Former Super Eagles defender, Efe Ambrose has described the beginning of the end of his career in Europe as “being too committed.”
The former Celtic defender had played for Scottish outfits for a big part of his career and currently with Greenock Morton, a Scottish Championship side.
He had also been in the books of Livingston, St. Johnstone, Hibernian and Celtic where he had the highlight of his career, especially in Scotland, as he appeared in their colors for more than a hundred times.
The 34 year-old endured a rather brutal end to his top level football career, and his poor UEFA Champions League match performance against Juventus would be remembered.
He was reported to have only arrived back in Glasgow the very day the team played the UCL knock out game against Juventus.
Ambrose had just won the Africa Cup of Nation with Nigeria in 2013. He was however included in the starting eleven by former Celtic manager, Neil Lennon as he convinced the manager that he was fit enough to play.
The match did not go well for the former Super Eagles defender as he was culpable on two occasions when the team conceded in the three-nil loss to the Old Ladies.
The horror show would not end there, Efe Ambrose also missed his club’s best chance on the night, sending a free 6-yard header straight at goalkeeper Gigi Buffon.
Efe Ambrose received a lot of backlash for his horror show, including from midfielder Kris Commons, who revealed that Neil Lennon had called him aside and asked if he was feeling okay to play, but he convinced the manager by affirming that he was fit to play.
The defender however told the Sunday Mail that he does not regret the situation.
“Being at Celtic put my name up there in football. Everyone in Europe, Africa, and the world, recognises Celtic. To play in the Champions League in front of those fans was incredible,” the 34 year-old said.
“Everyone in Nigeria was supporting Celtic. Whenever I went back home, I took strips with me for the people there. I have no regrets about what happened in the Juventus games.
“Maybe my only problem is that I’m too committed. I told the manager that straight after the African Nations, I’d be back to help the team. I could have gone back to Nigeria to pop champagne and celebrate but I didn’t.
“I didn’t feel a problem with the fitness. The games just didn’t go the way we wanted them to. A few things happened on the pitch but that’s football. I felt the team needed me so I’ll never regret it.
“People thought I shouldn’t have started that night and, of course, he could blame me for the goal. But the manager trusted me as a professional.”
