Former Super Eagles forward Sone Aluko has announced his retirement from the game.“I couldn’t think of a better place to end my career,” 35-year-old Aluko said at the Ipswich Town end-of-season dinner.
“From top to bottom, the Club is amazing, and it has been a privilege to be here. I’ve not played as much as I would have liked, but this has still been the best year of my career.
Fulham star Sone Aluko has urged the Super Eagles to learn and move on from Saturday’s stunning defeat to South Africa, insisting there are lots of improvements to be made.
Goals from Tokelo Rantie and Percy Tau were all Stuart Baxter’s men needed to silence Nigeria at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo – a result that could have big implications in the race for 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.
Though hurt about the three-time African champions losing their invincibility to Bafana Bafana, the 28-year-old whose brace rescued the team from defeat in 2014 is trusting the Eagles can make adjustments from the frustrations of their performance against the 1996 African champions.
”It was painful and every time Super Eagles lose it’s always painful,” Aluko admitted
”I’m a fan first and foremost and as somebody who wants to go back into the team it is even more frustrating because you feel like there is something you can help offer the team.
”It’s just ironical; same stadium, same two nil. We lost this game 2-0 and when I played [against South Africa in 2014], I scored two goals though there’s no saying if I played this game I’d have scored two goals.
”But we shouldn’t even be looking for miracles because the Super Eagles are big enough to win games. Any team can lose games, that can happen but I think the manner of the loss is what pains people the most.”
Nigeria face Cameroon on August 28 as the race for 2018 Fifa World Cup Russia gets hotter, and Aluko reveals the kind of change Rohr’s men need.
”Well, success is not a very good teacher. Sometimes when you keep winning you’re successful you don’t actually learn much,’’ he continued.
”But sometimes when you lose, it highlights the small errors and small margins you have to improve on.
”So if we take lessons from that defeat, the Super Eagles will be back. We were missing key players and the defending wasn’t great.
”The team didn’t seem like it gelled well, so there are lots to take from the game. Even the attacking seems disjointed. Before facing Cameroon, there are lots of improvements that can be made,” submitted the former Hull City ace
Nigeria international Sone Aluko was on target as Fulham secured a 3-1 home triumph over Preston North End to continue their Premier League promotion charge on Saturday.
The Cottagers – who are yet to lose a league game since their 1-0 defeat to Birmingham City on February 4, were in fine form as they gained the upper hand against Simon Grayson at Craven Cottage.
Aluko put his team ahead with a 22nd minute strike before Chris Martin doubled the lead. In the 68th minute, Tom Barkhuizen reduced the deficit for the visitors, while the Nigerian provided an assist for Neeskens Kebano for the winning goal.
However, the 28-year-old former Hull City midfielder was replaced in the 88th minute by Denis Odoi. With this victory, Fulham are seventh on the Championship log with 61 points from 34 games.
They host Leeds United in their next game on Tuesday. A win for them would brighten their chances of a return to the English topflight.
With seven appearances and two goals to his name in the Nigeria senior national team; Super Eagles’ Sone Aluko, who plies his trade with English Premiership side; Hull City, has become a sort of a regular player in Nigeria. However, the 26-year old is more than that- a footballer and goal scorer as he chatted online with Sport & Style
The Hounslow-West London born former England U 20 striker, is a consummate reader. Call him a bookworm and you’ll be right. Now in the middle of his degree course through long distance learning, Aluko set himself a goal to read a book a month. “I started with short novel but last year I tried to read longer books. I started with mostly contemporary novel dealing with real societal issues, then, gradually I moved on to books written by Africans and with African settings. Last year I read Half a Yellow Sun, though, it took me a while to get through, but I enjoyed it and it has helped me appreciate situations back home. I made 10 books last year and so far this year, I have done two. I am in the middle of a catalogue of short essay and poems by another African writer now. I have also read many Nigerian novels”
He believes that would help him after retiring from football-though still a long way to come.
Reading more books that are African has also propelled his mind and soul towards the continent and Nigeria, his fatherland.
“Africans are little bit different to the rest of the world. I am not sure what it is that connects us, but it is good to see. Obviously, it is not a country, but to see that togetherness is good. And when there is a bright spark or an athlete that does well, we want to show the world that we’re not only the place you send your donations to,” he says. “At last year’s World Cup, Cameroon, Ghana, and Nigeria were all locked in bonus disputes during the tournament, and I think the troubles at World Cups for African teams happen for many different reasons. I think the past has coloured people’s perceptions of African football. I think they remembered how very bad it used to be, and they just want things to be right now. It has previously cost players to play for their country at tournaments, so it is not just national service anymore. It needs to be an honour. However, it is not every player who plays for an African country that is playing in a top European club either. Financially they might be struggling in their league so they do not want it to cost them money. Successful African teams can win elections, so the players are also aware of how much of an impact they have and how much money the FAs are making off them, “he adds.
Inspiring a new generation is something the former Rangers player thinks about a lot more often these days. Although becoming a pro footballer is not for everyone, it is possible, but above everything, he tells kids to stay in school. Aluko is eagerly looking forward to touch kid players from his continent, starting from Nigeria, the more reason why he has been visiting Nigeria more often. “At least I try to come back twice a year, aside from coming to play and going back.’
“I’ve been thinking a lot more recently about inspiring kids. The numbers of people who become professional footballers are really slim. Therefore, I try to inspire kids to stay in school and if they meet you, let them see that you are just a normal person. I love talking to kids because they just love hearing what you have to say. They just want information and ask you random questions. When I was young, I didn’t have access to footballers, so I try to give access to young kids because it gives them a dream,” says Aluko.
He is, particularly touched, by a Nigerian kid, who got his email address, and wrote to him last year.
“A young kid in Nigeria managed to dig out my e-mail address and got in touch with me. I was so touched that I changed my flight schedule to spend time at the school and talk to the students. I do not know how he did, but I was so impressed with the effort he went through to get in touch. When I was that age, I would never have done something like that. I thought he was brave and very polite. I’m looking at what I can do for kids and as soon as I have something I would do it.”
Perhaps, what may have changed his perception about African may have been his experience of racism while at Rangers. Aluko did not confirm this, but he affirmed the racism in football matter.
He says; “At Rangers I did experience some racism. Fortunately, I have not had to deal with it since I have been back in the Premier League, but there are strange cases of it happening. Sometimes I do not even know if the person is racist or if they are just trying to use racism to get under my skin. I think it is harder for young person to be racist these days, though. For example, if you support Man City, where Yaya Toure is a start and you have a poster of a black person on your wall, it is going to be hard to be racist. A lot of it these days these things are said because people are just trying to provoke you. There will racism in football because it is part of society. Anything that is in society will translate into football.”
“I think the sanctions are a bit lenient. If you look at the NBA and how they responded to Donald Sterling and how swiftly they responded…I do not think racism can be stopped, I think it can only be punished when it happens. I think football should be a way to combat these issues. I think FIFA can do more with the punishments, but to stop it completely, I don’t know that’s possible,”
Even though, he has had his fair share of football trouble, Aluko prefers to look at the positive side of it all. “Truth is it’s been up and down for me but it turned out quite well for me. My career started at Birmingham City before I joined Rangers. From May 2011 to November 2011, I did not play at all due to a pay dispute between Rangers and Aberdeen. For six months, I was without a club and not getting paid.”
Aberdeen were demanding £150,000 in compensation from Sone’s prospective club Rangers and neither club wanted to back down. He had to spend his days training alone in King’s Norton Park in Birmingham and while he was going for trials, the compensation clause was a massive hindrance. When the deal was eventually brokered, he got down firing and finished the season with Rangers as top scorer, something that earned him a move to Hull City. At Hull, he again missed half of it through injury, ‘but I still came back to score and enough to get us a Premier League ticket. We even made the FA Cup final against Arsenal.”
•Plays for 55 minutes in 3-0 defeat
Super Eagles forward, Sone Aluko, could not save embattled Hull City as the Steve Bruce team were handed an emphatic 3-0 defeat at Old Trafford yesterday.
Manchester United trio of Chris Smalling, Wayne Rooney and Robbin Van Persie hit the score sheets in the 16th 42nd and 66th minutes respectively while enjoying 72% possession in a tie that saw visiting Hull struggling to hold 28% possession.
Aluko who came in as replacement for Ben Arfa, added steam to the Hull’s battle but the effort failed to yield positive result. Yesterday’s flop added to the woes of Hull who have so far lost five matches at a stretch. After grabbing a point thanks to a 0-0 draw against Liverpool October 25, Hull went on a losing run, 1-0 against Southampton at home, 1-0 against Burnley away and 2-1 against Tottenham at home. Aluko who scored two goals against South Africa despite Eagles failure to qualify for 2015 AFCON, will be hoping to replicate the form for Hull as the side continues to battle for survival in the EPL . Hull have only managed to garner 11 points in 13 matches and would need to win more matches to avoid sinking into the relegation belt.
Nigerian international, Sone Aluko is among those fronting a new campaign to tackle match-fixing in football.
The Super Eagles winger is one of a number of high-profile stars taking part in the new initiative between Interpol and Fifa – the sport’s governing body – which seeks to educate players about the dangers of getting involved with organised crime gangs.
The campaign will distribute a 15-minute DVD to participants featuring two players who have been approached by match-fixers as well Aluko, Frank Lampard and Kolo Toure, FIFA said in a statement on its website.
In April, a Malaysian man who organized an international match-fixing syndicate involving Australian games in 2013 was jailed for at least a year.
Also earlier this year, a friendly between Scotland and Nigeria was at the centre of a match-fixing probe after the National Crime Agency contacted the Scottish Football Association in the run-up to the match.
“By the time any investigation into alleged match-fixing begins, the damage has already been done,’’ Interpol Secretary General Ronald Noble said in the statement.
“This is why it is essential that the first line of defence — the players and others who control what happens on the pitch — is strengthened.”
According to a study of Eastern European soccer by FIFPro in 2012, 12 percent of the 3,357 players interviewed had been approached to fix games, and out of those 55 percent didn’t have their salaries paid on time.
Super Eagles midfielder, Mikel Obi, arrived the team training camp in Calabar armed with several hand gloves.
He arrived the Eagles camp as scheduled and told Stephen Keshi he has at least four hand gloves as part of his own personal fight against Ebola, africanFootball.com reports.
“Coach I have up to four hand gloves and if you don’t mind, I can hand one pair to you,” Mikel told Keshi with the rest of the squad reeling with laughter.
Nigeria has recorded five deaths since the Ebola outbreak last month.
However, the spirit in camp is very buoyant with the arrival of the superstars and Keshi said he expects the best from the players against Congo on Saturday.
Meanwhile, 17 players have reported to camp with more players expected before the evening training after only nine players trained in the morning.
Ahmed Musa, Ogenyi Onazi, Efe Ambrose, Kenneth Omeruo, Juwon Oshaniwa, Sone Aluko, and stand-in captain Austin Ejide have all arrived the team camp.
Nigeria international and Hull City forward Sone Aluko continues to relish his return from injury as he has been drawn to start against Brighton in the fifth round of FA Cup on Monday. It will be the former Birmingham and Rangers ace’s first start in four months.
Aluko has made two substitute appearances in the league since returning from an Achilles injury and is expected to start up front with Shane Long and Nikica Jelavic.
Paul McShane is out for six months with an ankle injury, goalkeeper Allan McGregor has completed a three-game ban and the likes of George Boyd, Yannick Sagbo, Robert Koren, Abdoulaye Faye and Robbie Brady will all be hoping to enjoy action alongside Aluko in the starting XI.
The 24-year old forward recently expressed happiness at playing again after enduring a torrid time on the sidelines for more than two months, no thanks to injury
Aluko’s injury occurred in November 2013 during a premier league game, forcing him to miss a couple of games for the club he had joined from relegated Rangers
Hull manager Steve Bruce has not stopped appreciating the Nigerian who before injury proved at every match that he was on the pitch for business. One feat which Bruce has continued to remember is Aluko’s memorable goal against Newcastle away, a victory which has remained one of the best away outings for the Tigers.
To be out of action for three months could make life quite difficult for a professional footballer but for Nigerian Hull City attacker, Sone Aluko, it is the right time to dig deeper spiritually and get closer to God.
The striker was ruled out for at least three months with a torn Achilles tendon early November.
Aluko, who has declared interest in playing for Nigeria after spells in the England Junior team, went philosophical when sharing his injury moments with Sports & Style.
Reacting to questions on the social media, the younger brother to Eniola Aluko, who plays for the Chelsea female team and England, said God has kept him focused and positive since he cropped the near-fatal injury in the pre-match warm-up ahead.
“You know the injury itself is funny. My boss (Steve Bruce) calls it ‘tragically hard luck.’ We were warming up for the match against Sunderland and l just got this tear out of nowhere and doctor just told me l would be out till January.”
The news, according to the 24 year old who scored a winning screamer in a pulsating 2-3 away match to Newcastle in September, devastated him.
The winning goal was Aluko first premiership goal and gave Hull City their first away win in the season.
He added: “I scored a brilliant goal few weeks to that and Bruce told me l was ready to go then that (injury) happened. It is enough to drive you nut but l will not give in to that kind of frustration and l am really coping well.”
This is not forgetting that Achilles trouble cut short Aluko’s season in January 2012.
So how is he coping well?
“I am a believer and if it had not been for the LORD who was on my side it would have been difficult doing this. I have remained positive day after day and so far it has been god recovery wise! I thank God for giving me a clear head and focused mind.”
Aside from that he said he has indulged himself on the social sites more than before.
“I watch a lot of TV and been catching up with some of those great movies. I tweet a lot too and speaks with my friends now and then. I’ve been watching our games too and that of my big sister, Eniola”.
Eniola, who is two years older than Sone has remained close to his only sibling during his time of trouble.
Sone said she comes visiting when she is not at training or playing for Chelsea. “She has always been there for me. She comes around to see me and we have always been close. She is great and we are good together.”
Sone and Eniola ranks among the few successful football siblings in England. Both have been playing football at the top level, and scoring goals.
Sone recalled that same day he scored against Newcastle, her sister also scored for England against Belarus and they called themselves to congratulate each other. “I had a chat with her on the phone later in the night and said ‘well done’ and told her it was a fantastic goal she’d scored. It is a special day for us.”
Eniola was born in Nigeria, two years before Sone arrived, after their politician father, Daniel Aluko relocated to England.
They were brought up in Birmingham, kicking a ball around together in the family garden before both were signed as youngsters by Birmingham City. Sone did not make the Blues first team but moved first to Aberdeen and then Rangers before signing for Hull at the start of last season, the final four months of which he missed due to an Achilles injury.
After nurturing his entire youth career in England through Aberdeen and the England Junior team, to become one of the most talked about youngsters in the Premiership, why did he shun England Three Lions for Super Eagles of Nigeria?
Aluko answered? “I grew up knowing my sister playing for England and as l progress in my career and knowing how close we are l was tempted to do same. Also knowing that l played for England age-groups against top strikers like Andy Carroll, Danny Welbeck and Theo Walcott, yet won a place up to Under-19 level. It was a very strong age-group. But the first World Cup I remember was 1998, when Nigeria had Austin Jay-Jay Okocha, (Nwankwo) Kanu and a golden generation that naturally my mum and dad supported. At Under-20 I was called up for both countries and I just felt that international-wise you pick the team you feel is closest to your heart. When you pick a club you’re thinking about what’s best for your career, but I just felt more like a Nigerian player and fan. I also watched Okocha and Kanu in the Premiership and they are magical. I am grateful to England for what l have learnt here but my heart is in Nigeria”
So how has it been playing for Nigeria? He said he was impressed with the Nigerian coach Stephen Keshi, who have him the nod a couple of times to play for Eagles. “The people too are warm and I just love the atmosphere. My game under Coach Stephen Keshi was in June 2012 as a substitute in a 2-0 victory over Rwanda in a 2013 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier but injury has kept me away since then. If things go my way this season I can still break into the team for Brazil definitely. I hope to return soon and if I maintain my form then I will have a good case for selection.” To keep working hard and hope is all I can do, we are fortunate as Nigerians that we are blessed with top players especially in attacking positions so competition is high,” he added.
Sone is highly optimistic that he would be back soon to full training and full game soon after evaluating his recovery.
“Few weeks ago l was given the clear to walk again unrestricted. I wore a full sets of trainers and started took a few steps of freedom. For 12 minutes l worked freely on the treadmill and coach was happy. I’ve received the okay to go back to light training and in a few days will raise the tempo. I might be back sooner than expected.”
Hull City attacker, Sone Aluko, may join English Premier League struggler Crystal Palace during the winter transfer window, MTNFootball.com reports.
MTNFootball.com says Hull City wants to cash in on him rather than let him go for free in the summer.
The injured Nigeria star turned down the Hull City contract extension offer recently and the Achilles injury he sustained during an EPL match has halted further talks and that may be counterproductive for City.
Palace is relegation-threatened and need goal getters like Aluko to strengthen its attack force, the report says.
Aluko has scored one goal in eight appearances for Hull City this season in the EPL before he got injured.