NIGERIA international, Osaze Peter Odemwingie has revealed that he would ‘take a bullet’ for Goran Popov following the recent support of his closest Albion ally.
The Baggies striker admits that the relationship with some of his team-mates has become strained yet his friendship with the left-back has never faded.
Odemwingie realised the true mark of the man during Albion’s last home game where he clashed with a fan after being abused in front of his wife and four-month old son.
Popov was not involved in the Wigan game so was therefore sitting in the stands near to the Nigerian’s family when supporters turned on him as he warmed up from the substitutes bench.
As soon as the fans started to taunt the former hero, the on-loan Dyanmo Kiev ace attempted to diffuse the situation. But despite the signals falling on deaf ears, Odemwingie was more than grateful for his attempts.
“When I was warming up, Goran was sitting behind my wife in the stadium, and when the fans started booing, he stood up and tried to get the fans to stop,” said Odemwingie.
“He said, ‘This is a human being, whose wife and kids are here’, He stood up to the fans and told them to stop. To me he is one in a billion.
“To be honest he is someone I could take a bullet for. There are very few people like him in football.
“I’m not that close to anyone at Albion now, but with Goran I am. We speak a lot in Russian.”
Explaining what happened during his last Hawthorns visit, Odemwingie added: “It was not a nice game for me.
“I got a bit of time on the pitch during the last game at Manchester City and I heard the little negativity from the fans when I came on, but I’m used to it now. What happened against Wigan was worse.
“I’m not trying to look like the perfect man. I have a temper and I lose it sometimes when something extraordinary happens. But I think it’s unfair that the fans attack you calling you an ‘overpaid this and that’.
“The Wigan game was the first game my wife and son came to. It was a total surprise, I didn’t even know they were there. I had got rid of all of my tickets, but my wife got a ticket and went to the game.
“During the warm-up I saw them there so I went and spoke to them because I had to welcome my son into the stadium, it was his first game. You can’t really tell but I think he enjoyed it!
“When the fans started booing I could take that, but one guy gave me a lot of abuse and there were kids around which is not nice. And this guy who calls me names in the last game is not such a perfect human being either because he’s saying these things when there are children around him.
“The way Goran tried to stop it made me realise what type of a person he is.”
Whether either of them with be at Albion come the start of next season remains to be seen. Popov’s future is still undecided, as is Odemwingie’s – the forward has 12 months remaining on his current deal.
Both players could have played their last game in blue and white.
Should Odemwingie not feature in next weekend’s final home game with Manchester United, he will more than likely bow out with boos ringing in his ears.
“I’m used to it now, if fans boo, they boo,” he said. “I have a year left on my contract and the club have proven a point that a contract is a contract. I believe I have contributed a lot. My goals have helped retain Premier League status which has brought a lot of money to the club.
“And the honest truth is that in the stadium and at the training ground I have good relationship with most people.
“But I’m 90 per-cent sure that the best thing for me is to leave.”
