Angelo Ogbonna has written himself into West Ham United folklore.
When West Ham were struggling this season fingers were occasionally pointed at Italian centre back Angelo Ogbonna.
Games against Everton and Arsenal in particular spring to mind as examples which showed the former Juventus defender just was not the same player he was during his first and West Ham’s last season at Upton Park.
Of course more often than not in the first half of the season there were plenty of others performing worse than ‘Oggie’ as he is affectionately known to the Hammers faithful.
Angelo Ogbonna has not been his normal self this season
So good was Ogbonna last season that Antonio Conte showed a keen interest in bringing his former Juve and Italy player to West Ham’s London rivals Chelsea after his appointment in the summer, as reported by Football Italia.
It was a relief to all including Slaven Bilic that he stayed but the speculation led many to presume his below par performances were somehow linked.
Who can forget BT Sport pundit Rio Ferdinand’s assessment of Ogbonna “ambling” around against Arsenal – a game Bilic’s side lost 5-1.
At Everton a few weeks before Ogbonna was also far too slow to react to danger and cost his side in a 2-0 defeat.
Of course Ferdinand and West Ham’s supporters were not to know the truth, not until after the club’s 3-1 win over Middlesbrough at the weekend.
Ogbonna is the antidote to Payet
It was after that game Bilic – following the £8 million signing of Southampton captain Jose Fonte – revealed Ogbonna was set to go under the knife for a knee operation and would be out for the season.
It was a problem that Ogbonna had been playing through pain with all season.
Playing through pain for the club, for the manager, for his teammates with a serious injury which clearly had been impeding his ability to get around the pitch in the way he and his fans had become accustomed.
Ogbonna risked ridicule, his reputation and his future for West Ham this season and not once did he use it as an excuse for his or the team’s poor performances.
Ogbonna might have been playing with Willian had Antonio Conte had his way
In fact Ogbonna has been far from the club’s worst performer despite his injury.
Had Southampton known of his issue the price for Fonte would surely have been higher so he has also saved the club money with his conduct.
The plan was to send the Italy international for an operation at the beginning of January once reinforcements were brought in but Bilic had to ask him to play one more game until Fonte’s signing was pushed through.
Not that he would have minded given his superb attitude.
The selflessness of Ogbonna’s act, let’s not beat around the bush the player may well have been risking his career, deserves widespread recognition and applause.
And it comes as the antidote to a player at the other end of the respect spectrum, Dimitri Payet, who has been sulking and brooding all season long until effectively going on strike earlier this month to force a return to former club Marseille.
Ogbonna’s actions have restored many West Ham fans’ faith in football and though it may sound strong he should be remembered as a legend as a result.
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