Moses Simon

Moses Simon

Simon with Gent in 2015
Personal information
Full name	Moses Daddy-Ajala Simon
Date of birth	(1995-07-12) 12 July 1995[1]
Place of birth	Jos, Nigeria
Height	1.68 m (5 ft 6 in)
Playing position	Winger
Club information
Current team	KAA Gent
Number	27
Youth career
2003–2013	GBS Academy
2013	Ajax
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2014–2015	AS Trenčín	33	(13)
2015–	KAA Gent	55	(12)
National team‡
2013–	Nigeria U20	4	(0)
2015–	Nigeria	7	(3)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 11 September 2016. ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 9 September 2015

Moses Daddy-Ajala Simon (born 12 July 1995) is a Nigerian footballer who plays as a forward for Belgian Pro League club KAA Gent and the Nigeria national team.^[2]

Career

Early career

Born in Jos, Moses Daddy-Ajala Simon is a product of the famed GBS Academy, the same football academy in Nigeria that produced the likes of Ahmed Musa.^[3] He was linked with Nigerian Premier League club Kaduna United, as many professional clubs around the World were also eager to sign him.^[4] On 10 May 2013 it was announced that Moses Daddy had signed a pre-contractual agreement with Dutch club AFC Ajax to join them in pre-season training, having previously been linked with Liverpool F.C. and Tottenham Hotspur.^[5] He made his first appearance for Ajax on 13 July 2013 in pre-season friendly match against De Graafschap, coming on as a substitute player and scoring the third and final goal in the 64th minute of the match, in a 3–0 away win.^[6] He made a further appearance on 17 July, playing for the reserves team Jong Ajax in a pre-season friendly match against Voorschoten '97, scoring the second goal in the 5–0 home win.^[7] On 25 July 2013 it was announced that Ajax would not sign the young Nigerian, ultimately waiving him from the pre-season roster.^[8][9] After the announcement discussions commenced with AS Trenčín; Ajax partner club in Slovakia, which is owned by former Ajax player Tschen La Ling.^[10]

AS Trenčín

On 13 January 2014, Simon signed three-year contract for Slovak side AS Trenčín.^[11][12] He would join his compatriot Kingsley Madu.^[13] He made his league debut in a 1–1 draw against MFK Košice starting on the rightwing alongside Gino van Kessel who was on loan from Ajax.^[14] He made his International debut during the clubs' 2014–15 UEFA Europa League campaign, when he was introduced during the second preliminary round of the competition, in the home match against FK Vojvodina Novi Sad from Serbia. (played at the stadium in Dubnica, Slovakia). Moses Daddy scored a hattrick on his debut in the 4–0 win at home.^[15] AS Trenčín would eventually get eliminated in the following round, drawing at home, and falling 2–1 away against Hull City.^[16]

In October 2014 ESPN sports prepared a scouting report on Moses Simon and the report linked the winger with a move to Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, Hull City along with a potential return to Ajax.^[17] The situation evolved into a bidding war between Dutch club SC Heerenveen and KAA Gent, with the later contractually securing the winger for three years.^[18]

KAA Gent

Simon with KAA Gent, 2015

On 6 January 2015 it was announced that KAA Gent had signed Moses Simon to a 3-year contract.^[19] He made his debut for Gent on 17 January 2015 in a 3–1 win against Royal Mouscron-Péruwelz in league play.^[20] His second appearance occurred four days later in a 1–0 home win against Sporting Lokeren in the Belgian Cup, in which Simon was sent off 30 seconds after he entered the field.^[21] In his third league game, again versus Sporting Lokeren, Simon scored a hattrick after which he was named Belgian league player of the week. He quickly became a key player in coach Hein Vanhaezebrouck's formation and helped Gent win their first ever national Championship title in May 2015.^[22] Two months later, Simon assisted Laurent Depoitre's winning goal in the 2015 Belgian Super Cup against cup winners Club Brugge.^[23]

International career

Moses Daddy-Ajala Simon plays for the Nigeria selection. He received his first call-up by coach Daniel Amokachi in March 2015 and made his debut on the 25th of the same month in an international friendly against Uganda, when he replaced Anthony Ujah after 59 minutes in the game.^[24] Simon scored his first goal for Nigeria in an international friendly against Niger on 8September 2015, the second in a 2-0 win.^[25] He was selected by Nigeria for their 35-man provisional squad for the 2016 Summer Olympics.^[26]

Career statistics

Club performance

Statistics accurate as of last match played on 15 April 2016.^[27]

¹ Includes UEFA Europa League matches. ² Includes UEFA Champions League matches. ³ Includes Belgian Super Cup matches.

International performance

Statistics accurate as of last match played on 17 November 2015.^[27]

Honours

KAA Gent

• Belgian Pro League: 2015
• Belgian Super Cup: 2015

External links

• AS Trenčín Profile
• Moses Simon profile at Soccerway
• Goal Profile

References