Obafemi dreams of emulating Bale,Oxlade-Chamberlain
Southampton’s rising star, Michael Obafemi is dreaming of emulating Gareth Bale, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Adam Lallana: ‘If they can do it, why not me?’
‘He likes sailing,’ the young forward begins. ‘So we went sailing as a team.’ Staff versus players, it was an attempt by Southampton’s manager to build morale and unity among his squad.
The staff won, and on this day the prankster gets his way, too. Obafemi’s concentration drifts as outside Nathan Redmond distracts his team-mate with comedic gestures. ‘I’m laughing at him, sorry,’ Obafemi says.
In the 19-year-old’s short senior career, Redmond has become something of a mentor and older brother. He advises the Republic of Ireland international on ‘simple stuff,’ such as where he should be on the pitch and what he should eat off it.
On Boxing Day they combined to down Chelsea, netting either side of half-time to secure a valuable three points at Stamford Bridge.
‘It was a sweet feeling, for sure,’ Obafemi tells Sportsmail. ‘To get such an important goal for the team was incredible. It was a huge win for us. I was so happy for Nathan, too, as he has been a big influence for me.’
It was Obafemi’s second Premier League goal — and his first for more than a year.
Now the forward, who stopped playing for a year after being released by Watford, stands among them. ‘I want to carry on going, make my family proud and do as much as I can.’
Obafemi, who is not 20 until July, has always been in a hurry.
‘I remember when I was at nursery all the other kids used to ride bicycles around, but I just sprinted round in circles,’ he says. ‘I think that’s when I knew I was fast.’
By secondary school, other students were at least trying to join in. ‘We used to do little 100m races and I remember on my sports day, we had like an announcer,’ he recalls before impersonating her high-pitch voice.
‘When I was sprinting, she was like: “Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No it’s Michael Obafemi!”‘
In his mid-teens he was crowned the fastest boy in his borough with a time of 10.8 seconds. For context, when Dina Asher-Smith broke her own British Championship record back in August, she ran 10.96sec.
‘I never trained. I used to just turn up,’ admits Obafemi. That was until football became his sole focus.
Hasenhuttl has given Obafemi and other young players crucial game time even as the club battle to stay in the Premier League. Now, after an injury-ravaged year, he is firmly back in the manager’s plans.
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‘He’s been a big influence on my career. He’s believed in me, he thinks I’m a “cool guy” as he said to the media,’ Obafemi says. So would he return the compliment? ‘Yeah,’ Obafemi laughs. ‘I’d say so, we have a good relationship!’
Last month, however, the Saints boss warned his young charge that the road remains long. ‘He still has a lack of professionalism in his whole life,’ Hasenhuttl said.