Barca own goal was final straw, says Ambrose
On-loan Nigerian looking to pick up the pieces at Hibernian after things got nasty at Parkhead
EFE AMBROSE knew his time at Celtic was over the day his own supporters turned on him.
Even this happy and positive person felt deep hurt when he scored what was an unfortunate own goal in a friendly match against Barcelona in Dublin. It wasn’t his first mistake, but it was the first time the fans booed him. And it was loud.
That was when Brendan Rodgers decided enough was enough. He told the “nicest man in football I’ve ever met” that he wouldn’t play again this season. It was the right thing to do and, in turn, Ambrose loves the Celtic manager for it.
Big Efe is a hard man not to like. Late on Wednesday night, he bounced into the small media room at St Mirren having been part of a Hibernian side utterly outplayed by the team bottom of the Championship; not that the defeat had anything to do with the defender who made a solid debut.
He was full of smiles and happy to answer every question about how and why it went so wrong for him at Celtic.
“Dublin was the turning point for me, but that’s football,” he said. “I am a defender. I tried to stop it but I slipped and the ball bounced off my shin. It can happen to anyone in football.
“After that day I was sad about the reaction, but I was just trying to do my job and defend. I wasn’t trying to kick the ball in the net, it’s not normal. I was just trying to defend. That’s my job . . . to defend. Sometimes you get it right, sometimes you get it wrong. But when it happens, that’s when you need the people’s support. I didn’t get it that day. But that’s life. When the team is doing well, nobody picks on anyone. When the team were doing badly, they started picking.
“Since Celtic have been winning, nobody has been playing bad, everyone has been good. But when they were not doing well, that’s when the fans started to pick on players from the team. I’ve never regretted anything. I always tried my best. I always stood up and kept fighting.”
How about that assessment...
Ambrose, who is still only 28, has been the consummate professional since that day back in August. He worked to get better, he never shirked one day, and so it’s going to be interesting to see what player Hibs have signed.
“Well, for me it’s been difficult, and at the same time it’s been great,” he replied when asked about the last six months.
“I have used the opportunity to work on myself and I have learned more from the gaffer and his coaching staff. They have been great with me. The helped me a lot, even if I wasn’t playing
“I never missed a training session. I have always been in there working hard. Okay, I didn’t get a chance (to play) but for an honest football is all about ups and downs. Sometimes it’s you, sometimes it’s someone else.
“I had to focus and work even harder. At the same time, it’s the best time to work on things so, when I got the chance to play, everything would be right.”
Ambrose’s eyes lit up at the mere mention of Rodgers’s name.
“What I would say about him is that he’s a genius,” he said unprompted. “That’s the only word I can use to describe him. Why? Because he knows the game. He really knows football. That is why I can use the word genius.
“You can see what he’s done at Celtic. He has transformed the boys. We have the same players from last season and he has done some miracle and nobody can really explain how he did it. That’s why I just call him genius.
“For me, I just have to say thanks to him for what he said about me. There is nothing more to do because I really appreciate him, every time I see him on the pitch, or walk with him at the training ground, I learn so many things.”
Ambrose says he never doubted himself, that his determination to show people they were wrong never left him. Now? Well, now he wants to help Hibs to promotion and become Scottish.
“It is important to me because I have been here for a few years now and I know what it means to get it for me and my family,” he explained. “My daughter was born here, which I believe will help me get citizenship here.
“My wife is studying at University and trying to graduate. I just want to make Scotland my home for my family and that has been in the back of my mind. Everything has been nice, terrific. I’ve never missed my home and I have always called Scotland my home. So for me to be part of Scotland and my children to be Scottish would be an amazing thing for me.”