Moses Simon, the Nigerian Super Eagle who became the darling of the Nantes Canaries
Nigerian FC Nantes, Moses Simon.
REUTERS - STEPHANE MAHE
Text by: Tom Rossi Follow
5 mins
One month left for the Nigeria team before the African Cup of Nations, scheduled for January 9 to February 6, 2022. In Cameroon, the Super Eagles will rely heavily on FC Nantes winger Moses Simon, current third best passer of the French championship.
The people of Nantes like it a lot, as our special correspondent at the Stade de la Beaujoire noted, during the Nantes-Lens match on December 10, 2021.
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At one hour before kick-off, the most assiduous Nantes supporters are already heading for the stands after passing through the many food and drink stands. This is the case of Estelle and Benjamin, subscribers and spontaneous, when we ask them their two favorite players. “
Ludovic Blas and Moses Simon,
” says Estelle. “
Me too, I could say Blas and Simon
, abounds Benjamin.
Simon is dynamic, he is creative, he puts speed. He manages to bring that added value, to put a little depth, forward play. It's good, it's a good element
”.
Moses Simon is also very appreciated also by Alexis who came to the stadium with his son.
“
Me, I am pleasantly surprised by his endurance
, he slips.
He is able to repeat races, high intensity sprints, until the end of the match
”.
"A huge talent with extraordinary potential"
The people of Nantes are seduced by this small size of 1 meter 68, born in Jos in the center of Nigeria and arrived at the eight-time champion of France in August 2019. One of the legends of the club, Japhet N'Doram, does not is no exception.
The former Chadian scorer of the Canaries, semi-finalist of the 1996 Champions League, largely travels to see him.
“
I discovered him since he joined FC Nantes
,” explains N'Doram.
He has enormous talent and has extraordinary potential.
When I come to La Beaujoire, it's to see this kind of players because they have something more.
When I see him play, he reminds me a lot of players of African origin or who grew up in Africa.
He plays instinctively, he improvises, he adapts to the opponent, he is explosive
".
But this Friday evening, Japhet N'Doram will not see him start the meeting. For the first time this season, the 26-year-old Nigerian does not start. Moses Simon is marking time after delivering 5 assists and scoring 1 goal in the first 8 matches. "
What makes our qualities also makes our faults in the last gesture
," explains Japhet N'Doram.
Because for us, scoring goals in Africa is not necessarily something important. Rather, it's the beautiful game that counts. Simon needs to realize that he's in a professional world, that he has the ability to make an assist that can change the course of a game or to score a goal that can also change the heart of a game. match. He can thus become the player that I dream of seeing him become on the international level
”.
His name resonates with fervor in the 70th minute, when he comes into play against Lens.
Nantes then comes to equalize after being led 2-0.
Boiling, the Stade de la Beaujoire awaited him.
And he will ignite after a sparkling action of his little Nigerian wisp in the 90th minute: overflow on the left side, hook to transplant in the axis, then strike in the skylight.
The Super Eagle takes off to celebrate its goal.
A saving salto, after weeks of doubts ...
"He had a great champion's reaction"
He has known others before, in his career, he who must have been military like his father, but who finally joined the GBS Academy of Kaduna.
There followed an unsuccessful attempt at Ajax Amsterdam at the age of 18, then the discovery of the 1st Slovakian division where he shines.
It then sparkles intermittently in La Gantoise in Belgium and Levante in Spain.
In Nantes, the Simon flame was sometimes extinguished before very quickly being rekindled.
Antoine Koumbouaré, his coach, confirms: “
Let's not be afraid of words, Simon was not well lately.
He is the image of the team.
I wanted to see what reaction he was going to have and he had the reaction of a great champion.
He could have turned his face, dragged his feet… He must have perhaps been upset.
But the important thing is that he brought us what we expected of him.
"
And his teammates like Ludovic Blas also know it: when the Super Eagle is in good shape, it also benefits the Canaries.
“
We know very well that he is able to unlock situations as he was able to do this evening, confirms the midfielder.
Seeing him like that, laughing, happy after the match makes us all happy for him.
I think it will do him good and we all need him for the end of the season
”.
And yet, we will have to learn to do without.
Moses Simon, usual holder in Nantes is also in the national team.
Attacker, winger or side.
On the right or on the left, his coach Gernot Rohr does not intend to deprive himself of it to make Nigeria shine at the African Cup of Nations in January ...
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