Profile:
Of all the talented rear guards in the English Championship, it is Nigerian eligible Hakeem Odoffin; centre-half for Rotherham who is earning rave reviews after producing some outstanding defensive performances for the club this season. Odoffin has received a great deal of game-time; cementing his place at the heart of the club’s defence.
Odoffin was born in Barnet in 1998 and started playing for Tottenham in 2012, before joining Reading. He was farmed to Barnet in 2014 before linking up with Wolves. He then joined Eastleigh on loan for the 2016/17 season. He became part of the Northampton and Livingston set ups as his career continued.
For the 2020/21 season he was brought into the Hamilton Academical side, he made 37 appearances that season, scoring three goals in the process. After impressing, a number of clubs were monitoring his situation and he was being linked with a few clubs.
Then in the summer, Odoffin moved to Rotherham United.
After a difficult first year following his move south from Scottish side Hamilton Academical, the former Reading youngster forced his way into then-manager Matt Taylor’s Championship line-up last season and has been a second-tier regular this term under Taylor and then new boss Leam Richardson.
Strengths, Style and weaknesses:
The lad is what some would consider to be the perfect defender, seen as though he is equipped with all the correct attributes to become one of the best defenders around. He is a strong, quick and powerful footballer who is flawless at bringing the ball out from the back, he is incredibly comfortable on the ball and his decision-making is first-class.
He times his tackles and interceptions perfectly and is an excellent reader of the game. Odoffin is very reminiscent of former Super Eagles defender Uche Okechukwu, who was an expert at reading the game and was one of the great defenders that have been produced in Nigeria. Odoffin is also able of starting attacks from the back, with him frequently playing long balls over the top to stretch opposition defences. He has the perfect physique for a central defender; he is of a stocky but tall build, this makes him easily outmuscle strikers and also dominate aerially. He has scored four goals for Rotherham this season. Odoffin really does have the perfect package for a defender, his only noticeable weakness is his concrentation.
International Future
The lad is eligible to play for Nigeria and England at international level. But he is open to playing for the former according to his close friends.