Lateef Omidiji at Go Ahead Eagles (The Netherlands)

Discussion in 'Yanks Abroad Academy' started by Dave Marino-Nachison, May 20, 2014.

  1. Dave Marino-Nachison

    Jun 9, 1999
    A 10-year-old kid from Las Vegas:

    About a year ago at this time, Lateef Omidiji Jr. was standing in the dock at Southampton. He wasn’t trying to get to Holland or France. That was John Lennon and Yoko Ono in the “Ballad of John and Yoko.”

    Lateef Omidiji Jr. was trying to get to the soccer pitch. He was a long way from home.

    He had been invited to train with the Southampton FC academy kids. Southampton FC in an English soccer club that plays in the English Premier League. The EPL is massive over there, like the NFL is on our side of the pond.

    So this was a pretty big deal for the local kid.

    It became an even bigger deal when Nigerian-born Lateef Omidiji Sr. was approached by scouts from the football federation in Nigeria. “Would Lateef Jr. be interested in representing his father’s homeland on the football pitch?”
    http://www.reviewjournal.com/columns-blogs/ron-kantowski/las-vegas-soccer-prodigy-10-scouts-sights

    Worth a read.
     
  2. ussoccer97531

    ussoccer97531 Member+

    Oct 12, 2012
    Club:
    --other--
    Lateef's a Nigerian-American 2003 from Las Vegas. I don't know what position he plays. He's previously trialed at Southampton.

    Here is a local Las Vegas article on him. It indicates that the Nigerian federation is scouting him.

    http://www.reviewjournal.com/columns-blogs/ron-kantowski/las-vegas-soccer-prodigy-10-scouts-sights

    His sister plays for the Nigeria U-20's, and she tweets all the time giving information about him and their younger brother Rasheed who's at FC Eindhoven.

    Here is one tweet. I believe he is in the middle row third from the right.

    664588343120756736 is not a valid tweet id


    He also has his own youtube channel where he posts highlights of his games.

    https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClabfXsZOy5dlcYF_YWTWSg

    Rasheed is a 2007 or 2008 at FC Eindhoven, I'm unsure which birth year he is.

    He also has a youtube channel

    https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgZUHjX13gMFyqa-pkI_U2Q
     
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  3. Dave Marino-Nachison

    Jun 9, 1999
    Testudo repped this.
  4. bigt8917

    bigt8917 Member+

    May 10, 2015
    Is that him or his dad tweeting that? The humility in his tone is incredible. Very cool stuff.

    Also, I assume that him and his brother, through Nigerian citizenship are able to officially play there due to Cotonou rules?
     
  5. Dave Marino-Nachison

    Jun 9, 1999
    Well, I believe you are supposed to be at least 13 to use Twitter but I imagine it's not terribly difficult to bypass that. As you note, the tone of the account is at times remarkably mature for a 12-year-old (which he appears to be, based on the age on the Twitter profile page). In any case, I don't know the answer to your question.



    FC Dordrecht, by the way, is in the second division.

    His younger brother Rasheed, meanwhile, is also at a club at that level.
     
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  6. bsky22

    bsky22 Member+

    Dec 8, 2003
    Very interesting tone indeed. based on this interview, it could easily be him. It also sounds like for now he sees himself with the Nigerian national team.... 12 year olds, What are going to do?

     
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  7. BostonRed

    BostonRed Member+

    Oct 9, 2011
    Somerville, MA
    Club:
    New England Revolution
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Goal profile:
    http://www.goal.com/en-ng/news/4078...ji-jr-meet-the-12-year-old-prodigy-that-could

    http://www.savidnews.com/lateef-omi...c&utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=socialnetwork

    “Although I have received interest from USA Football,” Lateef Jr. told Goal, “my heart lies with my fatherland and I'm hopeful of a call up from the coach Nasidi-led U13s/U15s this year.”

    His father also wants him to play for Nigeria despite the interest from the United States and its alluring potentials.

    “I love my nation and I put that love of Nigeria in my kids very early. I tell them you are not just American, you're Nigerian-American,” Mr Omidiji told Goal.
     
  8. BostonRed

    BostonRed Member+

    Oct 9, 2011
    Somerville, MA
    Club:
    New England Revolution
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
  9. BostonRed

    BostonRed Member+

    Oct 9, 2011
    Somerville, MA
    Club:
    New England Revolution
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Friedel'sAccent repped this.
  10. Exclusive: Arsenal,Chelsea&Wolfsburg Among Clubs Keen On FC Dordrecht Superkid Lateef Omidiji
    Published: May 02, 2016


    [​IMG]
    Allnigeriasoccer.com can exclusively report that Chelsea and Arsenal are among the elite teams in Europe monitoring the progress of Lateef Omidiji Jr, who is currently on the books of the youth team of FC Dordrecht in Holland.

    But what is stopping the two English Premier League teams from going public with their interest is that Omidiji is still a minor and they are patiently waiting for him to turn 16 before making an approach or for the family to move to the United Kingdom.

    Chelsea and Arsenal face strong competition for the signature of the 12-year-old in future, with Wolfsburg and Dutch powerhouses Ajax Amsterdam and Feyenoord also interested in landing his services and there have been enquiries from La Liga teams as well.

    Meanwhile, an intermediary who recommended Juventus star Paul Pogba to the French Federation, says it will be disgraceful if the Nigeria Football Federation miss out on the youngster, with the USSF pressing the right buttons so he commits his international future to the Americans.

    “It’ll be a great shame if Nigeria do not take advantage of his current interest in his fathers country because you see players Alaba, Ibe, Barkley and many good players across Europe with African backgrounds,” the source told allnigeriasoccer.com. “Look at the French and Belgium National teams that are not choosing their dads’ country of birth to represent so I think his case will be unique as Nigeria shouldn’t wait till he’s in the PL or Paris at 17 before trying to get his allegiance.”

    He added : “ I know the Lagos FA Chairman talks a lot about vision for the youth and future, this kid can be the face of that progress and forward thinking. “We’ve always said in France that when Africa gets technical players at a young age who develop early in Europe, the World Cup will never leave Africa.”

    The 12-year-old Lateef Omidiji Jr has been likened to Barcelona and Uruguay star Luis Suarez.
     
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  11. I donot understand how they got in the Netherlands. What are their parent doing here? Nigerians donot have permission to enter the country without a visa and certainly not for the time they seemto be here staying.
    But if he moves to the EPL academies it is byebye to a soccer talent as from EPL academies you disappear into a black hole.
     
  12. BostonRed

    BostonRed Member+

    Oct 9, 2011
    Somerville, MA
    Club:
    New England Revolution
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
  13. http://sportsrollcall.com/omidiji-revved-up-for-new-season-with-fc-dordrecht/

    [​IMG]
    Omidiji Revved Up For New Season With FC Dordrecht
    BY GODWIN AIKIGBE
    Lateef Omidiji Jr says he is ready to work his socks off and achieve excellence with the U-14 team of FC Dordrecht this season.
    The prodigiously talented American-Nigerian who is dying to represent the latter at U-17 level, Thursday took to Instagram to express his readiness to justify his wonderkid tag.
    “New season new group….excited for the season…gonna lead this group to winning. Lead by action and example not by words. Train hard play hard. Not the chattiest around the group but it’s because I’m focused. A bit intense at practice and games but coming from Las Vegas didn’t come here to play around. Here’s to a good season…let’s go get em,” stated Omidiji, who is one the top players in Europe and is being courted by the Netherlands and USA.
     
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  14. bsky22

    bsky22 Member+

    Dec 8, 2003
    Rahbiefowlah, HartwickFan and BostonRed repped this.
  15. BostonRed

    BostonRed Member+

    Oct 9, 2011
    Somerville, MA
    Club:
    New England Revolution
    Nat'l Team:
    United States

     
  16. BostonRed

    BostonRed Member+

    Oct 9, 2011
    Somerville, MA
    Club:
    New England Revolution
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
  17. CreightonMCFCjoey

    Jan 30, 2007
    Omaha, NE
    Club:
    Manchester City FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    US wanted Omidiji, US got Omidiji.
     
  18. Dave Marino-Nachison

    Jun 9, 1999
    Little reason not to take any national team callups you're offered, particularly when you're in your early teens and they're nonbinding...
     
  19. BostonRed

    BostonRed Member+

    Oct 9, 2011
    Somerville, MA
    Club:
    New England Revolution
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
  20. It seems he's still there (which is a good thing):
    http://www.fcdordrecht-jeugdopleiding.nl/selecties/fc-dordrecht-o14/

    [​IMG]

    FC Dordrecht Onder 14 (C2)
    [​IMG]FC Dordrecht O14/C2 komt dit seizoen uit in de O14 Competitie

    De selectie bestaat uit de volgende spelers:
    Van Links naar rechts de voorste rij:
    Marc Smits – Viktor Geurts – Daniel van Vianen – Nick Schutte – Trainer Ronald Plaisier – Dave Lameir -Delano van Herwijnen -Damian den Beste – Deniz Baykal
    Van links naar rechts de middelste rij :
    Lateef Omidiji – Mauro Tent – Yvar Nelson – Jordi Altena – Mike Kooijman – Junior Seltonrijch- Alper Yildiz – Wesley Goedhart
    Achterste rij van links naar rechts :
    Tristan Roest – Gyan de Regt – Rick Verloop – Bo Goudswaard – Robbie vd Weg – Assistent trainer Boris Blankers
     
  21. Dave Marino-Nachison

    Jun 9, 1999
    So...

    Allnigeriasoccer.com understands Premier League side Arsenal are in pole position for the signature of American-born Nigerian wonderkid Lateef Omidiji Jr.

    The 13-year-old was eyed by the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona, Man City, Chelsea, PSG and Ajax Amsterdam but the Gunners have moved ahead of their rivals for his services when he attains the age of majority.

    It has been agreed that Omidiji will travel to London every summer to train with the youth team of Arsenal.
    http://www.footballgossip.org.uk/index.php/2017/02/08/arsenal-transfer-news-carrasco-omidiji/
     
  22. And when he gets there he will be loaned to VVV. Gee, keep control of your own destiny and sign for Feyenoord.
     
  23. bigt8917

    bigt8917 Member+

    May 10, 2015
    Wish he would have signed for anyone but the English clubs
     
  24. BostonRed

    BostonRed Member+

    Oct 9, 2011
    Somerville, MA
    Club:
    New England Revolution
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Brexit may be a blessing in disguise, except for those holding UK passports.
     
  25. Young talents in Brasil are having a good thought about going to the EPL and are coming to the conclusion it is better to go to the Eredivisie. The failure of the EPL to give the young Brasilians a real chance, ending in them going into a neverending loan trail/derail of a promising future makes the Eredivisie a desirable destination again.
    Ajax got a highly sought after kid and PSV is in anticipation to sign a talent the moment he turns 18.
    If our youth come to their senses and follow that example, the future of Dutch soccer still can be saved.

    "PSV again seems to get a Brazilian talent to the Netherlands. The club has reached a verbal agreement with the seventeen year old Mauro Junior, reports the Eindhoven Dagblad.

    The young striker of Desportivo Brasil, whose full name Jaqueson Mauro Ferreira Junior Dos Santos will join after his arrival in the selection of Young PSV. He is expected to arrive in the spring in Eindhoven.

    Mauro is no stranger to the Philips Stadium. He took four years ago, a look at the club during a taster internship, after which he made his appearance during some friendly youth competitions.

    Mauro was at PSV in the footsteps of a number of Brazilian compatriots. Among others Romário, Ronaldo, Heurelho Gomes and Alex started their European career in Eindhoven
    ."
     
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