Manny Adegboyega was ready to roar Dundee United on against Rangers but the defender admits he’d much rather be doing the business on the pitch.
The on-loan Norwich City stopper was gutted to be left out of the draw at Ibrox but backed the team from the sidelines. The Irish ace relished getting back in the side though as United dug deep to see off St Mirren 2-0 at the weekend. Adegboyega sealed it with a stoppage-time second and said: “I don’t want to miss games. I want to play every single match.
“But if there’s a tactical decision from the gaffer, then it is what it is. I just keep working hard and looking towards the next match. That’s exactly what I did. The gaffer communicated with me brilliantly, he told me the reason why I missed out against Rangers – I understood his thinking – and of course I’m not happy. No player should be. But I always keep my head up and cheer on the teams from the sidelines.”
United were on the back foot at times against the Buddies and while Adegboyega enjoyed hitting the net, he admitted he loved toughing it out at the back. He said: “Even in a game like that – as messy as it was – it was great to get a clean sheet, and to get that goal.
“The gaffer is always drumming into us, ‘as a defender, get the clean sheet first’. They were bombarding us from the first minute to the last and, as a back three, you’ve got to stand tall. We stuck together.
“We have a passion for working hard and keeping the ball out of the net. We love defending – all the boys want to get into the battle, win tackles. win headers – and that’s what you can see on the pitch.”
Adegboyega reckons scraps like Saturday’s are exactly the types of experience Norwich want him to gain while on loan. But United fans would love to see the 22-year-old sticking around beyond his deal at the end of the season.
The former Drogheda star said: “Absolutely, and defending up here is not easy. At all. So, when you are able to rise to the occasion, it’s a satisfying feeling.
“I see myself as a Dundee United player. I can’t look that far ahead, we have a lot of football to play. Whatever happens, happens.”
Adegboyega was thrilled to get one over Saints – and Ireland youth pal Killian Phillips. He said: “I know Killian, so it was nice to stick one in the net against him.
“We were on international duty together recently and we played with the same team back in Ireland, Drogheda United, so we’ve had a similar path in football.
“He’s a really good guy and has a bright future in the game. But I’ve got my job to do, and I was delighted with how it all played out – clean sheet; on the scoresheet – it was a good Saturday!”