Tag: Alampasu

ALAMPASU IN NUMBERS

1 Dele Alampasu burst into the scene when he was the Number 1 choice for the Golden Eaglets at the FIFA U-17 World Cup UAE 2013 where he was in goal for all the team’s seven matches on their way to winning the tournament for a record fourth time for the country.

2: He sat out most of the matches following his transfer to CD Feirense where he played only two full matches through the concluded season  with  stand-out performances in the 1-0 win against FC Famalicão  in the LigaPro and 2-0 win against FC Porto in the Carlsberg Cup.

4 September 4, 2015 was a milestone in the career of Alampasu following his transfer to Portuguese second division side SC Feirense on a three-year deal after he cancelled an agreement with Estoril

7  He has an impressive record  at  FIFA  Tournaments where he won six and drew a  match in a seven-game spell at the FIFA U-17 World Cup UAE 2013 where he conceded the least number of goals () and was rewarded with the adidas Golden Glove award. He was a reserved goalkeeper for the Flying Eagles at the FIFA U-20 World Cup New-Zealand 2015.  

16 Alampasu’s favourite jersey number is 16 but He wore the Number 21 when he won Bronze with the Super Eagles B Team at the 2o14 CHAN Tournament in South Africa. He’s wearing jersey Number 24 at his present Portuguese side.

DELE Alampasu, Golden Gloves Award winner at the FIFA U-17 World Cup UAE 2013, has described his debut season at Portuguese side, Clube Desportivo Feirense (commonly known as CD Feirense) in the LigaPro as very momentous, saying his face-to-face encounter with Spanish legendary goal-minder, Iker Casillas was an icing on the cake to him.
Though still learning the ropes at CD Feirense , Alampasu was thrown into the thick of action in the Carlsberg Cup 3rd Round match against FC Porto on January 27 but the 19-year-old Nigerian was not overawed with the presence of the illustrious Casillas, who for years made name with Real Madrid and captained his country to win the 2010 FIFA World Cup for the first time in South Africa.
“One of my best moments and high point of this season for me was in the Carlsberg Cup game between CD Feirense and FC Porto which is one of the top clubs here in Portugal,” began Alampasu in his end-of-the-season review with MORAKINYO ABODUNRIN.“ It was a great match for me because I did not concede a goal against a team that had in goal the great goalkeeper, Iker Casillas.”
He continued:“ We actually beat them 2-0 and I was so happy about my performance.
“Before the match actually, I did a selfie with Casillas because he’s one of the goalkeepers I respected and admired for all what he has achieved with clubs and the Spain’s national team.
“ Though we could hardly understand ourselves because I was just learning to speak the Portuguese language, I asked him to take a picture with me after we had warmed up before going into the dressing room ; and that picture I took with him really motivated me to give my best against FC Porto.”
The Portuguese league is one of the best in Europe particularly for youngsters that want to horn their skill and Alampasu reckoned that CD Feirense has been a good learning curve for him , adding that being among the players that secured promotion for the club for the first time in 54 years was something to cheer about.
CD Feirense was reportedly founded on March 19, 1918 from the town of Santa Maria da Feira. Their current chairman is Rodrigo Nunes Silva Abelha and their current manager is Quim Machado. The club currently plays at the Estádio Marcolino de Castro with a capacity of 5,500 spectators and it was built in 1962 when Feirense was promoted for the very first time to the top-flight Portuguese Liga.
“It has been our dreams to get promotion into the Primeira Liga( Premier League)at the start of the season; and I’m very happy that the dream has come through,” a cheerful Alampasu admitted.“I want to really thank God for being part of the team that got promotion for CD Feirense.
“We were so happy after our last match of the season; though we secured the promotion at an away match. Later on, we moved to our own stadium where we joined our fans to celebrate this great achievement.
“ With the team now in the Premier League next season, everything would have to be changed in all aspect of the game and I’m looking forward to the new season with happiness because we really worked hard to achieve this,” he explained.
Language , they said is the hub of the society and Alampasu equally explained that he’s adjusting to life generally in Santa Maria da Feira, the base of CD Feirense despite the tough working schedule.
Living it up at CD Feirense
He said: “I have started learning the Portuguese language but I needed to understand the football language first and t has been a great feeling for me here at CD Feirense; and I’ve learnt so much.
“ Coming to Europe as a young player is not always easy because the standard is not the same as we have back home in Nigeria but I have been able to cope all due to the grace of God and hard work.
“I’m still working hard in all aspect of the game; and so far, so good and I was so happy when Etebo(Oghenekaro) joined us in the middle of the season and he has settled down well with the club.
“ He has really done well for himself and we were so happy for him when he recently scored his goal for the club; and that has helped him to have confidence in his ability.
“ It was difficult for me initially because of the difference in language as I love to talk with my teammates and people around me.
“Our club is some kilometers away from Porto and I don’t even have the chance to go out because after every training, you want to rest before the next one. So it has been work, work and work every time for me; I have settled down well here and I’m really thanking God for being here at this moment; and I pray next season would even be better than this season,” he noted as he speaks on other interesting things.
From Golden Eaglets to CD Feirense
Our achievement at the 2013 FIFA U-17 World Cup in the UAE is always a thing of joy to me; and as you said, I was given the award as the best goalkeeper during the tournament but it was just a stepping stone. It is not all of us that can start our professional careers with the big clubs in Europe but it was good for me to start with CD Feirense which is a great opportunity for me to learn and adjust to the high demand of playing at the top level in Europe. Next season, we are going to play in the Portuguese Premier League and that would certainly be a new experience for me. When we get there, I can them begin to think about going higher; for now, I want to enjoy our promotion from the second division to the Premier league. I can be saying ‘ I want to be this or that’ rather, I have to keep on working very hard every day to be the best. There will be great expectations from the fans next season when we are going to play in the Premier League and I must ensure that I keep doing my best to be certain of my position in the team.
First encounter against FC Famalicão
I think I’m getting better ; my first game for CD Feirense was against FC Famalicão (at Estádio Municipal 22 de junho on December 30, 2015). I remembered before the match, the coach had called m me saying: ‘ Dele, are you nervous.’ I just laughed because he thought I won’t be able to face the challenge because here in Portugal, they won’t give you the opportunity to play if they don’t have the confidence in you but I told him: ‘ coach, I can’t be nervous because I have faced bigger challenge of playing at the World Cup with the Golden Eaglets.’ After the game, the fans and the coach were really impressed with me because I did not concede a goal in the match and we won. The second game was against FC Porto and I did so well too; this was the beginning of my career in Europe and I’m satisfied with what I have been able to do this season as one of the youngest players in the team. I was mostly the reserve goalkeeper in our matches and I did my best whenever I was given the opportunity to keep and altogether, I was on the bench in 12 matches and I kept twice. We won the two matches I kept and everyone was happy with me.
Rio 2016 Olympic Target
Of course, I remain focused on my dream of playing to the top level after playing for both the Golden Eaglets and Flying Eagles; I have also had experiences with the Super Eagles and now looking for the opportunity of playing with the Under-23 team at the Rio Olympics and that is my next target.
I have to work hard to make the team because nobody would be given an automatic shirt in the team and I think my performance will take me to the Olympics by the grace of God.
My hair style
I don’t think there is anything special about my hairstyle ; I just want to look different from my outlook when I was in the Under-17 team with the Golden Eaglets as well as when I was with the Under-20 team. In fact, I have maintained the same hair style since after the Under-20 World cup last year. My hairstyle is normal and it is call ‘Gallas’ and I just wanted mine to look like dreadlocks.
Being Happy And Sad
Personally, I’m happy with my progress so far since my days with the Golden Eaglets because this has been the steady growth.
What is making me happy is God’s goodness and blessings on my career; once I’m doing well , I’m happy. I like my job and I love my family. There is nothing you don’t know about my family; I love my dad and everybody in the family. From here, I speak with my them almost every day, I love hearing his prayers for me. What can make me cry? That is a big question for me. I don’t have answer to that.

• Says goalkeeper travelled with Siasia’s permission

The Media Officer of the U23 national team, Timi Ebikagboro has dismissed report on a website which depicted that the head coach of the team, Samson Siasia has decamped goalkeeper Dele Alampasu.

Ebikagboro who referred to the report as a comical noted that Alampasu left the camp of the team immediately after he arrived last Friday to beat the deadline stipulated by Siasia with the blessing of the coach after he and Musa Mohammed told him they would like to sort out their future in the new clubs.

Mohammed the captain of the Flying Eagles’ side to New Zealand 2015 U20 World Cup reportedly signed for Istanbul Basaksehir FK of Turkey while Alampasu has also been said to have signed the dotted line with Estorii of Portugal.

Ebikagboro told NationSport that both players met with Siasia and told him of their mission to travel abroad to sort their transfer issues and that the Dream Team VI handler permitted them to make the trip but with a firm warning that they must return on time if they are to make the team for African U23 Championship qualifier against Congo.

“I will call the report a comic because the report was far from the situation on ground. Alampasu and Mohammed both approached Siasia after they reported to camp last Friday that they wished to travel to finalise their transfer deals and the coach obliged them.

“He however told them that they must return to camp on time if they are to be available for pick against Congo,” Ebikagboro told NationSport.

The two players alongside, Taiwo Awoniyi, Godwin Saviour, Kelechi Iheanacho among others were invited to beef up the U23 team ahead of the clash with Congo on July 19 in Port Harcourt.

Flying Eagles goalkeeper Dele Alampasu says he’s relishing the  ‘fierce’ fight for places in the team ahead of the FIFA U-20 World Cup in New Zealand.

The Nigerian U-20s have been training in Abuja ahead of their overseas training camp in Germany, and Alampasu has told sl10.ng that he is enjoying the fight for shirts in the team.

“The challenge is good and I am enjoying it,” he told sl10.ng. “It feels good to fight for places on the team because it keeps you on your toes and makes you understand the essence of what you’re doing.

“I experienced the same thing before we went for the U-17 World Cup and it was fun and it brought out the best in me, so I’m enjoying it,” he said.

The Estoril of Portugal acquisition also says he isn’t scared of losing out on the final squad, insisting that his performances in training will speak for him.

“I have no fears about that because I know how I’ve been faring in training and I have confidence in my ability.

“There’s no reason to be scared because I also faced the same tests before the U-17 World Cup and I excelled and I have the same confidence that I will here too,” he said.

The Nigeria Football Federation, NFF has been charged to monitor the career of young Nigeria and national teams’ players more closely, because of the activities of some football academies in the country.

Welfare officer of Future Stars Academy, Olubunmi Balogun, made this call, while urging the federation to look into the ownership dispute of National Under-20 goalkeeper, Sunday Dele Alampasu.

In a chat with sports journalists, Balogun accused Abuja Football College of playing games over the career of the young goalkeeper, playing hide and seek with the leadership of Future Stars Academy and the NFF, when the representative of Abuja Football College, Kumbi Titiloye refused to attend a meeting called by the NFF 1st Vice President, Seyi Akinwunmi, to resolve the matter between the parties involved.

He disclosed that a meeting was scheduled between all parties involved for Abuja, which led to the NFF 1st Vice President inviting Olusola Orelaja, who brokered Alampasu’s deal in Portugal from his London base, to attend the meeting.

On arriving in Lagos on Tuesday 24th March 2015, a call was put through to Titiloye, and an agreement was reached for a meeting in Abuja on the 26th of March, but Kumbi later called to cancel the meeting because of his team’s friendly match against the National Under-23 team.

A new date was agreed for April 4, 2015 at 2pm, with all parties involved duly informed of the change in date and venue, but to the surprise of all, including the President of Remo Stars Football Club, Kunle Soname, NFF 1st Vice President, Seyi Akinwunmi, Olusola Orelaja, player representative and Olubunmi Balogun representing Future Stars.

But to everybody’s surprise, Titiloye, who was earlier communicating with Orelaja, on arriving in Lagos at the MM2 airport, later switched off his phone. While everybody expected at the meeting in Victoria Island was waiting, surprisingly he didn’t attend the meeting.

He didn’t even deem it fit to call any of the parties involved to apologise or give reason for his non-coming to the meeting. The player is above 18 years’ old and has the right to decide what he wants as he was denied his signature right with Estoril Portugal owing to the fact that Football College was attached to the U-20  World Cup’s list.

“We are calling on the leadership of the Nigeria Football Federation to intervene so that the career of the boy won’t be wasted because of selfish reasons”, Balogun noted.