Enyimba International F.C.

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Enyimba
Full name Enyimba International Football Club
Nickname(s) Peoples' Elephant
Founded 1976
Ground Enyimba International Stadium,
Aba, Nigeria
(Capacity 20,000)
Chairman Felix Anyansi Agwu
Manager Maurice Cooreman Flag of Belgium
League Globacom Premier League
2004/05 Globacom Premier League, Winner
Team colours Team colours Team colours
Team colours
Team colours
 
Home colours
Team colours Team colours Team colours
Team colours
Team colours
 
Away colours

Enyimba International Football Club is a Nigerian football (soccer) club in the city of Aba which plays in the Globacom Premier League. Better known as Enyimba, which means "Elephant" in Igbo and is the nickname for the city of Aba. Accordingly, the club's nickname is "The Peoples' Elephant."

The club was founded in November 1976 by Sir Jerry Amadi Enyeazu, a Nigerian sports personality who was the first Director of Sports in the then newly created Imo State, in southeastern Nigeria.

The club became the property of the Abia State Government when Abia was created from Imo state on 27th August 1991.

Contents

[edit] Early years

After its formation, due to the traditional and well established club sides in the country, Enyimba did not make any impact in the 70s and 80s, when teams like the Rangers of Enugu, Shooting Stars of Ibadan, Insurance of Benin and local rivals, Spartans of Owerri were dominant. Enyimba's success began when the professional league was inaugurated in the country in 1990.

[edit] Professional league

In the first season of the professional league, Enyimba finished 13th on the table with 36 points. The Club played 30 matches; won 5, drew 14, and lost 11. It scored 25 goals and conceded 36, with a difference of -11. The league then had a 16 team format.

In 1992/93 Enyimba was relegated to the second division. However, the club returned to the top division, setting a record in the second division as the team emerged the champions winning with 96 points, which is still a record in Nigerian football history.

Between 1994 & 1996 Enyimba placed 3rd & 4th respectively, then had inconsistent results for six years.

[edit] New management

The history of the Peoples' Elephant changed in 1999 when young businessman Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu emerged as the newly elected Governor of Abia state after several years of military rule in Nigeria.

In his inaugural speech, the sports-loving Governor took personal interest in making sure that Enyimba became the best club in Nigeria and Africa. One of the first things the Governor did was to change the Enyimba management board. This brought in a young and result oriented chairman of the club, Felix Anyansi Agwu.

Enyimba won their first Nigerian professional league crown in 2001 under Coach Godwin Koko Uwa.

That year, Enyimba was invited to Italy on August 19th to play an international friendly match against Inter Milan in honor of their Brazilian striker Ronaldo who recovered from an injury.

As the league champions in 2001, Enyimba represented Nigeria in the CAF Champions League in 2002. Due to the lack of a good playing ground at their base in Aba, the club played their home matches in Calabar, a neighbouring town and capital of Cross River State.

The Peoples Elephant was however eliminated in the second round of the continental competition by the 1998 Champions ASEC Mimosas of Cote d’Ivoire.

That surprise defeat changed everything for the club as the financier; Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu decided to rebuild what used to be a play ground in Aba into Enyimba International Stadium, a 25,000 capacity International stadium, complete with floodlights, electronic scoreboard and covered seats.

CAF president Alhaji Issa Hayatou inspected the stadium in 2003 and approved it for that year’s African Champions League matches.

Enyimba, complete with their new stadium, became 2002 Nigerian champions. The club broke a 38 year old jinx by being the first Nigerian club to win the CAF Champions league in 2003 under Coach Kadiri Ikhana assisted by Emmanuel Iorse and Ifeanyi Okeke as goalkeeper trainer.

Enyimba won the title again in 2002, 2003 & 2005 under coaches Kelechi Emetole, Kadiri Ikhana, and Okechukwu Emordi who later went to Bush Bucks of South Africa. All three coaches were former international players. In 2003, they beat Ismaily SC of Egypt in the final. In 2004, they beat Etoile Sportive du Sahel of Tunisia in the finals in Abuja.

They also capped these wins with the Nigerian FA Cup for the first time in 2005, becoming double champions.

[edit] Awards

These victories also attracted awards. In 2003, Enyimba won the best team in Africa while coach Kadiri emerged the best coach. In 2004, the club retained the best coach award while the club’s first choice goalkeeper, Vincent Enyeama won the Champions league player of the year.

These two Champions league victories in the hands of North African teams, plus the second CAF Super Cup against Accra Hearts of Oak finally brought Enyimba to the limelight of African football. Today, playing up to the quarter-finals of the African Champions league has become a yearly event.

The Peoples' Elephant is currently exploiting marketing opportunities that will take the club to its deserved height. Thye recently signed a $300,000 uniform deal with Joma.

The Enyimba stadium records a sell-out in all its matches, both local and international.

[edit] Current Squad

No. Position Player
3 Flag of Nigeria DF Uga Samuel Okpara
4 Flag of Nigeria DF Okey Odita
6 Flag of Nigeria DF Francis Okammor
7 Flag of Nigeria FW Otanwa Louis Otanwa
8 Flag of Nigeria MF Sam Ledor
9 Flag of Nigeria FW Timothy Anjembe
10 Flag of Nigeria MF Sunday Mba
11 Flag of Nigeria FW Uche Kalu
12 Flag of Nigeria DF Ajibade Omolade
16 Flag of Nigeria MF David Tyavkase
Flag of Nigeria John Owoeri
Flag of Nigeria Daddy Bazuaye
18 Flag of Nigeria GK John Gaadi
No. Position Player
19 Flag of Nigeria FW Emeka Ajueme
20 Flag of Nigeria DF Ekene Emigo
21 Flag of Nigeria MF Elvis Kingsley
Flag of Nigeria MF Steve Nworgu
Flag of Nigeria MF Eze Otorogu
22 Flag of Nigeria DF Andy Ogwuche
24 Flag of Nigeria DF Odeh Ogar
30 Flag of Nigeria FW Ejike Uzonenyi
33 Flag of Nigeria FW Sibi Gwar
36 Flag of Liberia MF Sylvester Dias Williams
40 Flag of Nigeria DF Nojim Raji
Flag of Niger GK Rabo Saminou

[edit] Former Players

[edit] Achievements

2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2007
2005
2003, 2004

[edit] Performance in CAF competitions

2002 - Second Round
2003 - Champion
2004 - Champion
2005 - Group Stage
2006 - Group Stage
2008 - in progress

[edit] External links

Nigerian Premier League 2007-08 Flag of Nigeria
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