sstackho Posted December 16, 2009 Share Posted December 16, 2009 This popped up in my newsfeed. Sports Ademolu looks to move up as pro; Herman grad pursues soccer career in Europe Mary Caton The Windsor Star 557 words 11 December 2009 Windsor Star WINSTR Final B1 / FRONT English Copyright © 2009 Windsor Star Steve Ademolu continues to chase down his dream of playing professional soccer in a big European market with the same fearless determination he deploys on the field when possession of the ball is at stake. A speedy and skilled striker, Ademolu recently finished his first campaign with FK Ekr-anas in Lithuania where the club won the league championship and earned promotion to the country's top division for next season. The 27-year-old Herman grad had three goals in 18 games during an injury-shortened season. What doesn't show in the statistics is the role Ademolu's speed played in creating seven penalty shot opportunities for Ekranas. "I think our team had the most penalty shots of anyone in the league," Ademolu said. "I created so much and that feels good but I don't take the penalty shots so someone else got credit for the goals." While people are still cleaning up from their New Year's Eve party in a few weeks, Ademolu will be heading back to eastern Europe for his second season with the club. "It's very interesting living there," he said. "I really didn't expect to be in Lithuania. I wanted to go somewhere like France but with the crisis in the economy (last year) I had to find a team somewhere and this was a good team." Ekranas has won five league titles and, more importantly, they play a style well suited to use Ademolu's skills. "They play the game on the ground," said Ademolu, who cut his soccer teeth with the Windsor FC Nationals and took Herman to an OFSAA tournament. Since leaving Cleveland State in 2004, Ademolu has also played professionally in Sweden and Norway where the teams tend to put the ball in the air and look for the forwards to chase it down. "In Norway, they started (to play) high and they'd go higher and just say run," Ademolu said. "That was very hard for me. I like this style much better." Now fully recovered from a hamstring injury, he's hoping for a productive season in 2010 that leads to bigger opportunities. "If I can get 10 goals I can go anywhere," he said. When given the chance, Ademolu has been proficient at finding the back of the net. In his last season at Cleveland State, he was named the Horizon League's player of the year after scoring 14 goals in 21 games. He was invited to play a friendly for the Canadian senior national team in 2005 but hasn't heard from them since. "The Canadian team doesn't show me any love," he said. "They didn't even know where I was until I e-mailed them. I would always play for them (if asked) but I'm never going to get my hopes up. "Even if I scored 20 goals, they might not call." mcaton@thestar.canwest.com or 519-255-5726 Colour Photo: Tyler Brownbridge, The Windsor Star / Herman grad Stephen Ademolu is playing professional soccer in Lithuania. Photo: Star file / Herman grad Steve Ademolu hopes a successful soccer season in Lithuania this year will propel him up the pro ranks in Europe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BringBackTheBlizzard Posted December 16, 2009 Share Posted December 16, 2009 A couple of links that might help to put Lithuanian soccer in perspective for people:- http://european-football-statistics.co.uk/attn/current/avelit.htm http://soccerlens.com/chaos-in-kaunas-the-decline-and-fall-of-the-romanov-empire/27087/ Basketball is very much the top sport there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nolando Posted December 16, 2009 Share Posted December 16, 2009 He has a good attitude - I like his honesty. Wonder if he and Occean could get together and drink away their CSA sorrows. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grizzly Posted December 16, 2009 Share Posted December 16, 2009 I like that they do such stories but this is not even blog level journalism: quote:A speedy and skilled striker, Ademolu recently finished his first campaign with FK Ekr-anas in Lithuania where the club won the league championship and earned promotion to the country's top division for next season. considering that Ekranas is the champion of the country's top division for the last two years. Couldn't the author have at least taken 2 minutes to look in Wikipedia? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ag futbol Posted December 16, 2009 Share Posted December 16, 2009 quote:Originally posted by nolando He has a good attitude - I like his honesty. Wonder if he and Occean could get together and drink away their CSA sorrows. What's the story with Occean (other than we haven't called him in a while). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpg75 Posted December 16, 2009 Share Posted December 16, 2009 Mitchell felt bad for leaving him off the WCQ squads. He felt he was playing well enough to be selected, but that Gerba and Friend were playing better and therefore Occean was the odd man out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Razcle Posted December 16, 2009 Share Posted December 16, 2009 As for every Canadian applying his trade in Europe, You hope a larger club can spot him during a cup match and bring him up, however would a carreer in the MLS not be better suited for this lad over the Lithuania first division? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpg75 Posted December 16, 2009 Share Posted December 16, 2009 quote:Originally posted by Razcle As for every Canadian applying his trade in Europe, You hope a larger club can spot him during a cup match and bring him up, however would a carreer in the MLS not be better suited for this lad over the Lithuania first division? He may not be good enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vigilante Posted December 17, 2009 Share Posted December 17, 2009 not too burst his bubble, but he plays in Lithuania. Thats not exactly the Championship in England Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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