‘I didn’t know how to celebrate’ – Chin Okoli on goal which sealed Millwall’s national PDL trophy triumph
BY RICHARD CAWLEY
richard@slpmedia.co.uk
Chin Okoli says that his header which sealed Millwall winning the national U21 Professional Development League play-off final was the biggest goal of his fledgling career.
The 19-year-old Lions skipper, from Lewisham, was left struggling to describe his emotions after their 2-1 extra-time victory over Sheffield United at The Den on Monday night.
Centre-back Okoli, who was signed by Millwall at the age of 11, converted from Nino Adom-Malaki’s free-kick.
“I know it sounds a bit weird but before the cross came in I felt like I was going to score,” Okoli told the South London Press on Tuesday. “I could just feel it. I’ve seen the gap and headed it in. I saw the ball go in the net but I thought to myself: ‘Is this real?’
“It was the most surreal moment I’ve had as a player. I scored and I froze. I didn’t know what to do. I was thinking ‘where do I go?’. My friends said I did about five different celebrations. I was just over the moon.
“I’m still hungover from the goal. I keep watching it. Even before you called me I was watching it again on Instagram.
“It shows that although there are a lot of lows in a career the highs always top it. It gives me a reason to keep going.”
A crowd of 2,076 were in attendance including first-team manager Gary Rowett, chief executive Steve Kavanagh and club record signing Zian Flemming.
Romain Esse had put the Lions ahead in the first half, the England U18 international following up after Sheffield United keeper Luke Faxon could only parry Aidomo Emakhu’s low strike.
Emakhu failed to take a gift of an opportunity early in the second half, nudging Nana Boateng’s low cross against the right post with the goal gaping.
Sydie Peck’s equaliser, another close-range finish after William Osula’s curling strike came back off the upright, took the tie into an extra half-hour.
But Okoli says that the atmosphere and energy from the stands helped as both teams began to badly fatigue and were left running on almost empty.
“It felt amazing to have that many people in the stands,” he said.
“I can’t really describe it. Everything you did – a tackle, a header – you could hear the fans and them making chants.
“That helped us get over the line because at times we were defending last-ditch.
“They kept us going. They were really the 12th man.
“It was hard in extra-time but you just have to think about the end goal. There were two great sides playing for a big cup, it shows that everyone has got to put in 110 per cent to get the win. We did that on Monday.”
Okoli, whose brother Chuks is an U15 at Crystal Palace, was spotted playing for Lewisham District.
He was also trialling with the Eagles at the same time as Millwall ran the rule over him.
“They were both keen but I felt Millwall were best because the showed me a pathway,” explained Okoli.
“They prioritised me and made me feel more at home and that I’ve got more a place here.
“I came in as a midfielder but then the coaches eventually said it suits me better to have the game in front of me.
“At first, when I was young, you think that defending is boring but the more I played there the more I started to enjoy it.”
Esse’s involvement with Millwall’s first-team in the 2022-23 campaign shows that there is a chance for youngsters to break into the senior set-up.
Danny McNamara and Billy Mitchell are fairly recent examples of the academy system producing the goods.
“I’m not going to lie – it is everyone’s dream to play for the first team,” said Okoli. “Of course that is my dream as well.
“But for now I’m going to stay down and keep learning from the senior players and other players in the U21s. I’ll have to wait for my turn, that’s the only way to make it.
“All of the first team are friendly and talk to you – dish out advice.
“When I train with the first team then George Evans and Longy (George Long) will help me, talk me through training. They push me to do more.”
Millwall’s U21s collected the PDL Southern Division title with a 3-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday on the final day of the regulation campaign
The Lions also went to extra-time in their 4-3 semi-final victory over Hull City last week.
Millwall came into Monday’s final unbeaten in their last 10 matches with the Blades losing just one of their last 11 fixtures.
Nugent’s side were without two of their leading scorers with Tom Leahy (illness) and Seb Drozd (broken foot) both unavailable.
The Lions have not lost on home turf this season, whether that be The Den or at their Calmont Road training base.
Okoli took over the armband at the start of this year.
“I feel like this victory is testament to our whole season,” he said. “All of the backroom staff demand a lot from us, 110 per cent, in every training session.
“In all of our games we have shown that we have grit but also quality.
“We’ve only lost about three games, we’ve scored the most goals in the league and kept the ball out of our net as much as we can.
“We showed on Monday that we have both parts of the game – the quality and attacking side of it but also the defensive part as well.
“We have the confidence to play our game.”
Millwall also won their respective U23 and U18 divisions in 2020 but never got to lift the trophy in public as the Covid-19 pandemic ended the campaign in April. The final positions were determined on points-per-game method.
Millwall cannot be promoted as their academy is not category 1 status, a requirement to play in Premier League 2.