GIFT ORBAN'S BOOTS ARE FIRING AGAIN!

 Gent AA FC Nigerian striker, Gift Orban’s boots are back to scoring goals again! He scored a hat-trick to give his team a hard-earned victory during last week's UEFA Conference League group match against Breidablik Kopavogur FC of Iceland.  Gift Orban scored 20 goals in 22 matches last season and created the record for the fastest hat-trick in a UEFA competition. Clubs across Europe went on full alert to get him, but he remained with Gent FC only for events to turn the other way!

The writer had earlier highlighted the hurdles he'd encounter leading to the January transfer window and like a seer, these have come to pass! His ability to continue to score goals for his team and remain fit would determine his future. The lure of joining the bigger leagues of England, Spain, and Germany remains the dream for strikers with the fortune and football prowess that Gift Orban has shown.

 

GIFT ORBAN SILENCES SKEPTICS

Young Gift Orban, who had scored just 2 goals in seven matches, was given a red card in their match against Eupen FC in the Belgian Juliper League and thereafter benched by his coach. Rather than allow a little patience with him, tongues began to wag within Belgium and some questioned his football qualities and attitudes.  ExGent AA FC goalkeeper, Wim De Connick accused him of being selfish and thinkingonly about himself.  Thanks to providence, he got his opportunity last week when his coach gave him some minutes to enable his newfound replacement to get some rest. Orban took his chance with a hat-trick.

 

 

GIFT ORBAN’s GOOD RUN MUST CONTINUE

For a man who came from nowhere to take Belgium by storm, something must have caused his goal drought. It could be an internal issue within his team, looking at the swiftness his coach took to bench him! More renowned strikers sometimes go through such situations and maintaining trust in them helps rebuild their confidence in front of goal.

Now that he's again shown his worth, we expect he continues to get more match time to allow him to continue his good form from where it stopped. His worth has increased and was even nominated for the Confederation of African Football Best Young Player of the Year Award. With the array of Nigerian strikers on good form, we wait to see the possibilities of his being selected for the January 2024 CAF African Nations Cup, and his good performance here, could yet enhance his value and attract more revenues for his club.

The good fortune for Orban and his club is that they have a win-win situation before them and vice versa. When a bigger club comes for him with the right fee, it would give more money to them, otherwise, allowing him to languish in mediocrity would be their loss.

As events unfold we can only wait to see what the January transfer window holds for him and how well he'd maintain good form to convince more suitors to come for his signature.