Super Eagles and Nottingham Forest forward, Taiwo Awoniyi has made it clear he is not concerned about his current lack of playing time at the club, despite public opinions on the matter.

Awoniyi joined Nottingham Forest in the 2022/23 season from Union Berlin.

Now in his third season with the club, the striker has been battling recurring injuries, which have hampered his form.

In his debut season, he managed to score 11 goals and provided one assist in 30 appearances.

However, his progress was derailed last season due to injuries that sidelined him for most of the campaign. Awoniyi only made 26 appearances across all competitions, scoring 6 goals and delivering 3 assists.

This season, the 26-year-old has struggled to regain his rhythm and has not been a consistent starter.

So far, he has featured in five matches but has yet to register a goal or assist, with three appearances off the bench and two starts.

In an exclusive interview with Brila Media, when asked if he was worried about his lack of game time, the former Liverpool player maintained that he’s unfazed.

“Football is a game of opinion, I’m not new at Nottingham forest this is my third year there I’m not new,” Awoniyi said. “And when it comes playing time and every player has the way things should be done.

“Everyone has there opinion, I have seen a lot of DMs saying, ‘Taiwo, why aren’t you playing at Nottingham? Are you injured?’ But in football, everyone has there opinion.

“As for me, I’m okay to play, and if others think I’m not okay, that is also their opinion.”

National Team Comeback

Awoniyi missed the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in February after aggravating a groin injury, but he made his return to the Super Eagles squad in September under coach Austin Eguavoen.

Despite his return, he saw limited action playing just a minute in the AFCON qualifiers.

He was left on the bench during Nigeria’s win against Benin in Uyo but was later introduced for another cameo against Rwanda.

Speaking about his call-up to the national team, Awoniyi said, “It’s always a great privilege to be here with the Super Eagles. Everyone is ready to deliver for the country.”

Forest Coach Optimistic

Nottingham Forest coach, Nuno Espírito Santo has also weighed in on Awoniyi’s situation, expressing hope that more competitive action will help the striker regain his best form.

“Now it’s about managing him. He’s going to the national team, and I hope he plays because what Taiwo needs is competition and regular game time,” Santo said, according to the Nottingham Post. “Hopefully, when he returns, he’ll be another option for us.”

As Nigeria prepares to face Libya on October 11 in Uyo, with the reverse fixture on October 15, Awoniyi will be eager to prove himself and find his form again.

Whether he gets more playing time against Libya remains to be seen, but the forward is determined to push through his struggles and make an impact.