The Nigerian Center Patrick Ubina He is probably the foreign player with the greatest seniority in an Israeli sports team, of course he spent his 11 seasons in Israel in one team – in the Holon handball club. Last night, in Holon, a decision was made to loan Obina to another team, after the club implemented the foreign quota, and it was a completely difficult decision – when the choice had to be made between him and his friend and traveling partner, Philippe Kahlo, the Nigerian linker, who will open his tenth season in Holon.
Ubina and Kahlo did not actually open the season, staying in Nigeria at the start. A few weeks ago, they landed in Israel, and in Holon they had to make a decision since the outstanding Bosnian goalkeeper Mirza Salic and the Serbian midfielder Milos Savic have signed and played in its ranks in recent months. Injury of team captain Barel Lanciano led to Holon having to play for the center of defense, and the choice was made in Kahlo. Obina, who arrived in Holon at the age of 19, has experienced a lot with her over the years, relegations and league promotions, a historic reach to the state cup final, and the team’s miraculous journey last season that was stopped under the auspices of the Corona.
Now, at the age of 30, he is ready for a new challenge, and also accepts Holon’s decision with understanding. “I’m not surprised by the decision. This is the situation, and professionally – they need Philip more than I do. I look at this decision as good for me too. Going after so many years to another club, to a new challenge – is something I need too. It will make me work. It will be more difficult and will bring me back to the high standard I set for myself, “Obina clarifies in an interview with the Handball Association’s website. “What do I choose? Maybe I will go to Maccabi Kiryat Motzkin, maybe to Maccabi Tel Aviv. I know there are other teams that need me, and I want to feel the new challenge already. “
Obina sums up the period in Holon: “Amazing. I had an extraordinary relationship with everyone who belongs to the club. I really like the city, and it felt completely like a warm and supportive family. The period I played in Holon is definitely extraordinary for a foreign player. For a foreign player very important To feel loved again, and throughout those years I felt accepted as an Israeli for everything and not as a foreigner, and I gave my heart for it. We were in the second division, we went up, down, but the last few years were amazing. Things connected, we reached the cup final, we made a great journey last season. We have built a road. “
“Yes, last season’s end was disappointing, but there’s nothing to do – the Corona stopped everything. In the end our dream did not happen, and I really wanted to be a partner in the championship or the state cup with Holon. It’s cruel, but we have to keep going. The decision with him is really special. We played 9 seasons together in Israel, and before that also in Nigeria as part of the team. It is not easy for him with the situation, but. We knew it could be one of us. I feel a little sad for him, but we end up being professionals. “To each other on the field, but Israel is a small country – so we do not make this decision a big deal.”
Obina concludes: “My dream was to get an identity card, and unfortunately it is not possible. I feel much more Israeli than many other foreign players who played here. The players in the whole league see me as an Israeli, and not as a foreigner from Nigeria. In total I am in Israel for another 12 years. “And all the people around always made me feel at home. It’s a pity, because over the years I also had a dream to play for the Israeli team. On the other hand, I’m only 30 years old and I have a few more good years to play – maybe it will have an ‘happy ending’.