Uche Okafor

For the Nigerian goalkeeper, see Uche Okafor (footballer born 1991).
Uche Okafor
Personal information
Full nameUchenna Kizito Okafor
Date of birth8 August 1967
Place of birthOwerri, Nigeria
Date of death6 January 2011 (aged 43)
Place of deathLittle Elm, Texas, United States
Height1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)
Playing positionDefender
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
1986–1988ACB Lagos?(?)
1988–1991KRC Mechelen?(?)
1991–1992UR Namur?(?)
1992–1993Le Touquet AC?(?)
1993–1994Hannover 964(0)
1994UD Leiria0(0)
1995Ironi Ashdod13(0)
1995–1996S.C. Farense0(0)
1996–2000Kansas City Wizards109(3)
National team‡
1988–1998Nigeria34(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 20 May 2007.

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 18 July 2006

Uchenna Kizito Okafor, often shortened to Uche Okafor (8 August 1967 – 6 January 2011[1]) was a football defender who played 34 international matches for Nigeria.

Club career

Okafor's club career took him to many countries[2] before he settled in the USA. Okafor was drafted to Kansas City Wizards in the 9th round of the 1996 MLS Inaugural Player Draft, and played there for five seasons before retiring after the 2000 season.

International career

Okafor played every match when Nigeria won the 1994 African Cup of Nations, but sustained an ankle injury shortly thereafter. He was part of the squad to the 1994 World Cup but did not get any playing time. He played 1 out of their 4 games in the 1998 World Cup, though, as well as at the 1988 Olympics.

Coaching

Okafor coached for the Associated Soccer Group,[3] a member of the North Texas Soccer Association. He was head coach for the 91 Gold Central boys team and the 93 HP Central boys team who play in the Plano Premier Select Soccer league.

Other notable professional footballers who coach for ASG are Dave Dir, Zequinha, Óscar Pareja, and Bobby Rhine.

Media work

Okafor was a regular pundit on African football on ESPN's coverage and their PressPass programme.

Death

Okafor's body was discovered Thursday afternoon by his wife shortly after he returned home from dropping off his daughter in school in their house in Little Elm, a town about 30 miles northwest of Dallas. The Tarrant County Medical Examiner's Office said Friday that he hanged himself in an upstairs hallway. Okafor's family has rejected the suicide ruling of the Little Elm Police Department, suspecting foul play.[4]

Kent Babb, reporter for the Kansas City Star, published and in-depth analysis of Uche's death on May 19, 2012. [5]

Honors

Kansas City Wizards

References

  1. ↑ Uche Okafor dies in the US
  2. ↑ Trialists The Celtic Wiki
  3. ↑ Associated Soccer Group
  4. ↑ "Nigerian Soccer Star Buried in Africa, As Family Challenges Little Elm PD's Suicide Ruling"
  5. ↑ http://www.kansascity.com/2012/05/19/3629205/family-of-former-soccer-pro-cant.html#storylink=misearch

External references