Brendandoesn’tneedme butthat’sfootball..I’veonlyone wordtodescribehimasaboss:
NEW LIFE IN COUNTRY HE LOVES Ambrose hails Rodgers despite heading to Hibs
EFE AMBROSE completed a harrowing journey from cult hero to scapegoat under Brendan Rodgers at Celtic.
Yet ask the 28-year-old Nigerian international defender to assess the inspirational Northern Irishman and he has just one word. GENIUS.
In the wake of his emergency loan debut for old Hoops gaffer Neil Lennon’s Hibs in Wednesday night’s damaging 2-0 Championship defeat at St Mirren a humble and decent footballer faced the media scrum once more after seven months in the wilderness.
But there was no bitterness, not a shred of rancour as he reflected on the pain of his own fans turning on him in the early days of the Rodgers reign.
Instead Efe said: “What I would say about Brendan is that he’s a genius. That’s the only word I can use to describe him.
“Why? Because he knows the game. He really knows football. That’s why I can use the word genius.
“You can see what he’s done at Celtic. He has transformed the boys. We have almost the same players from last season.
“He has performed some miracle and nobody can really explain how he did it. That’s why I just call him genius.”
Rodgers’s respect for Ambrose the player and the person shone through in his remarks as he moved to Hibs.
The Celtic boss said: “I have met the nicest man in football, if you went to war you would want Efe with you.”
That respect is not reflected in the way Scottish football fans treat Ambrose these days.
The vicious nature of social media and the glaring spotlight shone on players at times does us no credit.
Ambrose was ironically cheered by St Mirren fans every time he completed a successful pass. But the truth? He was Hibs’ best player by a distance.
The mocking should stop now, this is a player with a thirst to learn and improve at Easter Road and he added: “The time out has been difficult and at the same time it’s been great.
“I’ve used the opportunity to work on myself and I’ve learned more from the gaffer and his coaching staff. They’ve been great with me, helped me a lot even if I wasn’t playing.
“I never missed a training session. I’ve always been in there working hard. Okay, I didn’t get a chance to play but football is all about ups and downs.
“Sometimes it’s you and sometimes it’s someone else but I had to focus and work even harder.
“I have to say thanks to Brendan for what he said about me. I appreciate him, every time I see him on the pitch or walk with him at the training ground, I learn so many things.
“It’ll be nice to bring that to Hibs, to see what I can do to help us get back to the Premiership which they really deserve.
“This is a massive club that I played against many times. I watched them lose in the play-off last season and then win the Scottish Cup.
“It’s the right time for them to come back and compete with the best teams.”
There should be anger boiling inside God-fearing Ambrose at the way he’s been treated in a country he loves.
Yes, there have been failings on the football field but has he deserved the vilification that has poured down upon him?
His attitude is a shining example of how to face adversity in a cruel game and he said: “No, I never get angry. This is life and we have to learn.
“I’ve always been happy since I was born because the most important thing is to be healthy and have life. If you have these two things there is still hope.
“I never doubted I could come back and be stronger and play better than I was before.
“Look, football isn’t about individuals. It’s a team sport. You always want to do your best and sometimes you are in the wrong place at the wrong time.
“Sometimes you will be the one the critics see. It didn’t put me down in any way. It only made me want to come back even stronger.”
The collapse of a move to the English Championship with Blackburn Rovers over work permit problems was another body blow for Ambrose.
He added: “That was a difficult time for me when the Blackburn move fell through.
“But God knows best and I’m happy Hibs have called on me and given me a chance to play.
“I have great memories of working with Neil. He brought me to Scotland, I’ve always been grateful. If it wasn’t for Neil I wouldn’t be here. I’ll never forget that.
“He knows me better than anyone and how to get the best out of me.”
Ambrose hopes to stay in Scotland as he will become a British citizen this summer and is planning a future. He said: “My daughter was born here which I believe will help. My wife’s at university and trying to graduate.
“I want to make Scotland my home for my family and that has been in the back of my mind.”