Festus Agu

Festus Agu
Personal information
Date of birth13 March 1975
Place of birthEnugu, Nigeria
Height1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Playing positionStriker
Youth career
1988–1989NITEL Vasco Gama
1989–1990African Continental Bank
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
1990–1991Bendel United19(11)
1991–1992Enugu Rangers5(1)
1992–1993Bendel Insurance5(3)
1993–1994Enugu Rangers21(13)
1994–1995Club Bolívar5(1)
1995–1997Compostela8(0)
1996–1997Ourense (loan)9(0)
1997–1998Optik Rathenow22(14)
1998–1999Fortuna Köln7(0)
1999FC Gütersloh
2000–2001Schweinfurt 0522(11)
2001–2002VfR Aalen21(14)
2002–2003Wacker Burghausen11(2)
2003–2005FC St. Pauli38(8)
2005–2006Enugu Rangers
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).

Festus Agu (born 13 March 1975) is a Nigerian retired footballer who played as a striker.

Football career

Beginnings

Agu was born in Enugu, and began his career in his country with Bendel United, Enugu Rangers and Bendel Insurance FC. During his development years, he was considered to be the most promising footballer in the nation.[1]

At the age of 19, Agu moved abroad joining Club Bolívar in Bolivia, having no impact whatsoever in one season.

Spain

In 1995, Agu ventured to Spain, joining La Liga side SD Compostela. The club's chairman José María Caneda described him as "...a mix between Ronaldo and Bent Christensen" (the latter a player in the team).[1] During his stint, he shared teams with countryman Christopher Ohen but played only eight times in the season, going scoreless in the process.

In the following campaign, Agu was loaned to Galician neighbours CD Ourense in Segunda División, where he met exactly the same individual fate.[1]

Germany

Agu played the following eight years in Germany, starting with FSV Optik Rathenow in the NOFV-Oberliga.[1] In his only season he scored a career-high 14 league goals, and his performances resulted in a move to SC Fortuna Köln in the 2. Bundesliga. In the following campaign, after failing to find the net, he signed with fellow league side FC Gütersloh; his spell would be short-lived, however, due to the club temporarily dissolving because of debt.

In 2000, Agu joined 1. FC Schweinfurt 05 in the Regionalliga Süd, scoring 11 goals in his first year as the club promoted to the second level.[2] He was not re-signed however, and subsequently stayed in the category to play for VfR Aalen, netting 14 times as the Baden-Württemberg team finished in fourth place, three points shy of promotion.[3]

In the 2002 summer, Agu returned to the second division signing for SV Wacker Burghausen. However, he failed to replicate his previous goalscoring record and was ultimately released at the end of the season. Afterwards, he played with FC St. Pauli in the Regionalliga Nord, scoring six goals in his first year but only two in the following.

Retirement

At the age of 30, Agu returned to his country and re-joined former team Enugu Rangers. He retired after one season and, subsequently, pursued a career in sports law.[1]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 "¿Qué fue de... Festus Agu?" [Whatever happened to... Festus Agu?] (in Spanish). El Correo Gallego. 12 June 2009. Retrieved 21 October 2009.
  2. "RL Süd – Spieltag / Tabelle 2000/01" (in German). kicker. Retrieved 27 October 2011.
  3. "RL Süd – Spieltag / Tabelle 2001/02" (in German). kicker. Retrieved 27 October 2011.

External links