Nigerian striker, Junior Ajayi, sent a farewell message to Egyptian giants Al Ahly after the club announced they would be parting ways with him.
After five years, Ajayi’s journey with Al Ahly has ended after the club announced they have terminated his contract earlier this week.
The 25-year-old signed for the Red Devils in 2016 from Tunisia’s CS Sfaxien, after having won the Olympic bronze medal with Nigeria.
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The 25-year-old hit the ground running in his first season with the Reds, scoring 12 goals and providing seven assists in 39 games across all competitions.
He kept his form for the majority of his stay in Cairo, making a total of 161 appearances and lifting 11 trophies along the way. These titles include four Egyptian Premier Leagues, two Egypt Cups, two Egyptian Super Cups, two CAF Champions Leagues and the CAF Super Cup.
However, after a series of injuries and the signings of Percy Tau and Luis Miquissone, Ajayi slowly fell down the pecking order under head coach Pitso Mosimane and even failed to make a single appearance for the Reds this season.
Before leaving Cairo, Ajayi sent a message to the Al Ahly management and fans, thanking them for their support during his time at the club.
“It’s with profound gratitude to God almighty, that I announce the end of my contract with Al Ahly football club, to the management who has been nothing but family to me, my teammates who’s been my brothers and to my fans, you all have been my support system, thank you for holding it down with me through those years, you guys are the real MVPs, I love you all #nowtothenextphase,” he posted on Instagram account.
10 Comments
Ajayi the nimble, Ajayi the great, this is just a minor setback. You will surely find a worthy suitor soon. Players should never be abandoned at their time of difficulty. You will surely move to Europe to conquer those leagues. Heaven bless Ajayi the great and all deserving Super Eagles players
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Very classy. He still finds it in his heart to thank the management that terminated him. You will surely rise again, stay strong!
All other factors aside, it is a known fact Pitso Motsimane (like most South Africans) don’t like Nigerians. He has this big grudge and ego when he faces up to Nigerians, like he has an axe to grind or something to prove on South African football/players vs Nigeria.
Remember the spat he had with coach Solomon Ogbeide after his team lost 2-0 to Lobi Stars here? See the link below:
https://www.completesports.com/ogbeide-tells-mosimane-im-not-your-wife-after-sundowns-gaffer-snubs-him/
Pitso carried the grudge over to the 2nd leg where Enyimba incredibly lost 3-0 (I watched the match. Player for player, Nigerians were better). I don’t think he’s rid himself of that grudge. I always wish his country can appoint him their national coach and then he can come up against SE in a crunch match. Just that our clubsides have been disgracing our flag since the past 5 years.
Pitso is a racist. Never signed a single West African at Sundowns and will purge any Nigerian or Ghanaian in any club he goes to coach. It would just be a matter of time. He’s deluded that South Africans are as or even more talented.
However, all these does not take away the possibility that Ajayi may have lost form or steam. Just highlighting the other side of the coin.
@Kel… Your points are good. But the question is… how does a player who used to play on first team, then got injured and took a while to come back and once he is back was never played again because new playing personnel were recruited… how do you even think a player has lost form when you hardly play him? Percy Tau is a good player but could not cut it in England and his country man Pitso has to find a new home for him… National Team Interests I guess. If Junior Ajayi were to be Egyptian, he will still be a first teamer in Al Ahly…
Why cry over split milk? He should come to Enyimba and continue to prove himself. Most we blame somebody for everything? We are beginning to sound like the racists we claim some people are.
What have you achieved in your life? Twisted fellows like you come on CSN to show how superficial you are? Is Enyimma on same level with Al Ahly? Who told you he lacks suitors?
Got your point @Jimmyball. Ajayi’s situation is quite strange. I remember that talented & vibrant U23 team under Siasia during the qualifiers, Etebo and Ajayi shone like a thousand stars. I believe his talent is largely still underutilised.
Of course, Ajayi’s contract termination looks like it was more than for footballing reasons, considering the circumstances of Percy Tau getting offloaded at Brighton & Genk, then the fact that his former Sundowns gaffer and countryman Pitso was in charge at Al-Ahly
Perhaps Ajayi’s agent should explore some modest European leagues like Finland, Denmark,Ukraine,Belgium, Croatia etc – where the system is mostly merit-driven. Then hopefully his client breaks into the bigger leagues in a season or two.
Well if that is the case then there is no need for all our lamentations, blame game and petiness. Our prayers is that the right suitors should come so that he can resume being productive.
Meanwhile I understand your being petty, it’s a Nigerian thing some of us acknowledged and have conquered it. I wish you the very best in your efforts to achieve that.
Kel you know that bigot too much. SA teams according to Pitso are no longer afraid of North African teams but their nemesis are the West African teams. Ever since he arrived Ahly, Junior hardly made the starting line up. He made sure that lad from Rangers that won AFCON with SE was sent parking from Sundowns immediately he arrived, one day his cup will be full.
@Coache… yes, you mean Christantus Ejike Uzoenyi! The guy was signed to Mamelodi Sundowns SA, after winning the most valuable player award at CHAN 2014 that Nigeria unfortunately lost in the Semis to Ghana and Libya won.
Of all playsers that Al Ahly in their might and substance can sign and make part of their squad, it had to be an SA National Teamer, and another Southern African player, clearly a player that Pitso has coached before.
So let us say before Pitso Mosimane’s hire, Al Ahly did not deem any South African player good enough, or worthy enough to bring to Egypt, until an SA national, Pitso, became coach and took over reins at the club… Lol. Let South Africa work on themselves and stop hating other Africans for no reason… learn how other nations did it and take a cue so that they can start attending all major tournaments like all other true heavy weights in the African game… just a couple of weeks back Ghana FA embarrass them before FIFA with a scathing reply insulting the whole SA and their football for trying to use the backdoor to get a replay…