The professional football career of former Super Eagles defender Celestine Babayaro appeared to hit rock bottom yesterday when America Major League Soccer (MLS) side LA Galaxy offloaded him.
Babayaro, who only joined the club of England super star David Beckham last month after being released by struggling Premiership side Newcastle United, had only played one game for the Galaxy before being asked to leave.
In fact the former Chelsea star had followed the Galaxy on their pre-season promotional tour of the Far East where he had played a solitary game before news broke yesterday morning on SkySports that the one time Nigerian international had been told his services were no longer needed.
Incidentally, speaking exclusively to THISDAYSports some years ago former England international Garth Crooks had described the defender as the most naturally gifted Nigerian player to have come into the Premiership but queried his attitude to the professional game.
“Babayaro is the most gifted player to have come out of Nigeria to ply his trade here (England),” said the former Spurs player, who was reacting to THISDAYSports’ question on his assessment of Nigerian footballers plying their trade in the Premiership.
Crooks, who spoke to THISDAYSports in Middlesex, however, added that although Babayaro was naturally gifted he would not have a productive and long career in England as long as his attitude to training and the game in general was poor.
“Celestine is a very fine player unfortunately his mind-set is all wrong. Unless he changes his attitude I believe he will never reach his full potentials, which will be very unfortunate,” said the former footballer, who now doubles as a freelance journalist with the BBC.
Since making his _2.25 million move to England from Anderlecht of Belgium in June 1997 Babayaro has often hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons.
On numerous occasions he has been fined by his various clubs for keeping late nights at different night clubs, while some years ago he was accused of rape by some girls who attended a party he organised.
Although he was exonerated by a London court, last year a woman told a British tabloid that she was suing the former junior international after he refused to give her child support for the baby she had for him.
According to the report, which had a picture of a baby, which bore an uncanny resemblance to the Atlanta’96 gold medallist, the lady claimed that a DNA test carried out at the behest of the footballer had confirmed that he was the farther.
It was his refusal to provide her money for the upkeep of the child despite the positive DNA test that prompted her to go to the papers.
With such baggage trailing him it is very difficult to see what the future holds for the Japan U-17 winner since clubs will be very reluctant to sign him on considering his antecedent.
Babayaro, who is still just only 30-years-old, has played for some of the biggest clubs in Europe including Anderlecht, with whom he won the Ebony Boot (given to the best foreign player in the Belgium league), Chelsea and Newcastle United
No comments:
Post a Comment