Genk’s in-form Nigerian forward, Tolu Arokodare, has opened up about the early career struggles he faced, and how he overcame them to become one of Europe’s top Nigerian players at Genk.
Tolu Arokodare, who initially made a name for himself with 22 goals in 34 games for Valmiera FC, has spoken out about his struggles to adapt at Cologne and his tough first full season at Genk, where he faced booing from his own fans.
The Nigerian striker revealed that his time in Germany was marred by a crisis of self-confidence, stemming from the way he was treated during his stint: “For a long time I thought that no one was stronger in their head than me. Until I was cracked in Germany. I only played eight games for FC Cologne—always as a substitute, never longer than 25 minutes.”
“We had three attackers, but even when the other two were injured, they preferred to put a midfielder or even the left back in the front. Teammates laughed at me, the coach didn’t believe in me, my self-confidence wavered,” he added.
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Seeking a fresh start, Arokodare joined French second-division side Amiens on a two-year loan deal, where he regained his scoring form, tallying 21 goals in 63 games. This resurgence earned him a permanent move to Genk in January 2023.
Arokodare shared that his initial six months at Genk were decent, but his first full season was marred by fan booing and racist incidents. However, he silenced his critics by emerging as the club’s top scorer.
”The first six months weren’t that bad. It wasn’t until last season that things changed. I heard the boos rolling through the stadium every time I made a bad touch or was substituted again,” he revealed.
“To hear something like that from your own supporters: that hurts. How can you still perform? Last summer I received messages that left little to the imagination: Go away, we don’t want you in our club!”
Arokodare however spoke on the support he received from some supporters during this tough period: “When I received racist messages or fainted on the pitch, which happened twice, I was showered with expressions of support,” he said.
Having recorded 14 goals and 4 assists while ending the year as the Belgian league top scorer, Arokodare has overcome past challenges and is now focused on achieving even greater success with Genk while potentially earning a call-up to the Nigerian national team. “I can’t wait to play with Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman and everyone in general,” he disclosed.
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