Onyekachi Okonkwo
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| Onyekachi Okonkwo | ||
| Personal information | ||
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Onyekachi Donatus Okonkwo | |
| Date of birth | May 13, 1982 | |
| Place of birth | Aba, Nigeria | |
| Height | 1.87 m (6 ft 11⁄2 in) | |
| Playing position | Midfielder | |
| Club information | ||
| Current club | FC Zurich | |
| Number | 10 | |
| Senior clubs1 | ||
| Years | Club | App (Gls)* |
| -2005 2005-2007 2007- |
Enyimba Orlando Pirates FC Zurich |
? (?) 43 (3) 27 (1) |
| National team2 | ||
| 2006- | Nigeria | 7 (0) |
|
1 Senior club appearances and goals |
||
Onyekachi "Tico" Okonkwo (born 13 May 1982 in Aba, Nigeria) is a Nigerian football (soccer) midfielder. His name, Onyekachi, means "Who is greater than his godly guarding?".[1]
Okonkwo was a member of Enyimba's winning side in the 2003 MTN CAF Champions League and 2004 MTN CAF Champions League finals.
During his two-year stay in South Africa he was arguably one of the club's most influential players even scoring the decisive goal against his former club Enyimba to lead the Johannesbrg-based club to the 2006 MTN CAF Champions League semifinals.
At the same time he had a huge record of ill-discipline and unsporting behaviour. In August 2006, during a Telkom Charity Cup match against Bloemfontein Celtic, Okonkwo was red-carded but refused to leave the pitch and threatened to beat up referee Daniel Bennett and had to be hauled off the pitch by his team-mates. He also went AWOL on several occasions to attend trials at European clubs.
He won his first international cap for Nigeria in an AFCON qualifier against Lesotho in October 2006. Under new coach Berti Vogts it seems that he has gained a regular place in the Super Eagles setup.
Okonkwo caused a stir in Europe by signing a pre-contract agreement with German side FC Koln only to leave the club a week later to sign a four-year deal at Swiss side FC Zurich saying that he had only ever agreed to a one week trial at the German team. Despite FC Koln's sporting director Klaus Horstman threatening to take the matter to Fifa in order for him to fulfil his obligations to his side, Okonkwo says he did not breach any rules in moving to Switzerland.
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