be trivialised. The talent will be there, but you need time to meet up. We see many players get forced to play at a level higher than them, and that’s how their career disappears.

Haaland was tearing it at Salzburg, English teams came, they said No, he wasn’t ready for that level, let’s go to Dortmund first to develop further, before he was ready to rip the premier league off. If Haaland had come earlier and flopped, they’ll probably loan him away and that’s how the career declines. You know many examples of players that made that jump and couldn’t meet up the level.

Even professional leagues have levels, talk less of amateur to professional. I put it to you @olisaemeka_G, this is a wrong assertion. Outliers to not represent the larger dataset.

[Richard Oluwamayowa @Olaogun_]

Hello @AIKfotboll

I’m Olaogun, a winger also played as a striker from Nigeria. I’ve spent the last 3 years training daily to get one shot at professional football.

I’m not asking for a contract. I’m asking for 7 days on trial to show you what I can do. If I’m not good enough, I’ll walk away with no hard feelings.

I’m fast, direct, and I work harder than anyone on the pitch.

My highlights are here: https://t.co/nD68FCLsMn

Thanks,
Olaogun
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