FALSE: Photo does not show the drought situation in Embolioi, Kajiado County, in October 2022
Admin Divork Origi’s recent behavior to seek a moment of silence and reflection when Liverpool celebrated their English Premier League title on Wednesday night, might just be suggesting otherwise.
The ‘Mirror” reported how Origi re-emerged from the tunnels ten minutes to midnight, just after the dust had settled, players had popped champagne and the highs and lows of the game forgotten.
As staff members buzzed around him, some clearing the field of debris while others still celebrating, Origi walked to the center of the field.
Earlier he had celebrated on the field, with a Liverpool scarf around his head as he posed for photos with the trophy. Now he was back, and wearing his Premier League winners’ medal, he stood.
Hands behind back, facing the Kop, the Belgian international of Kenyan decent stood still, silent and calm.
Origi is 25 now. He has been on Liverpool’s books since the summer of 2014 – when he became Belgium’s youngest goal scorer at the 2014 World Cup in Brasil – and while never carving out a definitive place in the starting XI has come up trumps on numerous occasions: most notably in last year’s Champions League semi-final comeback over Spanish giants Barcelona and the final, where he sealed the 2-0 win over Spurs.
There have been 33 goals in 139 games, only five in 41 this season across less than 1400 minutes. Only 693 of those have been in the Premier League, where he has made just six starts.
In the last two seasons, since returning from his temporary stint in the Bundesliga, he has played the full 90 minutes in the league only once.
Humble and self-aware, it won’t have escaped Origi’s attention the strides that Harvey Elliott and Curtis Jones are making. The academy graduates will definitely need more minutes next season.
Likewise Takumi Minamino, signed in the winter transfer window from Red Bull Salzburg might also spark something new for Jurgen Klopp next season.
Then there is Rhian Brewster, highly-rated by the gaffer, and shining on loan at Swansea. Xherdan Sharqiri may not move on again either.
But Origi, as an individual, entering his peak years as a footballer, with medals and trophies on his mantelpiece, may well now be eyeing something different.
He has been close to the Anfield exit before with Wolverthampton Wanderers keen on taking him before landing Raul Jimenez, while Valencia and Crystal Palace have both previously made overtures too. Throughout Origi remained on Merseyside, wanting to write his names in the Reds’ history books.
Now he has achieved precisely that, perhaps he is ready to up sticks and head elsewhere, somewhere where he himself will be the main man in attack.
The big question still remains to be, will he? And if so, when ?
By Shadrack Andenga Odinga
