Amidst a remarkable season at Nottingham Forest, the Nigeria international, Ola Aina, has provided as many unforgettable moments as anyone. Following the FA Cup win over Ipswich Town, Callum Hudson-Odoi, one of his team-mates, picked up a knocked after the match and was too tired to walk, Aina happily carried him.
The Forest fullback is usually one of the last men off the City Ground pitch — and he is often dancing, along with Anthony Elanga and Hudson-Odoi, when he does finally depart. He has often been pulled into a bear hug by Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis, whom he fondly calls “big boss man”, when he gets into the tunnel.
More so, he gently but persistently teased Hudson-Odoi in the canteen at the Nigel Doughty Academy, by telling him his colourful outfit made him looks like a Teletubby, saying: “They call him Tinky Winky”, while attempting to sing the TV show’s theme tune. At the recent launch of a new football pitch at the Chetwynd Spencer school in Nottingham, Aina joyfully spent more than actual time that was expected of him, delighted to having a kick about with a group of kids.
In the recent victory over Manchester City, he recorded aftermath scene performed by their manager, Nuno Espirito Santo dancing after the game, while offering the dressing-room commentary “Go on, boss” — and then posting the video on social media. Prompting Espirito to jokingly respond: “That is a problem… I need to address that with him!”
The Nigeria international is one of the biggest characters in the Forest dressing room. Normally, you can hear his laugh before you see him. His social media gives a beautiful window into that world. But he is also one of the most valuable personalities within it.
According to Aina’s team-mate, Neco Williams said: “He is exactly like that in real life. Do you want to know what it is like at the training ground? Just follow him on social media. It is exactly like that. What he shows you is how it is every day. But he is like that off-camera as well. That is how he is; that is just him. He is so bubbly, so friendly. That is just him.
“You need players like him in a dressing room. He is the joker, he is the one who makes us laugh every day. You need a good mix, and we have that; we have a proper mix of characters. Ola is the fun, outgoing one who will make people laugh. You just always see him smiling. I don’t think I have seen him without a smile very often at all.”
Aina’s value to Forest is about far more than just his bubbly personality, however. Also, he has established himself as one of the most significant players in their ranks. Especially how significant he has been has only been underlined by his recent absence from the side, with a calf problem.
The back four of the Forest; Aina, Nikola Milenkovic, Murillo and Neco Williams has been one of the foundations on which Forest’s push for a top-five finish has been built. There has been one significant change from last season, with Aina and Williams swapping flanks — something Nuno insists wasn’t planned, done by fate, rather than design.
“The manager chooses the positions he thinks will get the best out of you. For me, it definitely has this season,” Williams said. “We are both flexible, we can both play either side. But wherever I play, I just enjoy playing in this side. I think he does too.”
Aina’s speed and involvement have been integral part to the counter-attack identity Nuno has established for the Forest. Forest’s team strengths have never been better personified than in the goal that sank Manchester City 1-0 at the Etihad Stadium in March. Aina made a timely challenge, gaining the ball back and getting Forest on the front foot. Morgan Gibbs-White, frequently the team’s creative heart, thereafter sent a brilliant pass out to the right side to pick out Hudson-Odoi, and he fired home emphatically.
“He has been amazing. Ola has been amazing. He has had some huge moments, a good work ethic, good discipline… that is too much credit already,” said The Manager, in a recent press conference. “We have been missing Ola, especially because of the stability of the back four we had. I don’t know how many times we had the same players — that’s crucial, especially in defence.”
Aina is one of those players who motivate confidence when he finds himself in a one-on-one situation; he knows he has the ability to get out of trouble. His ability to turn defence into attack with that same speed is just as important — his 54 progressive carries this season are only bettered by Gibbs-White (63), Elanga (79) and Hudson-Odoi (126).
