Feature interview

FEATURE: FEJIRI OKENBAHIRIE

After joining Rovers from fellow Sky Bet League One side Shrewsbury Town at the end of January, Fejiri Okenabirhie couldn’t have asked for a better start at his new club.

The big No.9 scored just 11 minutes into his second substitute appearance away at Tranmere Rovers, which was made all the sweeter by the fact it was in front of the travelling supporters.

Okenabirhie says it was a great moment, and a weight off his shoulders to get off the mark after less than a week in South Yorkshire.

“It was a good feeling to score my first goal, it helped the team get the win as well which is always the most important thing,” he says.

“I was sitting on the bench thinking that I’d have a good chance of scoring if I got on, we played really well as a team so I was itching to get on.

“The manager has given me little spells off the bench so far and that is probably the best way of me getting used to the system in place here. “It was a moment I wont forget, I knew that my first goal was a big tick in the box as it is for any striker to score early for a new club.

“When the ball went into the air I sensed the defender might make a mistake, he let it bounce and I managed to nip in and finish it.

“It was great to score in front of the supporters as well, I’ve been welcomed really well so that was me giving something back.”

After scoring 16 goals for Shrewsbury last season, Okenabirhie has shown he is capable of hitting the back of the net at Sky Bet League One level.

But after a frustrating start to the current campaign, he knew his future lied away from the Montgomery Waters Meadow – and that is when Rovers came calling.

The 23-year-old had to be patient before the move could be sealed, with the January window proving to be difficult for most clubs to do business.

“Once Shrewsbury knew that I wanted to come here they left me out so I hadn’t been playing before I signed,” he says.

“It might take me a few games to get up to full match fitness but I’m sure with the games we’ve got coming up I’ll be up to 100 per cent very soon.

“I heard about the interest towards the end of December and as soon as I heard I wanted to come so I was really happy to finally put pen to paper.

“It took a month to get it done, but I was happy to wait to make sure it could happen and now I’m looking forward to what the future holds.

“It was strange because I was playing and once I’d made it clear that I wanted to come here I wasn’t involved.

“I was just training every day waiting for something to happen which was a bit different for me but it’s just part of football.

“Having Adam Henshall here helped me to get an idea on what was happening, he’s been here a couple of months and had nothing but good words to say. We had a really good relationship at Shrewsbury so having a familiar face in my first few days really helped me to settle in.”

Now that he has had a few training sessions with his new team-mates, as well as three brief cameo appearances, Okenabirhie says he knows what is expected of him in the Rovers system.

Darren Moore has plenty of options at his disposal after a busy end to January with three other players coming in, and the former Arsenal trainee says he can’t wait for a regular run in the side.

“I know what the manager wants from me and it’s a chance to help me build my fitness up as much as I can,” he says

“Looking at the squad here and how the manager is getting the best out of them is something I wanted to be a part of.

“He’s got them playing a certain way and I feel in that system that I can improve as a player and score a lot of goals.

“I put pressure on myself to do well so I don’t really feel it from elsewhere, I expect high standards every day in all that I do.

“I know what I’m capable of so the aim for me is to try and FEATURE INTERVIEW

implement that when I play for Doncaster.”

With Rovers sitting just outside the play-off places ahead of this evening’s game against Bolton Wanderers, the second-half of the season promises to be an exciting one for players and fans alike.

Okenabirhie feels the strength in depth in the squad will keep everyone on their toes, and ensure everyone is working hard to be successful as a team.

“It’s been a good start for the team and I’ve been impressed with how well they have done watching from the outside,” he adds.

“We’ve got a really good squad now with the additions in the last few days of the transfer window, and now everyone is pulling in the same direction for the secondhalf of the campaign.

“It’s a long season and we still have a third of the campaign to go, everyone will have to play their part in taking us to where we want to go.

“Every player wants to play but there is nobody throwing their toys out of the pram if they aren’t involved, we’re all in it as one.

“All the games in this league are tough and you can’t take anyone for granted, but with only a few home games to go we want to try and take maximum points from those.

“It will be nice to experience the atmosphere at the Keepmoat as Rovers player, I’ve been there before but I’m looking forward to it being my home ground.”

2019-20 STAT PACK

DONCASTER ROVERS

MATCH FACTS

Doncaster will host Bolton in a league game for the first time since April 2014 in the Championship (Bolton winning 2-1 ). V

BOLTON WANDERERS

43

39 3

1

YELLOW CARDS

RED CARDS

MATCH FACTS

Bolton will be aiming to win three consecutive league games against Doncaster for the first time in the Football League.

43 22 1.5 0.8 281 190 44.8 41.1 9 7

GOALS AV.GOALS PER GAME SHOTS (EX. BLOCKED) % SHOTS ON TARGET CLEAN SHEETS

15.3 11.6 152 121 27 55 1.0 2.1 355 349

% GOALS TO SHOTS CORNER KICKS GOALS CONCEDED AV.GOALS CONCEDED PER GAME FOULS

GOAL TIMES GOAL TIMES SCORED CONCEDED 20 SCORED CONCEDED 20

15

10

5

0

0-15 16-30 31-45 46-60 61-75 76-90 15

10

5

0

0-15 16-30 31-45 46-60 61-75 76-90