Ernest Inneh

Ernest Inneh (born September 25, 1970 in Nigeria) is a retired Nigerian-American soccer player. Inneh is now a coach at the Metropolitan Oval Development Academy. He scored the only goal in the final of the 1991 U.S. Open Cup.

Ernest Inneh
Personal information
Date of birth (1970-09-25) September 25, 1970
Place of birth Nigeria
Height 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Position(s) Forward / Midfielder
Youth career
1988–1991 Brooklyn College
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1989 Victoria Vistas
1991 Brooklyn Italians
1991 Penn-Jersey Spirit 3 (1)
1992–1993 Korinthos 18 (1)
1994–1996 Agios Nikolaos
1996–1997 Panelefsiniakos
1997–1998 Long Island Rough Riders 24 (9)
1998–1999 Staten Island Vipers 32 (22)
2000–2004 Westchester Flames
2000 → Rochester Rhinos (loan) 1 (0)
Teams managed
2003–2004 Westchester Flames (assistant)
2005 Westchester Flames
2018 Auburndale Academy 03 (head)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Playing career

Inneh, a native of Nigeria, attended Brooklyn College where he played on the men's soccer team from 1988 to 1991. In addition to playing collegiate soccer, Inneh also played for the Brooklyn Italians in the Cosmopolitan Soccer League. On August 10, 1991, he scored the winning goal for the Brooklyn Italians in the final of the 1991 U.S. Open Cup. He then signed with the Penn-Jersey Spirit of the American Professional Soccer League. He played one game with the team on August 24, 1991.[1]

Inneh then pursued a successful career in Greece playing with Greek first division club Korinthos F.C.,[2] where he famously scored against Olympiakos CFP. Korinthos were relegated following the 1992–93 season, and Inneh played for the club in the Greek second division.[3] Poised for a move to one of the big three in Greece, Inneh injured his knee and required surgery. He returned to play in the Greek third division with Agios Nikolaos F.C. during the 1994–95 season.[4] He joined Greek second division club Panelefsiniakos F.C. in 1996.[5]

Inneh then returned to continue his career in the United States. In 1997, he signed with the Long Island Rough Riders of the USISL halfway through the season, scoring nine goals in eleven games. On February 1, 1998, the Dallas Burn selected Inneh in the second round (twenty-second overall) of the 1998 MLS Supplemental Draft. The Burn did not sign Inneh and he returned to the Rough Riders, but was unable to replicate his scoring feats through thirteen games. On August 14, 1998, Long Island traded Inneh to the Staten Island Vipers in exchange for Roberto Deluca.[6] He remained with the Vipers in 1999, earning A-League First XI honors after scoring eighteen goals in twenty-four games.[7] In February 2000, the Tampa Bay Mutiny selected Inneh in the sixth round of the 2000 MLS SuperDraft.[8] The Mutiny waived him on April 20, 2000.[9] He then signed with the Westchester Flames in the Premier Development League. At the end of the season, he went on loan with the Rochester Rhinos as they entered the playoffs.[10] The Rhinos won the USL A-League championship. In 2001, he was back with Westchester, playing with the team through the 2004 season.

Coaching career

Inneh became an assistant coach with the Flames in 2003. In 2005, he became head coach. He resigned as head coach on February 26, 2006 and became head of the club's youth development system.

Inneh now coaches for Westchester Flames and Auburndale Soccer club.

References
  1. 1991 Penn-Jersey Spirit
  2. Mastrogiannopoulos, Alexander (21 March 2004). "Greece 1992/93". RSSSF.
  3. "Πρωτάθλημα / FOOTBALL LEAGUE / ΠΡΩΤΑΘΛΗΜΑ Β' ΕΘΝΙΚΗΣ 1993-94 / 1η αγωνιστική / ΠΙΕΡΙΚΟΣ ΣΦΚ ΠΑΕ - ΚΟΡΙΝΘΟΣ ΠΑΣ ΤΑΠ" (in Greek). Hellenic League. 3 October 1993.
  4. "Πρωτάθλημα / FOOTBALL LEAGUE 2 / ΠΡΩΤΑΘΛΗΜΑ Γ' ΕΘΝΙΚΗΣ 1994-95 / 1η αγωνιστική / ΑΓΙΟΣ ΝΙΚΟΛΑΟΣ ΚΡΗΤΗΣ ΑΟ ΠΑΕ - ΔΟΞΑ ΒΥΡΩΝΑ YTONG Π.Α.Ε." (in Greek). Hellenic League. 20 November 1994.
  5. "Πρωτάθλημα / FOOTBALL LEAGUE / ΠΡΩΤΑΘΛΗΜΑ Β' ΕΘΝΙΚΗΣ 1996-97 / 2η αγωνιστική / ΠΑΝΕΛΕΥΣΙΝΙΑΚΟΣ ΑΟ Π.Α.Ε. - ΓΙΑΝΝΙΝΑ ΠΑΣ ΠΑΕ" (in Greek). Hellenic League. 6 October 1996.
  6. "Rough Riders Trade for Roberto Deluca". Archived from the original on 2012-02-22. Retrieved 2009-04-05.
  7. The Year in American Soccer – 1999
  8. "2000 MLS SuperDraft". Archived from the original on 2009-01-02. Retrieved 2009-04-05.
  9. April 20, 2000 Transactions
  10. "2000 Rochester Rhinos stats". Archived from the original on 2012-02-19. Retrieved 2009-04-05.
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