Udinese manager, Kosta Runjaic, has praised Super Eagles goalkeeper, Maduka Okoye, stating that the Nigerian is now the type of goalkeeper he desires.
He characterised the Nigerian goalkeeper as an essential component of the club’s defensive structure.
Okoye, who made the move to Udinese following a challenging period at Watford, has had a remarkable season, achieving ten clean sheets in the league thus far.
Runjaic emphasized the goalkeeper’s growth, poise, and increasing impact within the squad, remarking that his contributions have been vital in maintaining the team’s competitiveness in numerous matches.
He expressed to Udinese’s official website, “Okoye’s progress is evident to everyone. He is indispensable for our defense.
“He has managed critical moments effectively and has kept us in contention on several occasions.
“I am very pleased with the level at which he is performing. We are aware of how his season commenced; it is challenging to prepare without the opportunity to play, but he has diligently worked on his development.
“Overall, we are putting in significant effort with him; İnler frequently communicates with him, and the goalkeeping coaches are dedicated to his improvement; he is maturing.
“Each player requires a different timeframe to develop and reach their potential. Currently, he is playing with composure, focus, and is consistently mentally engaged, both during matches and in training.
“I am witnessing the Maduka I aspire to see, and I hope he delivers two outstanding performances in his final two matches as well.
“If his statistics are strong, the entire team’s performance will reflect that. I am pleased with the phase he is experiencing; he is a good individual, calm, introspective, and he has also made significant efforts to address his past.”
“We are discussing young players; errors are part of this age. We continued to support him, and he was able to navigate a difficult situation independently.
“It was a complex scenario, but he is delivering exceptional performances. He is excelling and must maintain this trajectory,” he concluded.
