Patrick Ogunsoto

Patrick Ogunsoto (born 19 April 1983) is a Nigerian former professional footballer who played as a striker. He spent the majority of his career in Greece and is best known for his tenure at Greek side Ergotelis, for which he still remains the all-time top scorer.

Patrick Ogunsoto
Personal information
Full name Patrick Babatunde Ogunsoto
Date of birth (1983-04-19) 19 April 1983[1]
Place of birth Lagos, Nigeria
Height 1.79 m (5 ft 10 1⁄2 in)
Position(s) Forward
Club information
Current team
 Moudania
Youth career
1998–2000 Julius Berger
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2000–2001 Paniliakos 0 (0)
2001 Julius Berger 0 (0)
2001–2002 APOEL 0 (0)
2002–2006 Ergotelis 115 (71)
2006–2008 Westerlo 44 (20)
2008–2010 Ergotelis 47 (14)
2009–2010 → OFI (loan) 22 (6)
2011–2012 Lokomotiv Plovdiv 3 (1)
2012–2013 Anagennisi Epanomi F.C. 11 (5)
2013 Olympiakos Volou 23 (7)
2013–2014 Acharnaikos 11 (3)
2014 Ermionida 4 (0)
2016 Doxa Trilofos - (-)
2016–2017 Makedonikos 19 (8)
2017−2018 Megas Alexandros Iasmos 11 (8)
2018 Moudania 8 (3)
Total 318 (146)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 30 August 2018

Career

Early career

Ogunsoto started his career with local clubs in Lagos, eventually signing with local side Julius Berger at 17. He then made his first European move by signing with Paniliakos in Greece, but wouldn't be eligible to play for the club. He returned to Nigeria and Julius Berger for one year. At age 19, he was tried out by Greek clubs Aris Thessaloniki and Ergotelis but eventually signed with Cypriot First Division club APOEL. As he was deemed too young to be included among his manager's Eugene Gerards' plans, he returned to Greece in 2002 and signed for Cretan club Ergotelis, which played in the Greek Gamma Ethniki at the time.[2]

Ergotelis

Ogunsoto built up his reputation in Greece during his spell at Ergotelis, in which he scored a total of 71 goals in 114 appearances, celebrating consecutive promotions in a steady run from the Gamma Ethniki to Greece's top tier football division, the Superleague. In his first season at Ergotelis, Ogunsoto scored 30 goals in 32 games and the team was promoted to the Beta Ethniki. He followed up with another 9 goals in his second season, helping the club gain another promotion, this time in the Alpha Ethniki, Greece's top tier football division. He continued being the club's top scorer for a third year in a row, scoring 11 goals in 29 games during the club's first season in the Alpha Ethniki, but the team was eventually relegated. Then Ogunsoto became instrumental in the club's second promotion and winning of the division title, by being declared top-scorer once again with a total of 21 goals at the end of the 2005−06 season. His performances did not go unnoticed though, and after brief flirts with Greek giants Panathinaikos and AEK, he subsequently moved to Belgium and K.V.C. Westerlo, thus ending a remarkable 4-year run with Ergotelis in Crete.

Westerlo

In his first season with Westerlo, Ogunsoto became second top scorer in the Jupiler Pro League, scoring 20 goals in 34 games. Despite reported interest from Dutch Eredivisie and Russian Premier League clubs, Ogunsoto remained for a second season with Westerlo, making 10 appearances and scoring no goals. In January 2008, he would return to his former club Ergotelis, expressing a desire to return to the club where he made his name.

Return to Ergotelis

On January 18, 2008, Ogunsoto returned to Ergotelis signing a 3-year contract. He scored 6 goals in 13 matches, helping the club avoid relegation at the end of the season. He made another 29 appearances in the 2008-09 season, scoring 8 goals. However, tensions rose between the player and manager Nikos Karageorgiou, which led to an eventual fallout with the club's board of directors. Next season saw Ogunsoto making a total of 6 appearances for the club, mostly as a substitute. On the winter transfer window of 2009, Ogunsoto was loaned to local rival OFI, playing in the Beta Ethniki on a six-month deal. He featured in 22 matches total, scoring 6 goals for the club. Finally, on August 2010, the 27-year-old Nigerian striker, terminated his contract with Ergotelis on mutual consent. For his achievements with Ergotelis since his original tenure, he was honoured by club president Apostolos Papoutsakis with a golden emblem of the club.[3] In a total of 162 official matches, he had scored 85 goals, making him the club's all-time top scorer.

Later pro career

On January 18, 2011, Ogunsoto signed a 1.5-year contract with Lokomotiv Plovdiv as a free agent. He was released from the team at the end of the 2011/2012 A PFG season, making a total of 3 appearances and having scored 1 goal. In the summer of 2012 he returned to Greece and moved to Anagennisi Epanomi in the Football League. Ogunsoto finished the first half of the season with 5 goals in 11 appearances. In winter transfer window he moved to Olympiakos Volou, and ironically scored his first goal against his former team Ergotelis in a 2-0 home win. He finished the season with 7 goals in 23 appearances for the club. On 16 July 2013, Ogunsoto signed a one-year contract with Acharnaikos in the Gamma Ethniki.[4] After six months, 11 appearances and three goals, he was released from his contract.[5] After a couple of weeks Ogunsoto agreed to continue his career at Ermionida in the Football League 2 (Greece).[6] Three months later however, he would terminate his contract with the club after realizing he was not counted among the first choices of Ermionida manager Roberto Bolano.[7]

Amateur divisions

In the summer of 2015, Ogunsoto underwent trial with Belgian Second Division club KMSK Deinze,[8] without however signing a contract with the club. In January 2016, Ogunsoto returned to Greece and reportedly partook in training sessions of Thessaloniki-based amateur club Keravnos Aggelochori, a club playing in regional Macedonia FCA competitions.[9] He eventually signed a contract with fellow Thessaloniki-based club Doxa Trilofos in February 2016.[10][11] In July 2016, Ogunsoto signed with Macedonia FCA A1 Championship Division club Makedonikos.[12] Ogunsoto helped the club achieve promotion to the Gamma Ethniki as champions, contributing with 8 goals in 19 games.[13] He was offered the position of general manager at Makedonikos at the end of the season but declined, as he was keen on playing football for at least one more season.[13]

Aged 34, Ogunsoto applied, and was rumored to participate in the sixth season of Greece's highly popular reality show Survivor,[13] entering negotiations with several clubs playing in local football championships of Greece. He eventually signed a contract with Thrace FCA club Megas Alexandros Iasmos.[14] He left the club in January 2018 citing personal reasons, having scored 8 goals in 11 matches.[15] He then signed with another amateur club from Chalkidiki, Moudania until the end of the season.[16]

Career statistics
As of matches played 21 January 2018
Club Season League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Paniliakos 2000–01 Alpha Ethniki 0000—00
Total 0000—00
Julius Berger 2001–02 Nigerian Premier League 0000—00
Total 0000—00
APOEL 2001–02 Cypriot First Division 0000—00
Total 0000—00
Ergotelis 2002–03 Gamma Ethniki 323045—3635
2003–04 Beta Ethniki 259431[lower-alpha 1]03012
2004–05 Alpha Ethniki 301130—3311
2005–06 Beta Ethniki 282132—3123
Total 1157114101013081
Westerlo 2006–07 Jupiler Pro League 342020—3620
2007–08 10000—100
Total 442020—4620
Ergotelis 2007–08 Superleague 13600—136
2008–09 28820—308
2009–10 6000—60
Total 471420—4914
OFI 2009–10 Football League 185004[lower-alpha 2]1226
Total 1850041226
Lokomotiv Plovdiv 2010–11 A Group 3100—31
Total 3100—31
Anagennisi Epanomi 2011–12 Football League 11500—115
Total 11500—115
Olympiacos Volos 2011–12 Football League 207003[lower-alpha 2]0237
Total 2070030237
Acharnaikos 2012–13 Football League 10211—113
Total 10211—113
Ermionida 2013–14 Gamma Ethniki 4000—40
Total 4000—40
Career total 27212515681299137
  1. Alpha Ethniki Promotion Play-Off
  2. Football League Play-Offs

Personal

Considered as one of the most charismatic strikers to ever grace Greek football competitions, Ogunsoto rose to cult status in Greece during his tenure at Ergotelis for his non-proficient use of the Greek language at the time, exhibited during an enraged post-match interview after a 1−1 Cretan derby draw vs. OFI in 2008. Lashing out against the referee for poor officiating, Ogunsoto delivered his infamous «Pos genen afto» speech (roughly translated as «How can this happen»), which has since spawned many memes and is frequently used as a catchphrase across Greece and Greek media.[17]

Ogunsoto had applied for the sixth season of the popular reality show Survivor Greece,[13] and was eventually admitted into the show halfway during the seventh season.[18]

Honours

Club
Ergotelis

Individual

Records

References
  1. Π. Κορκόδειλος - Το πρόσωπο της αγωνιστικής: Πάτρικ Ογκουνσότο, Ελευθεροτυπία, 8 November 2004 (in Greek)
  2. ΠΑΤΡΙΚ ΟΓΚΟΥΝΣΟΤΟ: Η ιστορία του συγκλονίζει... (in Greek). MVP Magazine. 2 October 2012. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
  3. "PATRICK OGUNSOTO terminates Ergotelis contract by mutual consent". www.allnigeriasoccer.com. 11 August 2010.
  4. "Πήρε Ογκουνσότο ο Αχαρναικος". www.omilitis.gr. 16 July 2013. Archived from the original on 14 September 2013.
  5. "Αχαρναϊκός: Τέλος ο Ογκουνσότο!". www.onsports.gr. 23 December 2013.
  6. "Μεταγραφική βόμβα της Ένωσης Ερμιονίδας με Ogunsoto". www.argolikeseidhseis.gr. 8 January 2014.
  7. "Παρελθόν από την Ερμιονίδα ο Ογκουνσότο". www.prismasport.gr. 13 April 2014.
  8. "Wedstrijdverslag KMSK Deinze - Zulte-Waregem (04.07.2015)". KMSK Deinze Official Site. 4 July 2015.
  9. "Ο Πάτρικ Ογκουνσότο στον Κεραυνό Αγγελοχωρίου". sport24.gr. 4 January 2016.
  10. "Ο Πατρίκ Ογκουνσότο συνεχίζει την καριέρα του στη Δόξα Τριλόφου".
  11. ""Βόμβα" στον Τρίλοφο με Ογκουνσότο!".
  12. "Παίχτης του Μακεδονικού ο Πατρίκ Ογκουνσότο (Greek)". Makedonikos Official Site. July 2016.
  13. "Ογκουνσότο: "Είμαι έτοιμος για το Survivor 2" (Greek)". Sport24.gr. July 2017.
  14. "Η μεταγραφή του καλοκαιριού στην Θράκη είναι γεγονός! Ο Πάτρικ Ογκουνσότο και επίσημα στον Ιάσμο!!! (Greek)". Sportsaddict.gr. September 2017.
  15. "Τέλος ο Ογκουνσότο από τον Ίασμο (Greek)". xronos.gr. 13 January 2018.
  16. "Στα Μουδανιά ο Ογκουνσότο! (Greek)". sport24.gr. 25 January 2018.
  17. "Να πως γκένεν αυτό (Greek)". sport.gr. 23 April 2016.
  18. "Ο Πάτρικ Ογκουνσότο μπήκε στο Survivor: «Είμαι Κρητικός, από τα Ανώγεια» (vid)". ethnos.gr. 17 March 2019.
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