Technical / Tactical (4/5)

• Plays LW in a 4-2-3-1/4-3-3. Has occasionally played as a striker, but his skill set is best utilised as a left-winger. Cluj are somewhat of a possession-based side but they look to attack with a fast tempo and this suits Philip Otele’s skillset. Out of possession, his duty is to regroup and stay compact in a 4-man midfield (mid-block).
• His wide positioning on the left proves to be effective in stretching the opposition's backline. This on many occasions leaves him in a 1v1 situation where he’s dangerous. A good outlet for attacking transitions - the ability to carry the team forward and/or hold up play.

• Inverted Winger - Likes to cut inside onto his stronger foot where he is often successful. Operates wide left
• Versatility - Ability to perform across the attack line.
• Dribbling - A high-volume dribbler and is highly effective with his dribbling, often putting Cluj in good attacking scenarios.
• Ball Control - Has good ball control and is comfortable receiving close to the touchline - even under pressure. He can be dangerous in these positions, especially if the full-back tries to get close. Also has good control of the ball when at full speed. Has good chest control ability too.
• Flair/Unpredictability - Displays a good level of natural talent with his quick feet and dribbling, being unpredictable in 1v1s and able to be creative when acting instinctively. I.e, Using stepovers in 1v1s, and back heels to manipulate. Use of trivela.

• Manipulation - Super quick feet and intelligence to manipulate tight spaces. And has the ability to change tempo for the benefit of his team.

• Passing - His technique has room for improvement but reaching his prime years, this may be capped. He does, however, have the ability to create chances through his passes. His technique/accuracy/weight when looking to chance create is inconsistent.
• Crossing - Crossing is an area for improvement. A low-volume crosser but his crosses also don’t reach the intended target and the quality of his crosses isn’t great. Striker often has to adjust himself to connect with Otele’s crosses.
• Movement - Frequently gets himself into goalscoring positions. When the ball is on the far side in attack, he picks up good positions at the far post inside the box.
• Finishing - Good finishing ability. Though technique has room for improvement - He will have to find the corners more often to be a ‘higher quality’ goalkeeper. Finished the SuperLiga as the top scorer scoring 18 goals. 13 with his right foot. 4 with his left foot. 1 headed goal. Has a respectable conversion rate (18%). Has shown improvements within this area in his career with his goalscoring record/ratio.

Psychological (3.5/5)

• Dribbling Intelligence - When in possession, chooses his dribbling actions wisely. Has a good understanding of when to dribble and when to release.
• Decisions - Something to note, on occasions he opts to shoot from less ideal positions after cutting inside from the left wing. His decision-making in these moments can be ironed out.
• Confidence - A very confident player, Approaches his 1v1 duels with conviction.
• Attention/Focus - Remains focus and doesn’t switch off/lose attention.
• Teamwork/Work Rate - Shows a good work rate and willingness to work hard for his teammates. Rarely lets his full-back partner down due to his unwillingness to track back. Also shows good attitude when having to do the ‘dirty work’.
• Football IQ - I’ve touched on this with his ‘Tactical Awareness’. At times he may play a pass to the receivers wrong foot or force that player to take an extra touch. But I believe this will improve when playing at a higher level.
• Off-the-ball Intelligence - Shows a good level of off-the-ball intelligence but also an area that can be improved for top-level football.
• Awareness - Otele shows a good level of awareness, of the picture around him. In attack, he also reads the game well which allows him to pick up good positions. He’s also able to spot full-back runs to track.

• Composure - An area to improve, to stay calm and make the right decisions in and around the box + in front of goal.
• Tactical Awareness - Philip Otele is a player who lacks top-level experience from youth football to professional level. And because of this, through experience at higher levels, he’ll start to understand the game better. Otele takes in information well so I have little to no doubt he can improve his all-round game.

Physical (4.5/5)

• Height - 1,85m (6’0’’)

• Weight* - 80 kg 176 lbs

• Body Type - Mesomorph

• Strength + Balance - These physical qualities make it difficult to disposes of Philip Otele

• Explosiveness/Power - Deadly acceleration from standing positions and is a powerful athlete.

• Agility - Able to chop and change directions quickly and demonstrates good athletic ability.

  

• Intensity in Actions - Great intensity in his actions, making him physically ready to play in a more physical demanding division.

• Jumping - Due to be very athletic, Otele is competitive in the air and often uses this advantage for far post crosses. Though, according to Sofascore, he wins 38% of his Aerial Duels, wining 1.0 per 90.

• Availability - Has been available for selection every match this season for Cluj

• Injury History - Torn lateral ankle ligament in 19/20 season. Missed 56 days (3 games) through injury. No injury reported since.

• Endurance - Needs to be worked on to play 90mins at a higher level.

Social

• Adaptability - Otele has shown he can adjust quickly to a new nation/culture. Speaks about moving to Lithuania and it being a quiet town but by then he was already used to adjust to a new environment.
• Languages - Fluent English
• Education - Studied BA (Hons) in Sports Management and Marketing and graduated from Teesside in 2019.
• Appreciative - Doesn’t forget where he came from and appreciates the opportunities given. Determined to succeed. Grateful for his parent's mental support.
• Hard Work - Remained focused and had to work hard whilst in University to balance his education and football career. He’s proud of his achievements so far.
• Dreams - His dream is to play for Arsenal, the team he supports. Loves the German league too, and mentioned Dortmund. Loves fast-paced attacking football.
• Idol/Player Model - Raheem Sterling and Franck Ribery
• Mindset/Discipline - Talks about moving to London, he had a strong mindset. He had targets to reach so getting distracted wasn’t an option. He knew what it could take to become a professional football.
• Humble
• Outgoing and Approachable - I believe he can fit in most team dynamics. He would fit in a group of hard-working and model professional players. This is based on reading people's comments that have crossed paths with Philip.

Personality Profile/Culture Nuances/Last Notes

• Born in Nigeria but started his football career in England, attended a University. Otele started his senior career at Wolviston FC, competing in the English lower leagues between 2017 to 2019.
• Raised in a heavily football-orientated family - he stated father was heavily interested in football and Otele started at a young age.
• His family is very supportive of his career - following his footballing career.
• Philip won the MVP Award at the second edition of the Let's Ball Football Tournament in Portharcourt.
• He went from the city of Port Harcourt in Agip to get a university education in the UK for 4 years.
• Started his professional career with Kauno Žalgiris (Lithuanian) in 2019 where he quickly adjusted and established himself in the first team.
• He joined UTA Arad (Romania) in January for the 2022-23 season and with a similar story to his life in Lithuania, he adjusted quickly and was not long before putting on good performances.
• Due to his good performances in Romania, his next move kept him in Romania but for a more reputable club, CFR Cluj
• Otele had offers from clubs in the UK, such as Sunderland but due to Visa these moves fell through.
• Jordan Holroyd, a former teammate of the striker, said: “He once scored a backheel from the edge of the box in a cup quarter-final.” “He’s the best player I’ve seen in six years at the University.”