Urikhob joins Uttaradit in search of bigger offers
• By Michael Uugwanga
SADNEY Urikhob who is currently on a short-term contract at Uttaradit Football Club in Thailand’s third tier league has said that the reason why he joined his current club is to attract a lucrative offer at a bigger club.
He joined Uttaradit in December after failing to get into a top club even though there were a few clubs in Thailand that were interested in his services but things fell through for him due to Covid-19 travelling restrictions.
Uttaradit is Urikhob’s seventh club in the Southeast Asian country, having previously played for Saraburi United, Super Power FC, Police Tero FC, Jumpasri United (previously known as Osotspa Samut Prakan), Chiangmai FC and at North Bangkok FC where he had successful stints.
This week, Urikhob in an interview with Confidente Sport said:
“Last season I played for Chiangmai FC and I enjoyed some good playing time and I scored some good goals, 10 goals and created four assists in the process. After the season ended there was some uncertainty about when the league would resume and if I would start immediately or start later in the year, so, I was unsure about the future.
“That is when I left Thailand and came to Namibia to see my family, but when I went back to Thailand there were some offers on the table from three or four clubs but I could not sign due to Covid-19 restrictions as a result I ended up in quarantine for like a month. It was in October (2021) that I arrived back in Thailand, so after quarantine I could not find a club that is why I ended up signing with Uttaradit on short term so that I keep myself fit and try to get better offers in the near future as I am looking forward to getting a better deal in the top league.”
The footballer who turned 29 on Wednesday, started his club football in Namibia at Orlando Pirates and also had stints at Ramblers and Civics while his first professional signing outside the country was in South Africa for Amazulu.
Urikhob was also on the books of PSMS FC in Indonesia and Young Africans FC in Tanzania.
He has played for the Brave Warriors 25 times, scoring seven goals since making his debut in 2011 but has not been featuring a lot in the national team.
“My last call-up to the Brave Warriors was last year during the COSAFA Cup, but I told the coach that I was unfit after I had a chat with him. But before COSAFA I have no idea as to why I had not been getting call-ups even though I was playing for Young African in the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Champions league and I was also scoring goals.
“I will always honour when called up to play for the national team,” said Urikhob.