The continued absence of Nigerian-born whiz-kid, Chidozie Obi-Martin (aka Chido Obi) from the main squad at Manchester United of England is worrying the club’s under-21 team coach, Sports247 reports.
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With Chido Obi having been shut out of the scheme of things at Old Trafford over the past three months, The Red Devils’ under-21 team’s tactician, Adam Lawrence believes it is a disservice to the youngster’s huge potential.
Lawrence, who recently returned to Old Trafford, after a spell at Newcastle United, reckoned that the huge breakthrough Obi enjoyed towards the end of last season should continue, especially with the youngster still showing top form.
Incidentally, two Nigerian-born players in United’s main team – Patrick Dorgu and Joshua Zirkzee – welcomed Obi to the senior fold when he first burst onto the scene, but they too are wondering why the surge has not continued.
A report by UK’s Daily Mail recalled, “The teenager arrived at Manchester United from Arsenal in 2024, armed with the belief that a clearer pathway existed through to the first team.
“On his first start for United’s under-18 team, Obi scored a hat-trick versus Nottingham Forest. A couple of months later, he made his senior debut, when he went on away at Tottenham Hotspur.
“He’d also go on to be play 90 minutes away at Brentford – at the age of 17 years, 156 days, he became the youngest player to start a Premier League game for United – as part of eight senior appearances before the season was out.”
Lawrence added his voice to the debacle, as he the youth football ecpert pointed out that Obi is bound to feel the psychological pressure of the promotion he initially got but he has now been denied for such a long time.
“When you’ve had that first team exposure and then you’re not around it as often, naturally, that’s going to have an impact on your short term.
“(It affects) the way you see things or that bit of disappointment or frustration. But I think credit to Chido. What he’s obviously done well over this period,” Lawrence posited.
