I don’t support my family financially – Leon Balogun

Newly signed English Premier League side Brighton and Hove Albion defender Leon Balogun has revealed that he comes from a family that is averse to him supporting them financially.

Balogun who is presently in the Super Eagles camp in Uyo said he sees it as a privilege even though he would have loved to assist.

The defender was responding to a question on an independent sports programme, Omaakatugbatv on YouTube on how footballers cope with the burden of assisting their families.

“My parents for instance if I give them something, they would not accept it, because they say that’s the money you work for.

“Even my father, sometimes of course he’s shy to ask because he knows I work for the money, I sacrifice things for this money. If I give him or buy him something, he’s always very grateful.

“And of course sometimes he asks me not for money, he asks me if I could help him out on something and that’s also where this Nigerian pride comes in, he wouldn’t come out, like please can you do this for me, no, he wouldn’t beg me but sometimes he would ask me if I could, and I say of course you’re my father I love you, you raised me, you worked your whole life for me, and same goes for my mum, but that’s the argument, why I should not give them money all the time because they are my parents, I am raised to be who I am today by them. So I am really privileged to be born by them.

Supporting extended families is a common practice for African footballers especially for the ones who play in Europe.

While some have good testimonies to talk about their families, others have ended up regretting.

A case in point was Togo forward Emmanuel Adebayor who had issues with his familiy to the extent he accused them of trying to kill him.