Ifeanyi Udeze

Last updated

Ifeanyi Udeze
Personal information
Full name Ifeanyi Udeze
Date of birth (1980-07-21) 21 July 1980 (age 42)
Place of birth Lagos, Nigeria
Height 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s) Left-back
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
1997 Bendel Insurance
1997–2000 Kavala 59 (0)
2000–2006 PAOK 103 (1)
2003 → West Bromwich Albion (loan) 10 (0)
2006–2007 AEK Athens 3 (0)
2007 Bendel Insurance
2007–2008 PAOK 0 (0)
Total175(1)
International career
2000–2005 Nigeria 35 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Ifeanyi Udeze (born 21 July 1980) is a former Nigerian professional footballer who played as a defender. He now works with Brila FM, one of the biggest sports radio in Nigeria as a Sports analyst. He participated in the 2002 World Cup, and played mainly as a left-back, he is also used as centre-back.

Contents

Club career

Udeze played for clubs such as Bendel Insurance FC, AO Kavalas (Greece) and PAOK Thessaloniki, before joining West Bromwich Albion in 2003. In his first season with the Albion, he played in the Premier League, joining the club on loan in the latter stages of the season after which Albion were relegated.

He was released from AEK Athens in January 2007, six months after signing a three-year contract on 11 August 2006.

On 4 July 2007, he returned to PAOK FC, signing a two-year deal. A niggling knee injury prevented him from grabbing a first team spot [1] and he was released after a year at the club.

International career

Udeze first came into international limelight at the inaugural UEFA-CAF Meridian Cup held in Portugal in 1997, a tournament where Spain's Xavi and Portugal's Simao made their mark. He was a member of the Fanny Amun-led Nigerian squad that beat Spain 3–2 to win the tournament. Some members of the squad included Rabiu Afolabi, Joseph Enakarhire, Bright Igbinadolor, Chijioke Nwankpa, Hashimu Garba, and Mohammed Aliyu Datti.

Having made his full international debut in 2001, Udeze went on to feature for Nigeria at the 2002 African Cup of Nations and 2004, and the 2002 World Cup, playing two games.

At the 2002 African Cup of Nations held in Mali, he was selected among the CAF Team of the Tournament.

During his playing days, he was Super Eagles' second choice left-back to former Chelsea left-back, Celestine Babayaro. On some occasions, he played together with Babayaro; both switching positions from the left full-back to the left wing of the midfield, often confusing opponents with their identical style of play.

Udeze was noted for his feistiness, intelligent marking and remarkable recovery rate. He was Nigeria's most fouled defender in games he featured in. Whenever he joined the attack, he was seldom dispossessed of the ball without winning a free-kick, corner or throw-in.

Udeze last featured for Nigeria in a 2006 World Cup qualifier against Angola in 2005.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yakubu (footballer)</span> Nigerian footballer (born 1982)

Yakubu Ayegbeni, known as Yakubu, is a Nigerian former professional footballer who played as a striker. His nickname is "The Yak".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Noureddine Naybet</span> Moroccan footballer (born 1960)

Noureddine Naybet is a Moroccan former professional footballer who played as a central defender. He played in Spain and Portugal for Sporting CP and England for Tottenham Hotspur. He is considered one of the best defenders in La Liga of his generation. Naybet spent the longest and most successful period of his career with Deportivo La Coruña in Spain's La Liga, from 1996 to 2004. He was named the 44th greatest African player of all time by the African football expert Ed Dove.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Celestine Babayaro</span> Nigerian footballer

Celestine Boyd Jonto Hycieth Babayaro is a Nigerian former professional footballer who played as a left-back or a midfielder.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mutiu Adepoju</span> Nigerian footballer

Mutiu Adepoju is a Nigerian former professional footballer who played mostly as an attacking midfielder.

The Nigeria Federation Cup is the main football single-elimination tournament in Nigeria contested by 74 teams, representing the 36 states + 1 FCT of Nigeria. It is the Nigerian domestic cup and the Nigerian equivalent of the FA Cup, Emperor's Cup, Copa do Brasil, Coupe de France, among others. It was created in 1945 as the "Governor's Cup", succeeding the War Memorial Challenge Cup that had been limited to teams from Lagos.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vincent Enyeama</span> Nigerian professional footballer

Vincent Enyeama(Listen) is a Nigerian former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper. Despite his below-average height for a goalkeeper, he is popularly regarded as one of the greatest African goalkeepers of all time and of his era.

Obinna Nwaneri is a retired Nigerian footballer who plays as centre back or right back position but can also play as a forward.

Elderson Uwa Echiéjilé is a Nigerian former professional footballer who played as a left-back.

Efetobore Eric “Efe” Ambrose Emuobo is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays as a defender for Greenock Morton. Ambrose has previously played for Kaduna United, Bayelsa United, Israeli club Ashdod, Scottish clubs Celtic, Hibernian, Livingston, St Johnstone and Dunfermline Athletic, and English side Derby County.

Chijioke Ejiogu is a Nigerian football goalkeeper, he plays for Heartland FC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bassey Akpan</span> Nigerian footballer

Bassey Abobo Akpanlisten is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for NPFL club, Kano Pillars.

Mahmoud Abdelrazek Hassan Fadlala , commonly known as Shikabala, is an Egyptian professional footballer who plays for Egyptian Premier League club Zamalek and the Egypt national team. Shikabala is titled "El Apache" by Zamalek fans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ahmed Hegazi</span> Egyptian footballer

Ahmed Elsayed Ali Elsayed Hegazy, simply known as Ahmed Hegazi, is an Egyptian professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Saudi Professional League club Al-Ittihad, which he captains, and the Egypt national team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baba Rahman</span> Ghanaian footballer

Abdul Rahman Baba, also known as Baba Rahman, is a Ghanaian professional footballer who plays as a left-back for PAOK, and the Ghana national team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Osinachi Ohale</span> Nigerian footballer

Osinachi Marvis Ohale is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays as a centre back or right back for Spanish Liga F club Deportivo Alavés and the Nigeria women's national team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stephen Eze</span> Nigerian professional footballer

Stephen Eze is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays as a centre back.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gerard Nus</span>

Gerard Nus Casanova is a Spanish UEFA Pro license football manager and former player who is currently assistant manager of Greece national football team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Moussa Wagué</span> Senegalese footballer

Moussa Wagué is a Senegalese professional footballer who plays as a right-back for Cypriot First Division club, Anorthosis Famagusta and the Senegal national team.

Zaidu Sanusipronunciation is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays as a left-back for Primeira Liga club Porto and the Nigeria national team.

References

  1. ↑ "Ifeanyi Udeze Files for Divorce - OnlineNigeria.com". nm.onlinenigeria.com. Archived from the original on 8 November 2014. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.