At Friday's pre-match press conference ahead of Rangers' Old Firm clash against Celtic, manager Philippe Clement addressed queries regarding the recent absence of veteran Super Eagles defender Leon Balogun from the starting lineup, a topic that had stirred interest among fans of the club.
Balogun's last league appearance for Rangers was in early February, when he was on the pitch for just twenty-two minutes in a 3-0 home win against Livingstone.
The 35-year-old Nigeria international joined the Gers in July 2020 from Wigan Athletic and has made 51 appearances for the Scottish giants since his arrival.
Balogun has previously played for Türkiyemspor Berlin, Hannover 96, Werder Bremen, Fortuna Düsseldorf, Darmstadt 98, Mainz 05, Brighton & Hove Albion, and Wigan Athletic, with a loan spell at Queens Park Rangers (QPR).
Clement's remarks on Leon Balogun
Clement provided insights into the recent absence of Balogun from the starting lineup. Balogun's reduced playing time had sparked speculation among fans, prompting Clement to address the matter during a press conference.
The 50-year-old reflected on the Nigerian's contributions, expressed satisfaction with the player's performance and highlighted his positive influence on both the pitch and in training sessions.
However, he explained that Balogun's limited appearances were a result of the need for squad rotation, particularly with offensive players lacking full match fitness.
This rotation strategy, Clement explained, prevented him from risking substitutions for defenders who might only be able to play partial matches.
“About Leon, I am very happy about him,” stated Clement. “I didn’t have the chance the last couple of weeks to put him more on the field because I had so much rotation to do with offensive players that were not ready for 90 minutes that I could not take centre-backs in who could maybe play 70 or 80 minutes and then I had to change.”
“I could not take a risk with that, so he was unlucky in that way, but he’s been really good in the training. He’s been inspiring also for the young players in the building, who are in the squad, who come to train with us, that he’s helping in a really good way. So, he’s been a really good asset for the club and I’m really happy with him.”
Leon Balogun's career with the Super Eagles
Born to a Nigerian father and a German mother, Balogun received his first call-up to the Nigerian national team for a March 2014 friendly against Mexico, stepping in as a replacement for Joseph Yobo.
However, his debut was marred by an injury sustained just 20 minutes after coming on as a halftime substitute, when he collided with advertising signage along the touchline, resulting in a foot fracture.
Initially expected to undergo surgery and face a 2–3 month recovery period, Balogun later clarified to the media that surgery was unnecessary.
He earned his second cap for Nigeria on 25 March 2015, playing in a 1–0 defeat against Uganda. Subsequently, on 13 June 2015, he featured in Nigeria's 2–0 victory over Chad in the opening match of the 2017 African Nations Cup qualifiers.
In June 2018, Balogun was named in Nigeria's final 23-man squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. Throughout the tournament, he played every minute of Nigeria's three matches, including a notable 2–0 victory over Iceland, although Nigeria was eliminated after finishing third in their group.
Balogun was also selected for Nigeria's squad in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations. Making his tournament debut in Nigeria's second group stage match against Guinea, he contributed to a 1–0 victory that secured Nigeria's advancement to the knockout stage.
Balogun featured in four games during the competition, with Nigeria ultimately placing third in the tournament. Sadly, persistent injuries have forced Super Eagles coaches to sideline the big centre-back from their squads for some time now.
Balogun has made 46 appearances for the Super Eagles with one goal to his name.
