Super Eagles Star Ogu Opens Up On Difficult Last Six Months

Former Drava Ptuj star John Ugochukwu Ogu sat out the first half of the season but has now revealed he went through a tough period before he secured his move to the Saudi Professional League.

After seeing out his contract with Israeli side Hapoel Beer Sheva – a club he spent four hugely successful seasons with –  Nigeria midfielder John Ogu didn't envisage any trouble attracting interests from decent sides in Europe.

The 31-year-old won three successive league titles with Hapoel Beer Sheva and also won the Israeli Super Cup twice.

A Nigeria international since 2013, Ogu was a member of the country's contingent to the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup. He was also in Gernot Rohr's squad to the 2019 African Cup of Nations where the Super Eagles secured a bronze medal finish.

But that impressive CV failed to convince Europe's top sides to snap up the former Academica de Coimbra star when he became a free agent in the summer. He was thus compelled to stay at home and watch the season unfold, an uneasy situation for a professional footballer.

“It's been a long, tough and crazy six months, but I want to quickly put it all behind me by getting involved with Al-Adalah immediately,” Ogu confessed to BBC Sport. 

“To watch others actively playing on television at the start of the season was tough and now I have a lot of catching up to do personally on the football pitch.

“But I'm confident in my ability and confident that my body is ready for the battles and vigorous games to come.”

It is back to happy times though as John Ogu has signed for Saudi top flight side, Al-Adalah FC.