“Cultures often clash in football” — Tolu Arokodare shares painful career move

By Monsurah Olatunji

Nigerian striker Tolu Arokodare has opened up about the painful experience he had with his first German coach, Markus Gisdol, during his season-long loan at FC Köln from Valmiera.

Arokodare, who was just 19 years old and newly arrived from Africa, struggled to convince Gisdol of his worth.

Despite his potential, the lanky forward found himself spending most of his time on the bench, coming on as a substitute for a mere 25 minutes in his eight appearances for Köln.

Reflecting on his time under Gisdol, Arokodare shared the challenges he faced, both on and off the field, as he tried to adjust to the competitive environment of professional football in Germany.

“I thought for a long time that no one in his head was stronger than me until I moved to Germany,” Arokodare said in an interview with HUMO.

“I only played eight games for FC Cologne: always as a substitute, never longer than 25 minutes. We were with three attackers, but even when the other two were injured, they preferred to put a midfielder or even the left-back [Jonas Hector] in the striker. My teammates laughed at me, the coach did not believe in me, and my self-confidence staggered.”

The experience weighed heavily on the young player, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, which kept him away from his family for nearly two years. Arokodare found solace in playing video games but became increasingly frustrated with the lack of communication and support from his coach.

“When Corona came, I didn’t see my family for almost two years, playing video games all day,” he recalled.

“I put on my naughty shoes and got up to the coach. He was tired of explaining the same thing to me over and over again. That didn’t make sense: he never spoke to me! People often don’t know how to deal with African boys.

“We grew up in other circumstances, so you may have to explain to me ten times. Cultures often clash in football. Asian and South American players also experience it.”

The emotional toll of the situation was evident when Arokodare recalled leaving Gisdol’s office in tears after a confrontation, despite being just 19 years old and trying to navigate the complex world of professional football.

“When I came out of his desk, the tears were in my eyes. I was 19, I knew a lot about professional football. That you still have to go to the gym after training or have to finish an individual program on your day off,” Arokodare reflected.

This difficult chapter in his career, however, didn’t deter the determined striker, and it ultimately fueled his resolve to keep pushing forward in his professional journey.