Rabiu, Ibrahim

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Fullname: Ibrahim Danda Rabiu
aka: Rabiu Ibrahim, Ibrahim Rabiu (Ibrahim is his first name but some sources write his name as Rabiu Ibrahim)
Born: 15 March 1991
Birthplace: Kano, Nigeria
Signed: 1 February 2012
Left: 2 January 2013 (to Kilmarnock, free transfer)
Position: Attacking Midfield
Squad No: 40
Debut: Celtic 1-0 St Johnstone, SPL, 3 May 2012
Internationals: Nigeria
International Caps: 5 [complete at end of career]
International Goals: 0 [complete at end of career]

Biog

Ibrahim Rabiu had great promise it seemed but it was a sharp fall for this initially highly rated player, with Celtic being another club on his way down the slopes. This Nigerian playmaker was released from PSV Eindhoven, and appeared to many to be a talented prospect that led to a few clubs interest.

However, he had fallen short of expectations, and despite having been allegedly chased by many top tier clubs and included in World Soccer magazine‘s list of 50 exciting teenagers in 2007, he couldn’t match those early career forecasts.

His career took off when he made a move from his home side of Gateway FC Abeokuta to Sporting Lisbon. He was with them for two years before being released. PSV Eindhoven took him to the Netherlands but they failed to follow through on their initial interest, and he was released late in 2011.

He came to Celtic for a trial on 10th January 2012 and played in a bounce game v St Johnstone. On the basis of what the coaches saw in the bounce game and training he was signed and appeared on the completed Celtic transfers at the end of the winter transfer window.

As a free signing and a prospect for the future, if not immediately for the first team, he was given a three and a half year contract through to June 2015.

He was said to be a skillful and technically competent player, and it was to be of interest how he would develop, but it little progressed.

His one senior competitive game was as a late sub in a 1-0 league win over St Johnstone in May 2012, a token place in the side to give him a taste of first team action.

Reports stated that he was not providing any confidence in his ability (in the development squad), and in January 2013 he was shipped out to Kilmarnock on a free transfer for his own sake. In fairness, for attacking midfielders, Celtic was overloaded with established players already vying for the position (at least 5-6 already ahead of him) and his opportunities were going to be very limited unless he changed his position. Curiously he is reported to have said that:

“I chose Kilmarnock because they played like Barcelona against Celtic”.

We hoped him the best, but his time at Kilmarnock petered out later that year after a change of manager, and he was then given only a brief flurry under Alan Johnson.

He was on the move again. With a CV that included Celtic, PSV Eindhoven and Sporting Lisbon, Ibrahim would always attract attention but as he fought for a place at the little known AS Trencin it seems that the early promise and hype was as far away as ever from being fulfilled (if it was ever true or realistic in the first place).

However, things turned around later in his career, and in 2017 he was surprisingly to become the most expensive signing to date by a Slovakian club, with Slovan Bratislava paying €1m for him, and he went on to have a long & successful career with the club.

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Playing Career

Honours with Celtic

Scottish League

• 2011-12 (only played 1 game (sub) in league title win of 2011-12)

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• Player Pics

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• Evening Times Profile

Articles

Rabiu Ibrahim has had to …

Evening Times
Jan 2012
AT 16, he was picked by Berti Vogts for Nigeria’s African Nations Cup squad – at 20, he has joined Celtic in the hope of salvaging a career which threatened to be over before it began.

Rabiu Ibrahim has had to overcome much, much more than the fact he stands only 5ft 5ins tall. But throughout his trials and tribulations, his talent has never been in doubt.

When, in 2007, he helped Nigeria lift the Under-17 World Cup for the third time, he was labelled the next Jay Jay Okocha. The scouts were already well aware of him, and soon, he was moving from Gateway of Abeokuta to Sporting Lisbon for £400,000.

But despite attracting interest from the likes of Manchester United, Arsenal, and Chelsea, Ibrahim’s career in Portugal never got off the ground.

That’s when Celtic first became aware of him, but concerns over a work permit prevented any approach before it had been made.

There was no such problem for PSV Eindhoven in March when they snapped up Ibrahim after he had played in a trial game for Telstar. But the three-year contract was based on him making the breakthrough to the first team.

And, when both parties agreed last month this was not going to happen, the kid – who was once included in World Soccer’s 50 Most Exciting Teen Footballers – found himself at a major crossroads in a career which had already had too many wrong turnings.

Can Celtic Park set him back on the road to the top?

Neil Lennon considers every signing to be a gamble. In the case of Rabiu Ibrahim, that is certainly the case.

Nigeria midfielder, Rabiu Ibrahim has teamed up with another Scottish Premier League (SPL) club, Kilmarnock FC, supersport.com can report.

Jan 2013
The 21-year-old signed a two-year contract with the Killie just hours after the winter transfer window opened.

The former Nigerian Under17 player also explained his choice of staying back in Scotland to sign for Kilmarnock and ditch a move to an unnamed Russia Premier League club.

“As far as I was concerned, Russia was my destination but the moment Kilmarnock showed an interest I was happy because I really wanted to stay in Scotland and Kilmarnock play modern passing (game). They often play 4-3-3 with a playmaker which suits me.

“The manager of Kilmarnock (Kenny Shiels) spoke to my manager and also spoke with me and I am excited about his plans,” Rabiu told supersport.com.

When asked why he does not fancy a move to Russia, Rabiu said: “I am very happy in Glasgow and I have really settled in here and I believe I can do great things in the SPL. I have to keep fighting. Football is a fight, and success doesn’t come easy.

“In Sporting Lisbon I fought for a place with captain Joao Moutinho and at PSV Eindhoven I competed for a place with Ola Toivonen, the captain and Kevin Strootman, these are all top players.

“Now at Celtic there are senior, experienced and influential players like Scot Brown, the captain, Victor Wanyama, Chris Commons etc, who can all play in the same position.

“I can’t expect to be ahead of these players and that’s the reality. I am now in Kilmarnock, the fight goes on,” the former Gateway FC playmaker rounded off.

Rabiu’s manager, Tony Harris explained that the player is keen to first succeed in Scotland and has set his sight on earning a move to England.

“Rabiu is an exceptionally gifted player. This could well be the perfect fulcrum for him. There were discussions for Rabiu to go on loan to a couple of SPL clubs but eventually he was allowed to leave Celtic and move to Kilmarnock. He has signed a two-year contract.

“Celtic are doing well in the SPL and Champions League, and they have lots of experience in the midfield, hence his opportunities were limited. There was a possibility for Rabiu to go to Russia but his preference is to remain in the UK for now. He has great ambitions and I am happy for him,” said Harris to supersport.com.

Rabiu is currently with the Nigerian men’s national team in Spain ahead of their friendly game against Catalonia on Wednesday.

Kilmarnock sign Celtic midfielder Rabiu Ibrahim on two-year deal

STV 2 January 2013 10:37 GMT

Rabiu Ibrahim has signed for Kilmarnock but his debut for the Rugby Park club could be delayed.

Kilmarnock have completed the signing of Nigerian midfielder Rabiu Ibrahim from Celtic on a permanent basis.

The 21-year-old has agreed a two-year contract with the Rugby Park club after Celtic allowed the player to move on in search of regular first-team football.

Ibrahim had an offer from abroad and was also believed to be a loan target for other Scottish sides.

“He’s signed a two year deal with us,” Kilmarnock manager Kenny Shiels told STV.

“I believe it’s quite a coup for Kilmarnock and we are a good fit for him.

“Rabiu had an offer from a club in Russia but he and his advisors thought it would be better for his career development to stay in Scotland and they were equally as keen as we were for the deal to go through.

“We signed him on a free transfer.”

Ibrahim will not join up with his new team-mates immediately as he is currently with the Nigerian national team ahead of their friendly with Catalonia on Wednesday night.

The player, who has been capped at Under-17, Under-21 and Under-23 level by his country, has also been included in Nigeria’s preliminary squad for the Africa Cup of Nations.

“He’s away with the Nigeria squad for the AfCon at the moment,” Shiels said.

“I believe January 9 is the deadline for them to name their final squad. I would quite like him to be name in the squad for his confidence.

“If he is named then as soon as they go out of the competion he will join up with us.”

Shiels also revealed that he was hopeful of agreeing a contract extension with goalkeeper Cammy Bell in the near future.

“Talks are ongoing at the moment,” he said. “I would really like to get Cammy on board.”

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