Benue Born Star Footballer Fanendo Adi Wins Goal Nigeria Player Of The Year (NPOTY) 2015 Award
The Goal Nigeria Player Of The Year (NPOTY) for 2015 has been announced and guess who the winner is? Benue Born football star Fanen Adi popularly known as Fanendo Adi. The 25-year-old Nigerian who hails from Benue State plays in the Major League Soccer for Portland Timbers who are currently winners of MLS Cup Trophy.
The giant strong Portland frontman Fanendo Adi who stand 6ft 4 inches, has 18 goals to boot and is been nominated as the Goal Nigeria Player Of The Year (NPOTY) 2015.
When Nigeria fans typically consider their compatriots in the United States, the name that typically springs to mind is Oba Martins.
It's easy to understand why the forward still enjoys a fine reputation in Europe, he has shone in spells for the Super Eagles, and he has proven consistently that he can be a devastating presence in Major League Soccer.
However, while Martins scored 15 goals in 2015 for Seattle Sounders, and was thrice runner up in the division's Player of the Week award, Adi scored 16 goals during the regular season (and a further two in the play-offs) and twice won the Player of the Week award.
What's more, while Obagoal has never won the MLS Cup in three attempts, Adi and his Timbers team managed it after a 2-1 victory over Columbus Crew in Ohio at the beginning of December.
Major League Soccer is beginning to enjoy a greater reputation within the world game, and this season received more media coverage and global attention than ever before. Not only did Adi win a burgeoning division, he also played a key role for the Timbers, wholly building on the initial promise he showed when he moved from FC Kobenhavn in May 2014.
Physically, Adi is something of a complete package standing at 6 ft 4, he boasts a presence that few others can match, but he is also mobile, and capable of running the channels and of troubling speedy defences.
This season, he has eked the maximum out of his physical capacities, while he has also learned to play to his strengths, to pick when to give it to the Timbers' more talented, technically proficient players, and when to go it alone.
Obviously, goals have been a big part of Adi's season with only three players scored more in Major League Soccer - but he also contributed three assists, and brought the best out of the likes of Diego Valeri, Rodney Wallace, Dairon Asprilla and Darlington Nagbe, knowing when to hold up play and when to bring the Timbers' talented widemen into the game.
"Playing with your back to goal, you have to be strong and try to stay up for the team," the striker told ESPN. "In our club, that's what we need and have the ball played into my feet and protect it up front."
If the 25-year-old can do the dirty work effectively, and can score 18 goals, then it's clear his evolution from gawky attacking prospect to genuine offensive thoroughbred is complete.
You won't have heard Adi being mentioned too often among the contenders to replace Emmanuel Emenike as the Super Eagles' leading man, but in truth, it feels as though it's almost irresponsible for Sunday Oliseh to continue to overlook such a menacing attacking prospect, who could offer something a little different, a repressible Plan B perhaps to Nigeria's offensive line.
Adi and the Super Eagles will be the story of 2016, for now, the story of 2015, is of an unheralded Nigerian player truly starring on foreign shores, excelling in a big way and making a key contribution to a title triumph.
Goals win titles, and titles mean glory. Adi is a natural (if somewhat unexpected) choice to become Goal Nigeria Player of the Year for 2015.
Other Contestants Who Were Voted Includes:
1. Tunde Adeniji, Sunshine Stars = 2% with 117 votes
2. Ahmed Musa, CSKA Moscow = 5% with 292 votes
3. Chinedu Udoji, Enyimba = 2% with 114 votes
4. Victor Osimen, Ultimate Strikers Academy = 11% with 659 votes
5. Moses Simons, Gent = 3% with 177 votes
6. Odion Ighalo, Watford = 26% with 1,558 votes
7. Obafemi Martins, Seattle Sounders = 9% with 525 votes.
8. Anthony Ujah, Werder Bremen = 8% with 494 votes.
9. Gbolahan Salami, Warri Wolves = 3% with 166 votes
10. Fanendo Adi, Portland Timbers = 31% with 1,881 votes.
Just give Adi a chance, he will prove it.
Source: Goal.com
The giant strong Portland frontman Fanendo Adi who stand 6ft 4 inches, has 18 goals to boot and is been nominated as the Goal Nigeria Player Of The Year (NPOTY) 2015.
When Nigeria fans typically consider their compatriots in the United States, the name that typically springs to mind is Oba Martins.
However, while Martins scored 15 goals in 2015 for Seattle Sounders, and was thrice runner up in the division's Player of the Week award, Adi scored 16 goals during the regular season (and a further two in the play-offs) and twice won the Player of the Week award.
What's more, while Obagoal has never won the MLS Cup in three attempts, Adi and his Timbers team managed it after a 2-1 victory over Columbus Crew in Ohio at the beginning of December.
Major League Soccer is beginning to enjoy a greater reputation within the world game, and this season received more media coverage and global attention than ever before. Not only did Adi win a burgeoning division, he also played a key role for the Timbers, wholly building on the initial promise he showed when he moved from FC Kobenhavn in May 2014.
Physically, Adi is something of a complete package standing at 6 ft 4, he boasts a presence that few others can match, but he is also mobile, and capable of running the channels and of troubling speedy defences.
This season, he has eked the maximum out of his physical capacities, while he has also learned to play to his strengths, to pick when to give it to the Timbers' more talented, technically proficient players, and when to go it alone.
Obviously, goals have been a big part of Adi's season with only three players scored more in Major League Soccer - but he also contributed three assists, and brought the best out of the likes of Diego Valeri, Rodney Wallace, Dairon Asprilla and Darlington Nagbe, knowing when to hold up play and when to bring the Timbers' talented widemen into the game.
"Playing with your back to goal, you have to be strong and try to stay up for the team," the striker told ESPN. "In our club, that's what we need and have the ball played into my feet and protect it up front."
If the 25-year-old can do the dirty work effectively, and can score 18 goals, then it's clear his evolution from gawky attacking prospect to genuine offensive thoroughbred is complete.
You won't have heard Adi being mentioned too often among the contenders to replace Emmanuel Emenike as the Super Eagles' leading man, but in truth, it feels as though it's almost irresponsible for Sunday Oliseh to continue to overlook such a menacing attacking prospect, who could offer something a little different, a repressible Plan B perhaps to Nigeria's offensive line.
Adi and the Super Eagles will be the story of 2016, for now, the story of 2015, is of an unheralded Nigerian player truly starring on foreign shores, excelling in a big way and making a key contribution to a title triumph.
Goals win titles, and titles mean glory. Adi is a natural (if somewhat unexpected) choice to become Goal Nigeria Player of the Year for 2015.
Other Contestants Who Were Voted Includes:
1. Tunde Adeniji, Sunshine Stars = 2% with 117 votes
2. Ahmed Musa, CSKA Moscow = 5% with 292 votes
3. Chinedu Udoji, Enyimba = 2% with 114 votes
4. Victor Osimen, Ultimate Strikers Academy = 11% with 659 votes
5. Moses Simons, Gent = 3% with 177 votes
6. Odion Ighalo, Watford = 26% with 1,558 votes
7. Obafemi Martins, Seattle Sounders = 9% with 525 votes.
8. Anthony Ujah, Werder Bremen = 8% with 494 votes.
9. Gbolahan Salami, Warri Wolves = 3% with 166 votes
10. Fanendo Adi, Portland Timbers = 31% with 1,881 votes.
Just give Adi a chance, he will prove it.
Source: Goal.com
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