By Taye Hassan Adigun
Plateau United defender Daniel Itodo is a relatively household name in the city of Jos since joining the state-owned club at the beginning of 2012|2013 Nigeria Professional Football League season from DSS Football Club, Kaduna.
The defender has established himself as one of the most sorts after left-back in the league, with his rocket throws which have many followers and the club fans call him Rory Delap of Stoke City (former Stoke City midfielder).
Itodo’s proclivity was no secret for three-season, last season he had eleven assists and with two goals to his credit, he took long, arced throw-ins from any position on the right and left-hand side to help pull his team up the pitch. Sometimes, he threw them far enough to allow his team’s strikers, Emeka Umeh, Bernard Ovoke and loan returnee Tosin Omoleye and Peter Eneji, to move in behind the opposing defence.
How did you get started in soccer?
I started from the street of Makurdi before my parents moved to Kaduna, where I spend most of part of younger years.
Did playing other sports help improve your skills as a soccer player? Well, playing chess and computer games (soccer games)
What is your favourite food? I love eating rice and beans
Good point. Who were some role models you looked up as a footballer? Hmmm. Tottenham Hotspurs Danny Rose is such a player I look up to. He is very fast on the ball, easy to penetrate any defence with his speed
Who are your best friends in the team Andrew Evans Ikefe, Wash Bitrus and Hamisu Saleh and Elisha Golbe. Those are my best friends
After football, what is next in your career? I will like to become a football agent/manager. I love discovering young breed talent for the game.
What is the fan base like for Plateau United? After winning the 2017 Nigeria Professional Football League from our old small stadium Rwang Pam Stadium to the new Jos Stadium. For example, our first two games against Wikki Tourists and Kano Pillars recorded a large turnout, over 40,000 were at the stadium.
Football is a great participatory sport in Nigeria but doesn’t always translate those players Nigeria Professional Football League into a devoted fan base What do you think we need to do to increase soccer interest in this country? We need to focus on promoting our players. I think if they could get the youth system doing better and connect them with the older Nigerian league players, that would be great.
Thank you so much for your time, Itodo
