As Nigeria turns 55 on October 1, DSB Sport takes a look at what some ex-Nigerian footballers are doing today.
Ex-Internationals like Stephen Keshi, Sunday Oliseh, and Samson Siasia have moved from one playing field to another using the skills and experiences they have acquired over the years.
They have transited from excellent players to seasoned football coaches.
We present the best 10 ex-internationals who have done, and are doing well in their new profession as football team managers.
1. Stephen Keshi: Stephen Okechukwu Keshi was manager of Nigerian team Super Eagles up until July 5. In his 4 years spell as a coach of the Super Eagles, Keshi won the AFCON in 2013 after 19 years, he also led the team to their qualification and appearance of the FIFA 2014 World Cup 2014 where they were knocked out at the second round.
Born on January 23, 1962 in Azare, Bauchi state, Nigeria, Keshi went to the United States to be educated in coaching after a playing career mostly with Belgian clubs.
He was a key player of the Nigerian national team and appeared at the
1994 FIFA World Cup, he played in five African Cup of Nations
championships and was also part of the team when they won the 1994
African Cup of Nations.
Between 2004 and 2006, Keshi coached the Togolese national football team. In 2006, Keshi brought them to their first World Cup tournament. After Keshi guided the Mali national team for two seasons (2008-10), he was appointed the head coach of the Nigeria national team in 2011.
He is one of only two people, along with Egypt’s Mahmoud El-Gohary, to have won the Africa Cup of Nations as both a player and coach after leading Nigeria to the AFCON 2013 title.
2. Sunday Oliseh: Unarguably one of the finest
players to have ever played the game, Sunday Oliseh played 54
international matches and scored two goals for Nigeria.
Having played and studied football at the highest level possible
worldwide. Sunday Oliseh moved from one playing field to another using
the skills and experiences he has acquired as he went further to acquire
a UEFA Pro License certificate.
It should be noted that apart from Sunday Oliseh, 2 other Nigerians have this UEFA Pro license namely: Mutiu Adepoju and Emmanuel Amunike.
For Sunday Oliseh, the journey to acquire the UEFA Pro license started in 2007. He finished the program in 2011 amongst his classmates which includes; Gianfranco Zola, Roberto di Matteo and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
His unique certificate perhaps presented him the Super Eagles head coach job in July as the 40-year-old signed a five-year deal as head coach of the Super Eagles that will see him earn N60m a year.
3. Samson Siasia: Samson Siasia is well-known among
soccer players and fans throughout the world as a member of one of the
glorious USA 1994 FIFA World Cup.
He has coached at the top of World Football, his National Team and
the finals of world competition in the Olympics and U20 World
Championship.
In 2005, Samson Siasia coached the under 20 team taking them to the finals of both the 2005 Under-20 World Cup and the U-20 African Youth Championship. He won the African Youth Championship but lost the World cup title to Argentina after going down 2–1.
He was later appointed national U-23 coach on January 2007. In 2008, he coached the Nigerian Under-23 Olympic squad to the final against Argentina. In a superbly played series of matches, Nigeria’s team earned the Olympic Silver Medals.
On 4 November 2010, he was named as the national team coach to
succeed Swedish Lars Lagerbäck. He was however fired on October, 28,
2011 for failing to take the Nigeria team to the 2012 African Nations
Cup in Gabon & Equatorial Guinea. He’s currently coach of the Under
23 Dream team VI.
4. Henry Nwosu: He holds the record of being the youngest ever Nigerian player to win the African Nations Cup when he was plucked straight out of St. Finbarr’s College to play for the national team while still not yet 17 years old.
He also is among a select few players to have played in three different AFCON final games in 1982, 1984 and 1988.
Henry Nwosu was an assistant for former Eagles teammate Samson Siasia at the 2008 Beijing Olympics where Nigeria won the silver medal.
In 2008, Nwosu was appointed as the coach for the Nigerian U-17 team.
However he was removed from the post in April 2009 after a string of
poor results in preparation for the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup
He was also an assistant to Onigbinde that took the Super Eagles to 2002 FIFA World Cup in Korea and Japan.
5. Austin Eguavoen: The former Nigerian International began his coaching career in Malta with Sliema Wanderers, he was given the job for the 2000–01 season, and guided the club to a 2nd place finish.
From there, Eguavoen was appointed the caretaker coach of Nigeria in June, 2005 with his coaching staff including Samson Siasia, Daniel Amokachi and Ike Shorunmu.
He also led Enyimba FC to a 3rd place finish in the league likewise winning the Federation Cup in the 2008/2009 season.
In June 2010, Eguavoen was brought in as caretaker manager of the
Super Eagles. He was also appointed as the Head Coach of the Nigeria
national under-23 football team in August 2010.
6. Emmanuel Amuneke: On December 23, 2008, Amunike took over the head coaching duties at former team Julius Berger, after completing two years of coaching courses in Europe. He also had a short spell at Ocean Boys FC.
He’s currently the coach of the Nigeria U-17 team.
7. Uche Eucharia: Born June 6, 1973, Uche Eucharia is a former football player and theformer head coach of the Nigeria women’s national football team.
She was the first female coach of the Super Falcons but was
eventually sacked in October 2011 after Nigeria failed to qualify for
the 2012 Summer Olympics.
8. Daniel Amokachi: A key player in the glorious 1994, 1996 squad, Amokachi managed Nigerian club Nasarawa United F.C. and later Enyimba FC.
In April 2007 he quit his role as assistant coach of the Nigeria
national team but was re-appointed to Nigeria’s national team on April
10, 2008.
But following the sack of Stephen Keshi in July, Amokachi went on to sign a contract with League team Ifeanyi Ubah FC.
He however walked away weeks later after a misunderstanding with the team’s management.
9. Christian Chukwu: A strong defender during his playing days, Christian Chukwu captained the Nigeria national team to its first win in the African Nations Cup.
Chukwu started his coaching career in Lebanon in the mid-1990s,
before being appointed coach of the Kenya national team in 1998. Later,
from 2003 to 2005, he coached Nigeria leading them to reach semifinals
at the 2004 African Cup of Nations.
10. Maureen Mmadu: This former Super Falcons International is living her dream in Norway where she is the first Nigerian women’s football coach attached to a top European club at Avaldsnes.
During her playing days, Mmadu made more than 100 appearances for the Nigeria women’s national football team.
Ex-Internationals like Stephen Keshi, Sunday Oliseh, and Samson Siasia have moved from one playing field to another using the skills and experiences they have acquired over the years.
They have transited from excellent players to seasoned football coaches.
We present the best 10 ex-internationals who have done, and are doing well in their new profession as football team managers.
1. Stephen Keshi: Stephen Okechukwu Keshi was manager of Nigerian team Super Eagles up until July 5. In his 4 years spell as a coach of the Super Eagles, Keshi won the AFCON in 2013 after 19 years, he also led the team to their qualification and appearance of the FIFA 2014 World Cup 2014 where they were knocked out at the second round.
Born on January 23, 1962 in Azare, Bauchi state, Nigeria, Keshi went to the United States to be educated in coaching after a playing career mostly with Belgian clubs.
From Left: Peter Rufai, Sunday Oliseh and Stephen Keshi lifts the 1994 AFCON Trophy
Between 2004 and 2006, Keshi coached the Togolese national football team. In 2006, Keshi brought them to their first World Cup tournament. After Keshi guided the Mali national team for two seasons (2008-10), he was appointed the head coach of the Nigeria national team in 2011.
He is one of only two people, along with Egypt’s Mahmoud El-Gohary, to have won the Africa Cup of Nations as both a player and coach after leading Nigeria to the AFCON 2013 title.
Stephen Keshi lifts the cup at the AFCON 2013.
Sunday Oliseh celebrates after scoring Nigeria’s winner against Spain at France 1998 World cup.
It should be noted that apart from Sunday Oliseh, 2 other Nigerians have this UEFA Pro license namely: Mutiu Adepoju and Emmanuel Amunike.
For Sunday Oliseh, the journey to acquire the UEFA Pro license started in 2007. He finished the program in 2011 amongst his classmates which includes; Gianfranco Zola, Roberto di Matteo and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
His unique certificate perhaps presented him the Super Eagles head coach job in July as the 40-year-old signed a five-year deal as head coach of the Super Eagles that will see him earn N60m a year.
Sunday Oliseh unveiled as newly-appointed coach of the Super Eagles
Samson Siasia celebrates after scoring Nigeria’s fastest World cup goal against Argentina
In 2005, Samson Siasia coached the under 20 team taking them to the finals of both the 2005 Under-20 World Cup and the U-20 African Youth Championship. He won the African Youth Championship but lost the World cup title to Argentina after going down 2–1.
He was later appointed national U-23 coach on January 2007. In 2008, he coached the Nigerian Under-23 Olympic squad to the final against Argentina. In a superbly played series of matches, Nigeria’s team earned the Olympic Silver Medals.
Nigeria U23 coach, Samson Siasia
4. Henry Nwosu: He holds the record of being the youngest ever Nigerian player to win the African Nations Cup when he was plucked straight out of St. Finbarr’s College to play for the national team while still not yet 17 years old.
He also is among a select few players to have played in three different AFCON final games in 1982, 1984 and 1988.
Henry Nwosu was an assistant for former Eagles teammate Samson Siasia at the 2008 Beijing Olympics where Nigeria won the silver medal.
Henry Nwosu
He was also an assistant to Onigbinde that took the Super Eagles to 2002 FIFA World Cup in Korea and Japan.
5. Austin Eguavoen: The former Nigerian International began his coaching career in Malta with Sliema Wanderers, he was given the job for the 2000–01 season, and guided the club to a 2nd place finish.
From there, Eguavoen was appointed the caretaker coach of Nigeria in June, 2005 with his coaching staff including Samson Siasia, Daniel Amokachi and Ike Shorunmu.
He also led Enyimba FC to a 3rd place finish in the league likewise winning the Federation Cup in the 2008/2009 season.
6. Emmanuel Amuneke: On December 23, 2008, Amunike took over the head coaching duties at former team Julius Berger, after completing two years of coaching courses in Europe. He also had a short spell at Ocean Boys FC.
Emmanuel Amuneke kisses his gold medal at Atlanta 1996.
7. Uche Eucharia: Born June 6, 1973, Uche Eucharia is a former football player and theformer head coach of the Nigeria women’s national football team.
Uche Eucharia
8. Daniel Amokachi: A key player in the glorious 1994, 1996 squad, Amokachi managed Nigerian club Nasarawa United F.C. and later Enyimba FC.
31
Jul 1996: Flavio of Brazil slides in to tackle Daniel Amokachi of
Nigeria during their match in Athens Georgia at the 1996 Centennial
Olympic Games. Nigeria won the match 4-3 in extra time. Mandatory
Credit: David Cannon /Allsport
Daniel Amokachi
He however walked away weeks later after a misunderstanding with the team’s management.
9. Christian Chukwu: A strong defender during his playing days, Christian Chukwu captained the Nigeria national team to its first win in the African Nations Cup.
10. Maureen Mmadu: This former Super Falcons International is living her dream in Norway where she is the first Nigerian women’s football coach attached to a top European club at Avaldsnes.
Maureen Mmadu
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