{{Short description|Nigerian footballer (born 1965)}} {{About|a footballer|the preacher|Chukwuemeka Ezeugo}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Emeka Ezeugo | fullname = Emeka Ezeugo | image = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1965|12|16}} | birth_place = Aba, Nigeria | height = 1.84 m | currentclub = Abia Warriors (head coach) | position = Midfielder | youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = | years1 = 1986 | years2 = 1987 | years3 = 1987–1989 | years4 = 1989–1990 | years5 = 1990 | years6 = 1990–1992 | years7 = 1992 | years8 = 1993–1994 | years9 = 1994 | years10 = 1994–1995 | years11 = 1995–1997 | years12 = 1997 | years13 = 1997–1998 | years14 = 1998 | years15 = 1998–1999 | years16 = 1999 | years17 = 2000 | years18 = 2001 | clubs1 = East Bengal | clubs2 = Kolkata Mohammedan | clubs3 = Dhaka Mohammedan | clubs4 = Enugu Rangers | clubs5 = Pahang FA | clubs6 = Lyngby Boldklub | clubs7 = Boldklubben Frem | clubs8 = Aalborg BK | clubs9 = Budapest Honvéd | clubs10 = Fremad Amager | clubs11 = La Coruna B | clubs12 = Mohun Bagan | clubs13 = Churchill Brothers | clubs14 = Hershey Wildcats | clubs15 = Porthmadog | clubs16 = Connecticut Wolves | clubs17 = Deportivo Wanka | clubs18 = Estudiantes de Medicina | caps1 = | caps2 = | caps3 = | caps5 = 34 | caps6 = 3 | caps7 = 20 | caps8 = 4 | caps9 = 4 | caps10 = ? | caps11 = ? | caps12 = 4 | caps13 = ? | caps14 = 16 | caps15 = ? | caps16 = 19 | goals1 = | goals2 = | goals3 = | goals4 = | goals5 = 2 | goals6 = 0 | goals7 = 4 | goals8 = 0 | goals9 = 0 | goals10 = ? | goals11 = ? | goals12 = 0 | goals13 = ? | goals14 = 1 | goals15 = ? | goals16 = 3 | nationalyears1 = 1988 | nationalyears2 = 1992–1994 | nationalteam1 = Nigeria | nationalteam2 = Nigeria | nationalcaps1 = 3 | nationalcaps2 = 11 | nationalgoals1 = 0 | nationalgoals2 = 0 | manageryears1 = 2002 | manageryears2 = 2003–2005 | manageryears3 = 2005–2008 | manageryears4 = 2008 | manageryears5 = 2011–2012 | manageryears6 = 2013– | managerclubs1 = BMCC Athletics | managerclubs2 = Deportivo Municipal | managerclubs3 = City Tech | managerclubs4 = Churchill Brothers | managerclubs5 = Dhaka Mohameddan | managerclubs6 = Abia Warriors }}
'''Emeka Ezeugo''' ({{Audio|LL-Q33578 (ibo)-Ebube Clara-Emeka Ezeugo.wav|listen}};born 16 December 1965) is a Nigerian former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. He debuted as a professional footballer for Indian club East Bengal FC,<ref>{{cite web|first1=Gautam|last1=Roy|first2=Swapan|last2=Ball|date=2007|url=http://www.eastbengalfootballclub.com/club/famousPlayers6.asp|title=East Bengal Football Club – Famous Players|access-date=25 February 2009|website=www.eastbengalfootballclub.com|url-status=usurped|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090221072225/http://www.eastbengalfootballclub.com/club/famousPlayers6.asp|archive-date=21 February 2009}}</ref> has also represented the Nigeria national team in the FIFA World Cup.<ref>{{cite web|author=Saurabh Duggal|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/football/from-chandigarh-to-fifa-world-cup-nigerian-emeka-ezeugo-traces-his-journey/story-B7n47wT9CydsJkYPwZSxtN.html|title=From Chandigarh to FIFA World Cup, Nigerian Emeka Ezeugo traces his journey|website=Hindustan Times|date=16 July 2018|access-date=12 January 2021|archive-date=9 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211009150608/https://www.hindustantimes.com/football/from-chandigarh-to-fifa-world-cup-nigerian-emeka-ezeugo-traces-his-journey/story-B7n47wT9CydsJkYPwZSxtN.html|url-status=live}}</ref> He last managed Abia Warriors FC as a football coach.
==Club career== Ezeugo was born in Aba. He played professionally for clubs in five different continents during a 15-year playing career after starting his career at East Bengal.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/football/former-kolkata-maidan-star-and-1994-world-cupper-emeka-ezeugo-to-run-for-rohingyas/story-4RL83CmuBAdHh5nAMq617N.html|title=Former Kolkata Maidan star and 1994 World Cupper Emeka Ezeugo to run for Rohingyas|website=The Hindustan Times|date=3 April 2018 |access-date=3 July 2021|archive-date=9 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709184115/https://www.hindustantimes.com/football/former-kolkata-maidan-star-and-1994-world-cupper-emeka-ezeugo-to-run-for-rohingyas/story-4RL83CmuBAdHh5nAMq617N.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
He started for Bangladeshi club, Mohammedan, towards the end of the 1980s.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.prothomalo.com/sports/football/%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%82%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A6%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B6%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%AB%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%9F%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%B2%E0%A7%87-%E2%80%98%E0%A6%95%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B2%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%BE-%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A8%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%95%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%BE%E2%80%99|script-title=bn:বাংলাদেশের ফুটবলে 'কালো মানিকেরা'|first=Niar|last=Iqbal|work=Prothom Alo|language=bn|trans-title=African players in Bangladeshi football|location=Dhaka, Bangladesh|agency=|date=3 November 2015|access-date=14 February 2025|archive-date=14 February 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250214082118/https://www.prothomalo.com/sports/football/%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%82%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A6%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B6%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%AB%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%9F%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%B2%E0%A7%87-%E2%80%98%E0%A6%95%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B2%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%BE-%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A8%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%95%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%BE%E2%80%99|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://archive.dhakatribune.com/sport/football/2016/08/17/foreign-footballers-bangladesh-shaker-hejazi-norde-awudu|title=Foreign Footballers in Bangladesh: From Shaker, Hejazi to Norde, Awudu|date=August 17, 2016|website=Dhaka Tribune|access-date=February 20, 2022|archive-date=September 30, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220930002952/https://archive.dhakatribune.com/sport/football/2016/08/17/foreign-footballers-bangladesh-shaker-hejazi-norde-awudu|url-status=live}}</ref> He later moved to the Danish League with middle of the table club Lyngby BK and prospered so much that he made it to the Nigerian national team for the 1994 FIFA World Cup. He came to India for a short spell in 1997 to play a few matches for Mohun Bagan AC.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.newagebd.com/2005/jun/13/spt.html|title=Emeka blasts Mohammedans officials|work=New Age|access-date=19 February 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080803122629/http://www.newagebd.com/2005/jun/13/spt.html|archive-date=3 August 2008}}</ref>
==International career== Ezeugo first played for the Nigeria national team at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ez/emeka-ezeugo-1.html |title=Emeka Ezeugo Bio, Stats, and Results | Olympics at |publisher=Sports-reference.com |access-date=2013-11-15 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130923180143/http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ez/emeka-ezeugo-1.html |archive-date=23 September 2013}}</ref> Nicknamed "Emmy", he obtained 11 caps for the national team between 1992 and 1994, and was a member of the team that competed at the 1994 FIFA World Cup.<ref>[http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/sports/article18//indexn3_html?date=020209&ptitle=CAF%202008%20Best%20Player%20Award:%20Nigeria%20missing%20again&cpdate=020209] {{dead link|date=November 2013}}</ref>
==Coaching career== Ezeugo holds a US Soccer Federation coaching license and a KNVB Netherlands international license. Ezeugo has an envious coaching record over the past seven years, as he successfully completed his transition from player to coach that included a stint as the head coach at CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College in 2002. In 2003 coached the Deportivo Municipal, Lima for two seasons before coming back to the United States, on 15 August 2005 was named as the new men's soccer coach at CUNY New York City College of Technology,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cunyathletics.com/news/msoccer/2005/8/15/Emeka.asp?nl=6 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120728161623/http://www.cunyathletics.com/news/msoccer/2005/8/15/Emeka.asp?nl=6 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2012-07-28 |title=CUNY Athletic Conference - Emeka Ezeugo Named Men's Soccer Coach at City Tech |publisher=Cunyathletics.com |access-date=2013-11-15 }}</ref> here was between 2008.
Ezeugo spent summers 2004 to 2006 coaching at Camp Chateaugay, a summer camp located in New York's Adirondack Mountains for kids ages 7 to 15.
On 19 April 2008, he returned to India and signed a contract as head coach by his former club Churchill Brothers SC<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hindu.com/2008/04/19/stories/2008041956211800.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080422181310/http://www.hindu.com/2008/04/19/stories/2008041956211800.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=2008-04-22 |title=Sport / Football : Emeka is new coach |date=2008-04-19 |work=The Hindu |access-date=2013-11-15}}</ref> on 5 September 2008 was released from his contract.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.zeenews.com/Sports/Football/2008-09-24/471638news.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130210044501/http://www.zeenews.com/Sports/Football/2008-09-24/471638news.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=2013-02-10 |title=Churchill Brothers sack coach Emeka |publisher=Zeenews.com |access-date=2013-11-15 }}</ref>
He was then the chief coach of Heartland, a position he assumed less than a month ago.{{when|date=January 2019}}
On 31 October 2013, he was named the head coach of the newly promoted Nigeria Premier League team Abia Warriors.<ref>[http://en.starafrica.com/football/nigeria-newly-promoted-abia-warriors-get-new-coach.html Nigeria: Newly promoted Abia Warriors get new coach] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160119092943/http://en.starafrica.com/football/nigeria-newly-promoted-abia-warriors-get-new-coach.html |date=19 January 2016 }} Starafrica.com 31 October 2013</ref>
==Personal life== Emeka's brother Valentine Ezuego, a former footballer in India, recommended the former Nigerian World Cupper to Churchill Bros patron Churchill Alemao.
==Conversion== In February 2012, while he was coach of Mohammedan Sporting Club of Bangladesh, he converted to Islam.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://newagebd.com/newspaper1/archive_details.php?date=2012-02-13&nid=50241 |title=Emeka converts to Islam |work=New Age |date=2012-02-13 |access-date=2013-11-15 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140110004642/http://newagebd.com/newspaper1/archive_details.php?date=2012-02-13&nid=50241 |archive-date=10 January 2014 }}</ref>
==Honours== '''Individual''' *Nehru Centenary Club Cup – Taj Bengal Trophy for player of the tournament: 1990<ref>{{cite web|author1=Cruickshank, Mark |author2=Morrison, Neil|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesn/nehru90cent.html|title=Jawaharlal Nehru Centenary Cup (Calcutta) 1990|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709183021/http://www.rsssf.com/tablesn/nehru90cent.html|archive-date=9 July 2021|website=RSSSF|access-date=3 July 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Pulakesh|last=Mukhopadhyay|url=https://www.thestatesman.com/sports/day-after-memories-and-hopes-39783.html|title=Day after: memories and hopes|website=thestatesman.com|publisher=The Statesman|date=16 February 2014|access-date=23 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709183514/https://www.thestatesman.com/sports/day-after-memories-and-hopes-39783.html|archive-date=9 July 2021}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{Sports links}} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20120308091115/http://www.aabsport.dk/A503B44A-0899-4521-9D65-C21C92F12A9F.W5Doc?id=7218936a-7871-4f35-a07e-b9c809f5ef10 Aalborg BK Oldtimers profile] (in Danish)
{{Nigeria Squad 1988 Summer Olympics}} {{Nigeria Squad 1992 Africa Cup of Nations}} {{Nigeria Squad 1994 World Cup}} {{Deportivo Municipal managers}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ezeugo, Emeka}} Category:1965 births Category:Living people Category:Footballers from Aba, Nigeria Category:Nigerian Muslims Category:Nigerian men's footballers Category:Men's association football midfielders Category:Nigeria men's international footballers Category:1992 African Cup of Nations players Category:1994 FIFA World Cup players Category:Olympic footballers for Nigeria Category:Footballers at the 1988 Summer Olympics Category:Danish Superliga players Category:Nemzeti Bajnokság I players Category:East Bengal Club players Category:Rangers International F.C. players Category:Sri Pahang FC players Category:Lyngby Boldklub players Category:Boldklubben Frem players Category:AaB Fodbold players Category:Budapest Honvéd FC players Category:Fremad Amager players Category:Deportivo Fabril players Category:Mohammedan SC (Dhaka) players Category:Mohammedan SC (Kolkata) players Category:Mohun Bagan Super Giant players Category:Churchill Brothers FC players Category:Hershey Wildcats players Category:Porthmadog F.C. players Category:Nigerian football managers Category:Abia Warriors F.C. managers Category:Nigerian expatriate men's footballers Category:Nigerian expatriate sportspeople in India Category:Expatriate men's footballers in India Category:Nigerian expatriate sportspeople in Bangladesh Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Bangladesh Category:Nigerian expatriate sportspeople in Malaysia Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Malaysia Category:Nigerian expatriate sportspeople in Denmark Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Denmark Category:Nigerian expatriate sportspeople in Hungary Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Hungary Category:Nigerian expatriate sportspeople in Spain Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Spain Category:Nigerian expatriate sportspeople in the United States Category:Expatriate men's soccer players in the United States Category:Nigerian expatriate sportspeople in Wales Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Wales Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Peru Category:Converts to Islam Category:Deportivo Municipal managers Category:20th-century Nigerian sportsmen Category:Footballers from Abia State