Onyekachi Okonkwo
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Onyekachi Donatus Okonkwo | ||
| Date of birth | May 13, 1982 | ||
| Place of birth | Aba, Nigeria | ||
| Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | ||
| Playing position | Midfielder, centre back | ||
| Club information | |||
Current team | Mpumalanga Black Aces | ||
| Number | 10 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Pepsi Football Academy | |||
| Calabar Rovers | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| -2004 | Enyimba | 30 | (6) |
| 2004-2007 | Orlando Pirates | 43 | (3) |
| 2007-2010 | FC Zürich | 62 | (2) |
| 2010-2012 | Al Kharitiyath | 39 | (5) |
| 2012-2013 | Orlando Pirates | 20 | (3) |
| 2013- | Mpumalanga Black Aces | 15 | (2) |
| National team‡ | |||
| 2006-2008 | Nigeria | 20 | (0) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 3 July 2013. † Appearances (Goals). | |||
Onyekachi Donatus Okonkwo or simply Tico (born 13 May 1982 in Aba, Nigeria) is a Nigerian football (soccer) midfielder who currently plays for South African side Mpumalanga Black Aces. His name, Onyekachi, means "Who is greater than his godly guarding?"[1]
Club career
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 Johannesburg-based club Orlando Pirates to the 2006 MTN CAF Champions League semifinals..
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 Horstmann 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. He joined Qatari side Al Kharitiyath in the summer of 2010.
On 26 June 2012 Okonkwo rejoined Orlando Pirates[2] and next year, on 12 July 2013, signed with local rivals Mpumalanga Black Aces.[3]
International
He won his first international cap for Nigeria in an 2008 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Lesotho in October 2006.
Award
2008-09 Swiss Super League : Champions
References
- ↑ Meaning of Onyekachi in Nigerian.name
- ↑ "Six new signings for Orlando Pirates". 26 June 2012.
- ↑ "Okonkwo signs for Aces". Mpumalanga Black Aces F.C. 12 July 2013.
External links
- Onyekachi Okonkwo at National-Football-Teams.com
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