Udinese head coach Kosta Runjaic has urged the club's fans to be patient with Super Eagles goalkeeper Maduka Okoye after his error against Bologna last week, Soccernet.ng reports.
The 26-year-old denied Riccardo Orsolini from twelve yards in Bologna's 3-0 win over Udinese, but his error led to Bologna's second goal.
Okoye only returned to action last month after serving a ban that kept him out of club action for a while because of a betting scandal.
The former Watford goalie apologised for his error after the game, claiming the result left a bitter aftertaste.
Udinese coach pleads for patience with Okoye
Kosta Runjaic revealed the German-born Nigerian has been putting in the work in training, and maintained optimism that he'll take his game to the next level.
“In training, he shows us what he is capable of doing, and I am optimistic. We have confidence in every player on the squad; everyone has to train well and then prove in the game,” the German manager said in quotes relayed by Udinese's official website.
“Between us, against Bologna, there were things that I didn't like, and with the guys, we talked about it.
“The goal is to work on mistakes and no longer make mistakes. We have several new players, different young players, different ones that have played less; these are details that can be decisive.
“For example, Okoye did not play for weeks; against Bologna, he took an unnecessary risk, and we went two goals down, and that closed the match.
“We are working intensively, we need time, it is a process of growth. It takes time to see the full potential of the players express.
“For a team like Udinese, it is important to know how to face the non-positive moments. I am not in a hurry; we keep what we have done well, and we correct the rest.
“We are in a process of growth; it is difficult to give timelines. Last year, we laid the foundation. Now we have a good mix of players, we work intensively, and then we will reap the rewards of our work.
“The psychological aspect is fundamental, to make points, to see your work rewarded, helps a lot. We still have five games before the end of the year; the goal is above all to score a lot of points in the three games at home.
“But first, there is Parma, we have to think about that, we have to focus on improving from game to game to do better than last year. If we'll get to the top ten, we will see in May.
“Often, the league ranking does not reflect performance, but to achieve our goals, we must all grow together.
“If the singles improve, the team improves, the points arrive, you go up in the standings, and the fans are happy,” Runjaic concluded.
Maduka Okoye has kept one clean sheet in six games for Udinese this season, conceding eleven goals and saving one spot kick.
