Alhaji Gero

Salisu Abdullahi "Alhaji" Gero (born 10 October 1993), is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Swedish club Helsingborgs IF.

Alhaji Gero
Gero playing for Esteghlal in 2018.
Personal information
Full name Salisu Abdullahi Gero
Date of birth (1993-10-10) 10 October 1993
Place of birth Kano State, Nigeria
Height 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in)
Playing position(s) Forward
Club information
Current team
 Helsingborgs IF
Number 9
Youth career
2009–2010 El-Kanemi Warriors
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2010–2011 Lobi Stars
2012 Kaduna United 14 (0)
2012–2013 Enugu Rangers
2013–2014 Östers IF 36 (9)
2015–2016 Viborg FF 23 (1)
2016–2018 Östersunds FK 55 (6)
2018 Esteghlal 10 (1)
2019 Östersunds FK 13 (1)
2019– Helsingborgs IF 13 (3)
National team‡
2012–2013 Nigeria U20 15 (6)
2013 Nigeria 1 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 10 July 2019
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 19 November 2013

Club career

Early years
Gero playing his first U21 game for Östers IF against Kalmar FF

Gero started out playing football in the streets of Kano before signing his first professional contract with El-Kanemi Warriors at age sixteen. The next year he moved on to Lobi Stars.[1] During the midseason transfer window in April 2012, Gero moved to Enugu Rangers from Kaduna United and scored instantly on his debut in against Akwa United[2] which helped his team to a valuable 1–1 draw that kept them in touching distance of winning the 2012 Nigeria Premier League.[3]

In August 2013, Gero signed a contract with Östers IF, a team relegated to the Superettan for the 2014 season (the 2nd highest league in Sweden).[4]

In December 2014, Danish club Viborg FF announced that they signed Alhaji on a free transfer. He played 15 matches and scored 1 goal in his first season.

16 January 2016, Viborg FF and Gero agreed to terminate the contract after minimal playing time.

Östersunds

Gero signed with Östersunds FK on 18 January 2016.[5] On 14 September 2017, he scored his first goal in a European competition against Zorya Luhansk.[6]

Esteghlal

On 8 August 2018, Gero signed for Iranian team Esteghlal on a three-year contract.[7] He was given the number 9 shirt, the same jersey number he used to wear at Östersunds FK.[8]

Gero made his debut his debut on 10 August 2018 as a second-half substitute for Voria Ghafouri in a 3–0 League victory against Tractor Sazi.[9] He scored his first goal for the club in Hazfi Cup Round of 16 against Saipa, a penalty in a match that finished 2–2 after 120 minutes but lost the match 1–3 in penalty shoot-out eventually.[10] On 16 December, his contract with Esteghlal was terminated by mutual agreement, having spent only four months with the club and failing to score any goals in the league.[11][12]

Return to Sweden

On 25 February 2019, Östersunds re-signed Gero.[13] On 9 July 2019, however, he signed a two-year contract with recently promoted club Helsingborgs IF.[14]

International career

Gero made his debut for the Nigeria national under-20 team at the 8 nation tournament in South Africa. He scored two goals on his competitive debut for the U20 team in their 2–1 away win against Tanzania at the 2013 African U-20 Championship qualification.[15] He scored again on the return leg of the same fixture which Nigeria has now won 4–1 on aggregate.[16] Gero also played for the U20 team in the 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup.[17]

At the same year 2013, he was called up for the Nigeria national team squad that played against the Ivory Coast national team [18] for the 2014 African Nations Championship qualification.[19]

Personal life

Gero's younger brother Ahmad is also a professional football player.[20]

Career Statistics

Club
As of 10 July 2019.[21]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup Continental1 Other2 Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Östers 2013 Allsvenskan 10110——111
2014 Superettan 26840—20328
Total 36950—20439
Viborg 2014–15 Danish 1st Division 15100——151
2015–16 Danish Superliga 8022——102
Total 23122——253
Östersund 2016 Allsvenskan 22342––265
2017 24251112–405
2018 912110—122
2019 13100–—131
Total 687114122—9113
Esteghlal 2018–19 Persian Gulf Pro League 702110—101
Helsingborgs 2019 Allsvenskan 0000——00
Career total 133172071322016826

1 Includes Europa League and AFC Champions League matches.
2 Includes appearance(s) in Superettan Relegation play-offs.

Honours

Club
Viborg
Östersunds
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References
  1. "I will move from Enugu Rangers to Europe - Alhaji Gero". Weekly Trust. Archived from the original on 14 August 2013. Retrieved 19 November 2013.
  2. "Alhaji Gero excited with his first goal for Enugu Rangers". Goal.com. Retrieved 24 September 2012.
  3. "NPL Star of the Week: Alhaji Gero". MTNFootball. Archived from the original on 6 February 2016. Retrieved 24 September 2012.
  4. "Rangers' Alhaji Gero joins Swedish side Osters IF". Goal.com. 10 August 2013. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
  5. Kasseret VFF’er fortsætter i Allsvenskan, bold.dk, 18 January 2016
  6. "Europa League Group Stage - Group J". Uefa.com. 14 September 2017. Retrieved 14 January 2019.
  7. "گرو هم استقلالی شد" [Gero is also and Esteghlal player]. Esteghlal. 8 August 2018. Archived from the original on 5 May 2019. Retrieved 8 August 2018.
  8. "شماره فصل گذشته علی قربانی به مهاجم جدید رسید؛ الحاجی گرو شماره 9 استقلال را بر تن می‌کند" [Gero will wear the number 9 shirt at Esteghlal]. Esteghlal. 9 August 2018. Retrieved 12 August 2018.
  9. "استقلال 3-0 تراکتورسازی؛ پیروزی قاطع ارتش شفر در جنگ ستارگان!" (in Persian). Tarafdari. 10 August 2018. Retrieved 12 August 2018.
  10. "استقلال 2(3)- سایپا2(5)؛ معجزه دایی با تیم ده نفره". Varzesh 3. 1 November 2018. Retrieved 6 November 2018.
  11. "دو بازیکن خارجی استقلال قرارداد خود را فسخ کردند" [Both foreign players of Esteghlal terminated their contracts]. Esteghlal. 16 December 2018. Archived from the original on 24 April 2019. Retrieved 16 December 2018.
  12. "واکنش باشگاه استقلال به یک ادعا" [The club's response to a claim]. Esteghlal. Archived from the original on 16 April 2019. Retrieved 14 January 2019.
  13. "ALHAJI GERO KLAR FÖR ÖFK – ANSLUTER OMGÅENDE TILL KLUBBEN". Östersunds FK. 25 February 2019. Retrieved 27 February 2019.
  14. "ALHAJI GERO KLAR FÖR HIF". Östersunds FK. 9 July 2019. Retrieved 10 July 2019.
  15. "Obuh confident after Tanzania win - News". Kick Off. 30 July 2012. Retrieved 13 August 2012.
  16. "Flying Eagles 2-0 Tanzania: Ajagun and Gero strike to give the U-20 side victory". Goal.com. Retrieved 13 August 2012.
  17. "Nigeria name squad for 2013 FIFA U20 World Cup". 8 June 2013. Archived from the original on 2 June 2016. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
  18. "Alhaji Gero happy with invitation to Super Eagles". Goal.com. Retrieved 19 November 2013.
  19. "Ivory Coast - Nigeria 2:0 (Friendlies 2013, July)".
  20. "Alhaji Gero's Younger Brother Joins Swedish Club Jonkopings Sodra:: All Nigeria Soccer".
  21. "Nigeria - A. GERO - Profile with news, career statistics and history - Soccerway".
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