- The participant has performed for 11 completely different golf equipment throughout the English soccer pyramid
- They now have the prospect to beat a aspect 46 locations above them within the FA Cup
- Gary O’Neil has reached his final resort over Wolves choices: It’s All Kicking Off
A former Premier League star has opened up about their robust childhood and the extents they went to for meals rising up in Cameroon earlier than a profession on the pinnacle of the sport.
The ex-defender – now 37 – spent 18 years in senior English soccer earlier than ultimately hanging up their boots in 2022 to tackle a job as supervisor of a Non-League outfit now in quest of an FA Cup giant-killing.
The Cameroonian was on the books at 11 completely different golf equipment, and gained titles in League One and the Championship – even scoring a winner to finish Manchester United’s 29-game successful run in 2011.
After turning to administration in January, they didn’t maintain their fees up on the finish of a poor 2022-23, however this season have confirmed a revelation on the helm guiding their National League South outfit to second place and the Second Round of the FA Cup.
However earlier than becoming a member of Dulwich Hamlet in 2004 this former participant made do with kicking provider baggage or plastic bottles to hone his abilities in naked toes.
In a wide-ranging interview, former Wolves defender George Elokobi advised the Sun all in regards to the struggles he confronted as a youth.
‘Life was robust as a child. My dad died once I was 10 of diabetes. He was my position mannequin.
‘I generally needed to go with out meals. I used to be having to eat out of trash cans. I used to be a scavenger.
‘Also I hunted birds. I’d both used a catapult or set traps. I additionally needed to catch and eat snakes or digest uncooked potatoes taken from the bottom with out even washing them.
‘I needed to make do with something I may put in my abdomen.
‘It was a life with out having actual working water, the place we needed to walk miles to fetch water, then miles again.’
Despite admitting he by no means obtained any teaching till the age of 16 – after he was in a position to transfer to England as soon as his mom secured a visa for Elokobi to review within the UK – he earned a transfer to Wolves from Colchester United for £500,000 in 2008.
Elokobi can boast one thing that not many strikers would possibly have the ability to; regardless of spending the vast majority of his profession as a centre again, the 37-year-old has scored at each single stage of soccer from the Non-League South to the Premier League.
‘I owe my complete soccer profession to my mum as a result of she obtained me over right here and has been my rock,’ the ex-defender added.
‘As a teenager, I used to be a tough diamond and made up for any limitations in my means with sheer laborious work once I got here to England.
‘From the second I joined Colchester to the day I moved to Wolves I did not take a single day without work. I spent each day enhancing myself.’
The Wolves cult hero took up a position as caretaker supervisor of Maidstone United – his remaining membership as a participant – in January this 12 months, earlier than being appointed on a everlasting foundation in March.
However it was earlier than changing into the supervisor of his former aspect that Elokobi made one of many stranger profession strikes in his lengthy stint within the English sport.
‘It was a incredible alternative to be a part of that episode,’ he mentioned of his look in hit comedy sequence Ted Lasso, enjoying the position of one in every of Guardiola’s defenders for a fictionalised Man City aspect.
‘I hadn’t taken over as Maidstone supervisor but so had a little bit of time for such tasks — and it was nice to not solely be a part of the forged however see the way it all works within the filming trade.
‘And after all it was an honour to be a part of that scene with Pep and Manchester City — and spending a day filming on the Etihad.
‘Ted Lasso is a good present. I really like that it paints an image of a supervisor mucking about with soccer who turns into a grasp on the finish.
‘In a whole lot of methods, it paints one thing that may occur for actual. Anything is feasible.’
And whereas promotion again to the National League has obtained off to the perfect begin, he’s now seeking to take his aspect into the third spherical of the FA Cup by beating Barrow in League Two.
‘We’re going to offer it our greatest shot. We know Barrow are a very good aspect however no-one ought to write anybody off.
‘As you may see from my very own journey, write me off at your peril.’
