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At last, Enyeama joins Israeli Yehoda FC...Enyimba earn US$.1 million transfer fee

Posted by Stories by Eddie Akalonu on 2005/07/18 | Views: 580 |

At last, Enyeama joins Israeli Yehoda FC...Enyimba earn US$.1 million transfer fee


Nigeria's number one goalkeeper, Vincent Enyeama has at long last joined Israeli club, Yehoda FC in the latest continued flight of top players in search of the Golden Fleece elsewhere.

Nigeria's number one goalkeeper, Vincent Enyeama has at long last joined Israeli club, Yehoda FC in the latest continued flight of top players in search of the Golden Fleece elsewhere.

Confirmation came on Wednesday in Aba when the Israeli club officials paid about one hundred US dollars (US$100,000) transfer fee to secure his final release by the management of the Nigerian club.

The clearance no doubt has brought joy to both clubs in money for Enyimba, accruing services to the Israeli division one side and not the least Enyeama who will now begin a new life as a foreign based player.

A club source told Saturday Vanguard Sports that "his final clearance was given to the Israeli club after they paid Enyimba $100,000 transfer fee Wednesday.

Until he joined Enyimba five years ago, the undisputed number one Super Eagles safe hand hadbegun his professional career with the Ibom Stars of Uyo before his switch to the Peoples Elephants. The move no doubt brought joy and fame as the last four years has seen Enyimba ride high as the number one team in the country and extended two years back as the undisputed champions of Africa as well.

Strikingly, the player and club fell out late last year after Enyimba rode to it's second straight CAF Champions League victory over Tunisian side, Etoile du Sahel. Disagreement led to parting of ways and final loan transfer to Iwuanyanwu Nationale of Owerri this season.

That not withstanding, Enyimba would remain indelible in his memory as his life as where he has had the best so far. The Aba side has brought him honour, recognition and wealth. Aside from being declared one of the best goalkeepers of the FIFA World Cup in Korea/ Japan in 2002, he remains Africa's best since 2003 to date.

Until the move, Enyeama had in the past been linked with the English Premiership side, Bolton Wanderers and other places, although such never saw the light of the day.



How far can Enyimba hold out?



With leaders Enyimba and second placed Rangers away this week to Gombe and Dolphin respectively, not much change is expected at the top of the table by way of challenge from the other teams. Should Enyimba fall to Gombe and Dolphin overpower Rangers, the likely thing that would happen is Gombe narrowing the gap with Flying Antelopes.

The crash of the leaders at home to Egyptian side, Al Ahly in the CAF Champions League last weekend could spell some wider effect on the home front, some analysts have said. Although Enyimba have some four point gap with Rangers and about nine with the rest, football they say is not Mathematics. Any side is beatable.

But coach Emordi has reassured fans that the team is still on course to winning the league, saying what happened last weekend would not affect the teamin the league.

"We have overcome the effect of the loss to Ahly. And we are looking forward to resuming the leageu and keeping our leadership. There is no ntention to let go," he had said.

The biggest change at the top will be Shooting Stars winning in Ibadan over Pillars and moving two steps into third place over where Gombe does not win.

Change can only be meaningful at the bottom- wrung where Tornadoes, Gateway, Gabros and NPA who hold the rear in that order, fail to win their home games. These days with accusations and counter accusations of rigging mounting against referees and match officials, anything can happen anywhere.

There is no doubt all teams have had enough rest and should therefore fight with might and make the second stanza more competitive.



Siasia's success is victory for youth coaches, says Onuh



The success of former Super Eagles hitman, Samson Siasia at the World Youth Championship in Holland only last month has been described as total victory for the young coaches of the country.

Erasmus Onuh, former technical adviser of Jigawa Stars two seasons ago, said what coach Siasia has succeeded in doing with the national U-20 team at the WYC was demonstrate that the future of football in Nigeria lies in the hands of youth coaches.

"First, I would like to congratulate Siasia and the boys for making me proud and for telling the world thaty football in Nigeria is not dead, as some people have made it look. Siasia has shown that the future is in the hands of youth coaches and I am calling on the elderly coaches to give way for the youth to come on board to salvage the country," Onuh said from his Kano base.

He said the performance of the Flying Eagles in Holland despite poor preparations the team went through and obstacles placed in their way by football administrators proved there is hope our goals in football are realisable.

"If youth coaches are asked to take over handling of national teams and everywhere, the country would realise it's goals in football. Siasia showed what many asked to handle the national teams have failed to do over time.

And this is in the kind of players he chose and what he could use those players to achieve in so short a time that he put the team together," Onu, who was also chief coach of Wikki Tourists of Bauchi last season said.

Looking ahead, he called on Premier and Professional League clubs in the country to look towards the younger coaches in the likes of Siasia, saying they are more informed and much more armed with new technical skills today to handle teams.

"I would ask some of them with very old coaches to do away with them and engage the services of younger coaches like Siasia and myself. We are better armed to handle teams of today than the older coaches. We are more energised to work and give results than the older generation of coaches.

The future of football lies in the hands of younger coaches," he enphasised.

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