Teslim Balogun

Teslim Balogun
Personal information
Full name Tesilimi Olawale Balogun
Date of birth 1927
Place of birth Nigeria
Date of death 30 July 1972(1972-07-30) (aged 45)
Place of death Nigeria
Playing position Striker
Senior career*
Years Team Apps† (Gls)†
– Apapa Bombers ? (?)
– Marine Athletics ? (?)
– UAC XI ? (?)
– Railways XI ? (?)
– Jos XI ? (?)
– Pan Bank Team ? (?)
– Dynamos Club ? (?)
– SCOA XI ? (?)
1955–1956 Peterborough United 0 (0)
1956 Skegness Town ? (?)
1956–1957 Queens Park Rangers 13 (3)
1957–1958 Holbeach United ? (?)
Total ? (?)
National team
– Nigeria ? (?)
Teams managed
1968 Nigeria (coach)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).

Tesilimi Olawale "Teslim" Balogun (1927 – 30 July 1972) was a Nigerian football player and coach. Balogun played at both professional and international levels a striker, before becoming Africa's first qualified professional football coach.

Contents

Career

Playing career

Balogun played in his native Nigeria for a number of teams, including Apapa Bombers, Marine Athletics, UAC XI, Railways XI, Jos XI, Pan Bank Team, Dynamos Club and SCOA XI.[1] During his time in Nigeria, Balogun won the Challenge Cup a total of seven times.[1]

After originally touring with a Nigerian select team in 1949, Balogun returned to the UK in August 1955 to sign with Peterborough United.[2] However, Balogun never made a league appearance for Peterborough,[3] and spent time with Skegness Town before signing with Queens Park Rangers, scoring 3 goals in 13 appearances in the Football League during the 1956-57 season.[4] After leaving QPR, Balogun returned to non-League football, playing with Holbeach United.

Balogun was also a member of the Nigerian national side for 17 years.[1]

Coaching career

Balogun became the first African to qualify as a professional coach.[1] He was a coach for Nigeria at the 1968 Summer Olympics.[1]

Legacy

The Teslim Balogun Stadium in the Nigerian city of Lagos is named in his honour.[1] The Teslim Balogun Foundation was founded after his death to assist the families of Nigerian ex-international footballers who may have fallen on hard times.[5]

Personal life

Balogun was nicknamed "Thunder" because of his powerful shot,[6] and was also known as "Balinga" for a similar reason.[1] During his time touring schools to coach youngesters, he was nicknamed "Baba Ball."[1]

Balogun died in his sleep on 30 July 1972, at the age of 45.[1] He had eight children.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Meet Teslim". Teslim Balogun Foundation. http://teslimbalogun.com/meetteslim.htm. Retrieved 5 November 2010. 
  2. ^ Phil Vasili (30 May 2008). "The Occluded History of Black Footballers in Britain". Pitch Invasion. http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2008/05/30/the-occluded-history-of-black-footballers-in-britain/. Retrieved 6 November 2010. 
  3. ^ "Profile". Up The Posh!. http://www.uptheposh.com/people/7837/. Retrieved 6 November 2010. 
  4. ^ "QUEENS PARK RANGERS : 1946/47 - 2009/10". Post War English & Scottish Football League A - Z Player's Database. http://www.neilbrown.newcastlefans.com/qpr.htm. Retrieved 6 November 2010. 
  5. ^ "About". Teslim Balogun Foundation. http://teslimbalogun.com/abouttbf.htm. Retrieved 5 November 2010. 
  6. ^ Chris Green (7 September 2003). "Leaders of the new school". The Observer. http://observer.guardian.co.uk/osm/story/0,,1034741,00.html. Retrieved 6 November 2010.