Onyekachi Okonkwo
Onyekachi Donatus Okonkwo or simply Tico (born 13 May 1982 in Aba, Nigeria) is a Nigerian football (soccer) midfielder who last played for South African side Mpumalanga Black Aces now Cape Town.
 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Onyekachi Donatus Okonkwo | ||
| Date of birth | 13 May 1982 | ||
| Place of birth | Aba, Nigeria | ||
| Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder, centre back | ||
| Club information | |||
Current team | Mosta F.C. | ||
| Number | 10 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Pepsi Football Academy | |||
| Calabar Rovers | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| –2004 | Enyimba | 30 | (6) |
| 2004–2007 | Orlando Pirates | 43 | (3) |
| 2007–2010 | FC Zürich | 62 | (2) |
| 2010–2012 | Al Kharitiyath | 39 | (5) |
| 2012–2013 | Orlando Pirates | 20 | (3) |
| 2013– | Mpumalanga Black Aces | 15 | (2) |
| National team‡ | |||
| 2006–2008 | Nigeria | 20 | (0) |
|
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 3 July 2013 ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 11 July 2009 | |||
Club career
Okonkwo was a member of Enyimba's winning side in the 2003 MTN CAF Champions League and 2004 MTN CAF Champions League finals.
During his two-year stay in South Africa he was arguably one of the club's most influential players even scoring the decisive goal against his former club Enyimba to lead the Johannesburg-based club Orlando Pirates to the 2006 MTN CAF Champions League semifinals..
Okonkwo caused a stir in Europe by signing a pre-contract agreement with German side FC Köln only to leave the club a week later to sign a four-year deal at Swiss side FC Zürich saying that he had only ever agreed to a one-week trial at the German team. Despite FC Köln's sporting director Klaus Horstmann threatening to take the matter to FIFA in order for him to fulfil his obligations to his side, Okonkwo says he did not breach any rules in moving to Switzerland. He joined Qatari side Al Kharitiyath in the summer of 2010.
On 26 June 2012 Okonkwo rejoined Orlando Pirates[1] and next year, on 12 July 2013, signed with local rivals Mpumalanga Black Aces.[2]
International
He won his first international cap for Nigeria in an 2008 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Lesotho in October 2006.
References
- "Six new signings for Orlando Pirates". 26 June 2012. Archived from the original on 29 August 2017. Retrieved 26 June 2012.
- "Okonkwo signs for Aces". Mpumalanga Black Aces F.C. 12 July 2013.
External links
- Onyekachi Okonkwo at National-Football-Teams.com
