So it's finally happened. All of the players that were with the Philadelphia Union during their inaugural season of 2010 have gone. Amobi Okugo was the last of that group, traded to expansion side, Orlando City SC for a 2016 draft pick and allocation money. A somewhat unceremonious end for a wonderful player, but there is rarely fanfare for a player departing.
To understand why I am so sad to see Amobi go, you have to understand my path as a Union fan. I was not a founding member of the Sons of Ben, I was not at City Hall when MLS announced Philadelphia would be getting a team, I was not there for the inaugural season, the playoff year, or the Nowak meltdown. I was the stereotypical American soccer fan, "I like soccer...but only during the World Cup!", that was the common refrain.
2013 was my year, the year that I fell in love with soccer and the Union. Sebastien Le Toux's return (and goal) against Sporting Kansas City, the snowy mess against Colorado, and so on and so on. I even went to my first game that year, a 4-1 dismantling at the hands of the reigning champion LA Galaxy. Who scored the lone Union goal that game? None other than the "Nigerian Nightmare" himself, Amobi Okugo. It wasn't a particularly pretty goal, if memory serves me right. It was an ugly sliding header to tie up the game. At that point I was hooked, and Amobi was one of my favorite players.
From that point on, I watched every game I possibly could. I attended a few more games, every time sitting in the River End screaming my lungs out. And I was always impressed with how Okugo played. Nothing about him looked like a typical center back - mainly because he wasn't a center back. He seemed shorter and slighter than Jeff Parke and Bakary Soumare, but he seemed so composed with the ball at his feet and willing to throw himself into physical situations.
He seemed like a really nice person too. I've had the pleasure of meeting many Union players in my brief time as a fan, be it at 90th Minute broadcasts, player events or waiting in the tunnel after the game. When I finally met Amobi this past season, I was not disappointed. He was a genuinely nice person who took time out of his day to stop and chat with the fans, sign autographs and take pictures when many players would just want to get changed and head home.
As an Okugo fan, this past season was exciting for me. He got to wear the captain's armband for a game, something I figured would be commonplace in the not too distant future. He even got to play his preferred position of defensive midfield, something I thought he excelled at. But as the season wore on, it became clear that Okugo was not in the Union's long-term plans, and that's a shame.
It may have been a smart move, trying to get what you could for a player that was unlikely to re-sign, but it doesn't make it an easier pill to swallow. I always envisioned Okugo as the future captain of this team, a lifelong member of the Union, here since day one. But sadly that time has come and passed. Amobi is now a member of Orlando City and I wish him nothing but the best moving forward. He is a true professional, a good person and a fantastic teammate.
Orlando City fans will love him, of this I have no doubt. How can you not love the work rate, and potential that he brings to the table. When he returns to PPL Park next season and the Sons of Ben are yelling, "Sucks" after the name of every opposing player I will be silent when Amobi's name is announced. He was a bright spot on a team that often (and probably still does) lack direction. And for those reasons, he will be missed. Thank you Amobi.
