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Last month Ian Dunn’s video showcasing a magical Eastern Lions goal took home not just one but two Club Roar Awards. We sat down with the striker behind the award-winning synchronized goal.
In the heat of the moment, Lions striker Taye Philip Ajao had no idea that the goalie and defender had synched up for the viral dive, he was just stoked to have scored a goal. It wasn’t until he reviewed the footage post-game that he saw what had happened.
“I just saw the ball coming towards me, and I was trying to concentrate and execute the technique, I had no idea that there was a synchronized dive on the part of the opponent, it was surreal, just mindblowing to see,” Philip recalled.
Ajao was in pure admiration of the harmonized defenders, cheekily saying “they deserve an Olympic gold medal for synchronized diving!”
Ajao admitted he is “obsessed” with watching his performances on video, but if he misses opportunities, he has absolutely no interest in rewatching the game at all.
Ajao is somehow both his own biggest critic and his biggest fan.
“That’s the thing, I’m really critical of me, but at the same time I’m a huge fan of the way I play football” he laughed, “not to sound too self-absorbed, and to sound quite modest, I’d love to say I’m about an 11 out of 10.”
This live-and-die by the game mentality extends to the team’s performance as well. When the Lions win, Ajao will hit the town for a night out with mates, but if they lose, the striker will become inconsolable, retreating home to play FIFA.
We put the Striker on the spot, hitting him up with a rapid-fire round of Eastern Lions trivia to test his club knowledge.
When was your club founded?
“1978?”
Close, 1963. How does the team song go?
“Oh… I’m having a blank moment… I’m blanking out… I’m sorry, next?”
In what year did they change their name to the Eastern Lions?
“1970?”
2003
“Oh god!”
Naught from three, not a great score, but our final question sparked a fire somewhere in Philip’s competitive soul.
Who would you say are the Eastern Lion’s biggest rival?
“Box Hill. Box Hill United for sure,” he said, straight-faced and deadly-serious.
“Against Box Hill away from home was a goalless draw, believe it or not. We missed a 94th-minute penalty that game, it was a stupid tie.
“And at home”, he continued bitterly, “we lost to them 2-1”.
After spending most of the season on the bottom of the league, the Eastern Lions rose up to finish 6th on the ladder. According to Ajao, they are optimistic and energised for a more consistent upcoming season.
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