For Special one for Agbako, Metho and all Water boyz
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Toxicarrow
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For Special one for Agbako, Metho and all Water boyz
Your former team mate, senior, friend and boy, John Zachari speaks.................Read !
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'God Used Me To Make Way For Aiyegbemi, Aghahowa And Ikedia'
Perhaps the trio of Super Eagles stars - Yakubu Aiyegbemi, Julius Aghahowa and Pius Ikedia, all high earners in Europe - would not have been where they are today but for the hands of providence that charted their path to meet Benin-born coach, John Nosakhere Zachari. In a chat with PETER DEMEYIN, the amiable and effervescent coach, now with NEPA of Abuja, traced the players' roots and revealed how God used him to provide elixir for the trio, who were previously unknown.
Certainly, the now acclaimed international stars - Aiyegbeni, now receiving rave review with Premiership club Porthmouth, Julius Aghahowa and Pius Ikedia regularly making headline news with Ukrainean club, Shaktar Domesk, and Dutch team Roosendal- owe a lot to the present coach of NEPA FC, John Nosakhare Zachari.
Zachari,who once played for the defunct Water Corporation of Ibadan, said he brought out Aiyegbeni from obscurity while he was playing for Okomu Oil, and gave him the break of his life with Julius Berger. According to him, during the 1999 season, he was with the bridge boys who desperately wanted a striker. He had to persuade the former chairman of Julius Berger FC to stake money in Aiyegbeni, having heard much about his exploits in Benin.
Said Zachari:"We almost lost him to Gabros, but I told him that we had better offer for him; that he wouldn't regret it if he followed me down." Aiyegbeni though had a brief stint of seven months with his new club, his performance was outstanding. His enchanting style, accentuated by his predatory instinct for goals, was to open the way for him soon after, as he was signed on by an Israeli club, De Maccabi Haifi.
To Ikedia and Aghahowa, Zachari was a mentor. It was while he was with Insurance of Benin in 1997 that he gave them the opportunity to join the Nigerian flagship team from the amateur league. In the words of the former Insurance coach, Ikedia was picked with the help of one Idowu Adelakun from Ogun State club, Okun Ventures, while Aghahowa was a corporal with the police football team.
On Ikedia, the coach explained that the former's mother never wanted him to play for the Benin team, because she felt the diminutive player was too young. "I persuaded his mum that he would stay in my house in Benin and that I would keep watch over him and there would it be no problem," Zachari disclosed.
But does he still hear from his boys, and how often do they visit him? The NEPA sweat merchant said that sometimes they sent words to him, but none of them has ever visited him. "I know that they are always busy with their clubs, so I don't worry much. The most important thing is that they are okay, and I am well. I don't need anything from them, though God used me to help them at their trying moments," he added.
Born in November 1955 in Benin, Zachari attended Methodist Primary School, Benin, and was at ULA Grammar School Oshodi (now Ikeja Grammar School). According to him, he played alongside Tony Eyo, the late Muda Lawal and Taiwo Ogunjobi at Oduduwa FC from 1971 to 1973, before he left for Ibadan to team up with the defunct Water Corporation in 1974.
He remembered with nostalgia his days at Water Corporation where he played alongside the likes of George Okolie, Sule Olaleye, Yunusa Bolarinwa, Samuel Ashaolu, Segun Fawunmi, Jacob Adebowale, Razaq Fadara, Mark Kukula, Charles Kurant and Femi Olagbemi.
Asked to comment on the legendary rivalry between 3SC and Water Corporation, Zachari blamed it on Ibadan fans who, according to him, merely made a mountain out of mole hill. He said the fans had the misconception that 3SC were the state's bonafide team, while Water Corporation were tenants, and that oftentimes, they used the players as pawns to achieve their selfish ends. "We the players saw each other as friends, trained at the same pitch and occupied the same office," he narrated. He exculpated Water Corporation from the allegation of selling out the league to Insurance of Benin in 1979, as claimed by 3SC supporters till date. Water Corporation, it would be recalled, beat 3SC in the league that year, but they could not beat Insurance at the same venue, to help their Ibadan counterparts upstage the Benin team and win the title.
The former Julius Berger coach contended he played his best match for the Ibadan team against the dreaded Hafia of Guinea in the 1977 African Champions league, which they lost to the Guinean side, which went on to win the cup that year. According to him, Water Corporation, perhaps, would have been the first club to have won the cup, before Enyimba broke the myth of the championship last year. He cited politics at CAF as the bane. "I remember we beat them 4-2 in Ibadan in the first leg, and for the second leg, the francophone referee who officiated robbed us. He gave them two penalties, and we lost 3-0," he stated with regretfully.
Upwardly mobile Zachari was to team up with defunct Abiola Babes in 1982, and was part of the epoch-making team that played consecutively in four FA cups, from 1984 to 1987, winning it in 1985 and 1986. He argued that it was the late sports philanthropist, M.K.O. Abiola, that brought glamour and panache to Nigerian football during their dispensation.
While showering encomium on the late Pillar of Sports in Africa, he said Abiola attended to their professional and personal needs, citing the scholarship he got to pursue a coaching career in Brazil Football Academy as an example.
A fringe player with the Super Eagles in his days, Zachari also spared some words on the prospect of the national team at this month's Nations Cup billed for Tunis. While he picked holes in the haphazard preparation of the team, he nonetheless expressed confidence that the team could still pull a surprise in their characteristic manner. "We qualities players in Europe. With the element of luck, they can spring surprise," he said.
Married to a Yoruba woman, Olukemi Ayoola, with four children, the coach's priority right now is to restore NEPA back to their glorious days. According to him, financial constraint was the reason why they crashed out of the FA cup in Abuja, and failed to make any impression in the Globacom Premiership league.
"if we get good money this year, we would go out for experienced and mature legs. My priority is to ensure that we get back to the Premiership. Nothing is really impossible; with the necessary motivation, we can do it," he concluded.
From the Guardian.....
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
'God Used Me To Make Way For Aiyegbemi, Aghahowa And Ikedia'
Perhaps the trio of Super Eagles stars - Yakubu Aiyegbemi, Julius Aghahowa and Pius Ikedia, all high earners in Europe - would not have been where they are today but for the hands of providence that charted their path to meet Benin-born coach, John Nosakhere Zachari. In a chat with PETER DEMEYIN, the amiable and effervescent coach, now with NEPA of Abuja, traced the players' roots and revealed how God used him to provide elixir for the trio, who were previously unknown.
Certainly, the now acclaimed international stars - Aiyegbeni, now receiving rave review with Premiership club Porthmouth, Julius Aghahowa and Pius Ikedia regularly making headline news with Ukrainean club, Shaktar Domesk, and Dutch team Roosendal- owe a lot to the present coach of NEPA FC, John Nosakhare Zachari.
Zachari,who once played for the defunct Water Corporation of Ibadan, said he brought out Aiyegbeni from obscurity while he was playing for Okomu Oil, and gave him the break of his life with Julius Berger. According to him, during the 1999 season, he was with the bridge boys who desperately wanted a striker. He had to persuade the former chairman of Julius Berger FC to stake money in Aiyegbeni, having heard much about his exploits in Benin.
Said Zachari:"We almost lost him to Gabros, but I told him that we had better offer for him; that he wouldn't regret it if he followed me down." Aiyegbeni though had a brief stint of seven months with his new club, his performance was outstanding. His enchanting style, accentuated by his predatory instinct for goals, was to open the way for him soon after, as he was signed on by an Israeli club, De Maccabi Haifi.
To Ikedia and Aghahowa, Zachari was a mentor. It was while he was with Insurance of Benin in 1997 that he gave them the opportunity to join the Nigerian flagship team from the amateur league. In the words of the former Insurance coach, Ikedia was picked with the help of one Idowu Adelakun from Ogun State club, Okun Ventures, while Aghahowa was a corporal with the police football team.
On Ikedia, the coach explained that the former's mother never wanted him to play for the Benin team, because she felt the diminutive player was too young. "I persuaded his mum that he would stay in my house in Benin and that I would keep watch over him and there would it be no problem," Zachari disclosed.
But does he still hear from his boys, and how often do they visit him? The NEPA sweat merchant said that sometimes they sent words to him, but none of them has ever visited him. "I know that they are always busy with their clubs, so I don't worry much. The most important thing is that they are okay, and I am well. I don't need anything from them, though God used me to help them at their trying moments," he added.
Born in November 1955 in Benin, Zachari attended Methodist Primary School, Benin, and was at ULA Grammar School Oshodi (now Ikeja Grammar School). According to him, he played alongside Tony Eyo, the late Muda Lawal and Taiwo Ogunjobi at Oduduwa FC from 1971 to 1973, before he left for Ibadan to team up with the defunct Water Corporation in 1974.
He remembered with nostalgia his days at Water Corporation where he played alongside the likes of George Okolie, Sule Olaleye, Yunusa Bolarinwa, Samuel Ashaolu, Segun Fawunmi, Jacob Adebowale, Razaq Fadara, Mark Kukula, Charles Kurant and Femi Olagbemi.
Asked to comment on the legendary rivalry between 3SC and Water Corporation, Zachari blamed it on Ibadan fans who, according to him, merely made a mountain out of mole hill. He said the fans had the misconception that 3SC were the state's bonafide team, while Water Corporation were tenants, and that oftentimes, they used the players as pawns to achieve their selfish ends. "We the players saw each other as friends, trained at the same pitch and occupied the same office," he narrated. He exculpated Water Corporation from the allegation of selling out the league to Insurance of Benin in 1979, as claimed by 3SC supporters till date. Water Corporation, it would be recalled, beat 3SC in the league that year, but they could not beat Insurance at the same venue, to help their Ibadan counterparts upstage the Benin team and win the title.
The former Julius Berger coach contended he played his best match for the Ibadan team against the dreaded Hafia of Guinea in the 1977 African Champions league, which they lost to the Guinean side, which went on to win the cup that year. According to him, Water Corporation, perhaps, would have been the first club to have won the cup, before Enyimba broke the myth of the championship last year. He cited politics at CAF as the bane. "I remember we beat them 4-2 in Ibadan in the first leg, and for the second leg, the francophone referee who officiated robbed us. He gave them two penalties, and we lost 3-0," he stated with regretfully.
Upwardly mobile Zachari was to team up with defunct Abiola Babes in 1982, and was part of the epoch-making team that played consecutively in four FA cups, from 1984 to 1987, winning it in 1985 and 1986. He argued that it was the late sports philanthropist, M.K.O. Abiola, that brought glamour and panache to Nigerian football during their dispensation.
While showering encomium on the late Pillar of Sports in Africa, he said Abiola attended to their professional and personal needs, citing the scholarship he got to pursue a coaching career in Brazil Football Academy as an example.
A fringe player with the Super Eagles in his days, Zachari also spared some words on the prospect of the national team at this month's Nations Cup billed for Tunis. While he picked holes in the haphazard preparation of the team, he nonetheless expressed confidence that the team could still pull a surprise in their characteristic manner. "We qualities players in Europe. With the element of luck, they can spring surprise," he said.
Married to a Yoruba woman, Olukemi Ayoola, with four children, the coach's priority right now is to restore NEPA back to their glorious days. According to him, financial constraint was the reason why they crashed out of the FA cup in Abuja, and failed to make any impression in the Globacom Premiership league.
"if we get good money this year, we would go out for experienced and mature legs. My priority is to ensure that we get back to the Premiership. Nothing is really impossible; with the necessary motivation, we can do it," he concluded.
From the Guardian.....
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Toxicarrow
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Metho scorpion
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Toxic effort of reading on this forum has become a path to exhaustion for me since I requested for help in getting my avater in place. Every time I log on before reading a story, it always cut me off by asking me for User name and Password........Bro it is frustrating.....with desperation I always try but to no avail.....with the situation attempt of writing is dream........
If this come up........it must be a miracle.
Toxic I will email you or call bcos I need some information.......
Rogba I saw your last mail...1-9-04 in the pm...but it took forever with no luck to try and reply.....Bro. I still dey for wicked unwanted exile..........
I will mail you later.....
Cyber admins pls help me o o o something has been kicking me out repeatedly.....hope this reply falls thru.
If this come up........it must be a miracle.
Toxic I will email you or call bcos I need some information.......
Rogba I saw your last mail...1-9-04 in the pm...but it took forever with no luck to try and reply.....Bro. I still dey for wicked unwanted exile..........
I will mail you later.....
Cyber admins pls help me o o o something has been kicking me out repeatedly.....hope this reply falls thru.
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Metho scorpion
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thanks Rogba....I will try and do so on another computer when I am chanced to.......
Suya which one you dey?....I see your hand...thanks for the help.
I think that scorpion has scared Webornbastard away.........
I am still on trying to catch up for the past few days.
Mr Kelechi if you are on pls. call me sir.
Suya which one you dey?....I see your hand...thanks for the help.
I think that scorpion has scared Webornbastard away.........
I am still on trying to catch up for the past few days.
Mr Kelechi if you are on pls. call me sir.
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furiously frank
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