Good morning!
Before we get started, ill like to point you in the direction of this post that came late yesterday. Its a tribute to one of our own. Give it a read, would you? Thank you.
Our Season of So Much review series continues as we dissect what worked, what flopped, and what simply lingered in between. We’ve already taken a deep dive into the goalkeepers and centre-backs, and now it’s time to stroll down the flanks — the home of the fullbacks.
In modern football, fullbacks are expected to be dynamic — defend like central defenders, run like wingers, and deliver like midfielders. That’s a lot of responsibility, and it’s fair to say our fullbacks this season gave us a mix of highs, lows, and head-scratchers.
We had about six fullbacks don the Enyimba shirt this season, and for clarity, I’ve split them into three categories: the old guard, the new entrants, and the quick fixes. This isn’t just a neat arrangement — it’s a roadmap to understand the consequences of transfer decisions, squad planning, and how gaps can make or mar a team’s performance.
Let’s start with the trusted duo — Imo Obot and Uwana Asuquo. They’ve been around the Enyimba system and understand what wearing the blue badge means.
Imo Obot, despite missing part of the season through injury, was still called up to the CHAN Eagles. That alone tells you the kind of presence he commands. Strong, reliable, and occasionally brutal in his duels, Obot played with maturity and grit. His ability to balance defending and bombing forward was a breath of fresh air whenever he was available.
On the other side, Uwana Asuquo had a season blighted by injuries, yet in his few appearances, it was clear we had no better left-back. Even on one leg, Asuquo was our top pick. That’s worrying — not because of his quality, but because of what it says about his alternatives.
We started the season with a bit of optimism when Odinaka Francis (from Lobi Stars) and Divine Ukadike (from Heartland FC) were unveiled. New faces, new energy — or so we thought.
Unfortunately, the performances didn’t match the ambition. Odinaka struggled with positioning, pace, and even basic marking. It was painful to watch, and it became obvious that the gap in class between him and the players he met at Enyimba was wide enough to drive a team bus through.
Divine Ukadike fared slightly better, but that’s not saying much. “Just there” is probably the kindest way to describe his season.
Due to the deficiencies of the new entrants, the club turned to internal options and the mid-season market.
Obichere Wisdom, a young player who made his mark during the State FA Cup last year, was thrown into the fray. When he got it right, he looked like a rough diamond. Quick, daring, and promising. But when he got it wrong, his lack of experience showed — poor positioning, hasty decisions, and an occasional loss of composure. Still, for a makeshift solution, he showed heart.
Solomon Ogberahwe arrived mid-season and immediately showed he was an upgrade over Ukadike. While not yet at Asuquo’s level, he provided relative stability and looked more assured in possession and recovery.
Then there was Ebube, another mid-season entrant who, frankly, looked more like a development project than a plug-and-play defender. He might be one for the future, but we needed solutions in the now. Innocent Gabriel also slotted into that right fullback role as various points too.
So why the breakdown into three groups? Simple — to show that fullback recruitment, and indeed all recruitment, should be intentional and impactful. The goal of signing players should never be just to replace names, but to raise competition and improve performance.
This season, we saw how filling jerseys doesn’t automatically translate to quality on the pitch. When your second-choice fullbacks look like fourth-choice options, you’re gambling with form, cohesion, and even results.
Getting Solomon was a decent patch. But imagine if we had three Solomons. Or better still, another Asuquo waiting in the wings. Now that’s the kind of competition that sharpens a squad.
As we draw the curtain on the defensive unit in this review series, it’s clear that while we had strong individual pieces, depth and consistency were major concerns — especially at fullback. For next season, we must look beyond availability and scout for real ability. If not, we’ll be back here having the same conversation — only with more grey hairs and “what ifs”.
Up next? We move forward — quite literally — to the midfield!
Till then,
Enyimba Enyi
