Tolu Arokodare Opens Up About Recovery Against Excelsior Despite Scoring 

By Saheed Afolabi

Nigeria forward, Tolu Arokodare has admitted he struggled during his return to action over the weekend after missing out on two matches due to illness.

Arokodare introduction proved to be a successful gamble by Ajax manager, Miguel Ángel Sánchez Muñozb as the Nigerian repayed the coach’s faith with the equalizer in Ajax 2-2 draw against Excelsior at the Johan Cruijff ArenA, Amsterdam on Saturday night.

The Super Eagles poachman unmasked his challenges coming off the bench into the game and the realization of not being at full fitness yet.

“You could already see it when I dropped in. After five or six minutes I was already bent over because I was tired. I also needed this game to realise that I’m not one hundred per cent yet. I still feel weak. I haven’t recovered as well as I thought,” Arokodare said at the post-match interview.

The lanky striker unsealed his fitness status after the game and understands the reasons for his weakness, tiredness in the game despite having a tactical training before the encounter.

“I don’t think I could have started. I wanted to, but I don’t think I could have done that. Before the game, my legs already felt weak.

“We had another tactical training in the morning, then my legs already felt weak. And during the game I was already completely broken after five to ten minutes.”

The 25 year old forward has been called up to the Super Eagles squad by Eric Chelle for the upcoming Africa Cup Of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers against Madagascar on Friday, September 25 at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo and Guinea Bissau on Tuesday, September 29 at the Estádio Nacional 24 de Setembro.