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Daniel Amokachi

{{Short description|Nigerian footballer}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2023}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Daniel Amokachi

| full_name = Daniel Owefin Amokachi

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1972|12|30|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Kaduna, Nigeria

| height = 1.80 m

| position = Forward

| years1 = 1989–1990

| clubs1 = Ranchers Bees

| caps1 =

| goals1 =

| years2 = 1990–1994

| clubs2 = Club Brugge

| caps2 = 81

| goals2 = 35

| years3 = 1994–1996

| clubs3 = Everton

| caps3 = 43

| goals3 = 10

| years4 = 1996–2000

| clubs4 = Beşiktaş

| caps4 = 77

| goals4 = 18

| totalcaps = 201

| totalgoals = 63

| nationalyears1 = 1990–1999

| nationalteam1 = Nigeria

| nationalcaps1 = 44

| nationalgoals1 = 13

| manageryears1 = 2006–2007

| managerclubs1 = Nasarawa United

| manageryears2 = 2007

| managerclubs2 = Nigeria (assistant)

| manageryears3 = 2008

| managerclubs3 = Enyimba

| manageryears4 = 2008–2014

| managerclubs4 = Nigeria (assistant)

| manageryears5 = 2014–2015

| managerclubs5 = Nigeria (interim)

| manageryears6 = 2015

| managerclubs6 = Ifeanyi Ubah

| manageryears7 = 2016–2017

| managerclubs7 = JS Hercules

| manageryears8 = 2017-2018

| managerclubs8 = JS Hercules (technical director)

| manageryears9 = 2020–

| managerclubs9 = Nigeria (football ambassador)

| medaltemplates =

{{MedalCountry|{{NGA}}}}

{{MedalSport | Men's Football}}

{{MedalGold | 1996 Atlanta | Team Competition}}

}}

Daniel Owefin Amokachi ({{Audio|Yo-Daniel Owefin Amokachi.ogg|listen|help=no}}; born 30 December 1972) is a Nigerian football manager and former professional player.

As a player he was a forward who notably played in the Premier League for Everton and was part of their 1995 FA Cup winning team, he also played top flight football in both Belgium and Turkey with extended spells at Club Brugge and Beşiktaş. Whilst with Brugge in 1992 he scored the club's first goal in the UEFA Champions League. He also had a brief spell with Ranchers Bees, Colorado Rapids and Nasarawa United. He was capped 44 times by Nigeria, scoring 13 goals. His spell in international football saw him win the African Cup of Nations in 1994 and a gold medal at the 1996 Olympics. He was also present in his nations squads for 1994 FIFA World Cup and 1998 FIFA World Cup.

Upon retiring, Amokachi moved into coaching and has spent time as manager of Nasarawa United, Enyimba, Ifeanyi Ubah and JS Hercules. He has also spent two spells as assistant coach of Nigeria, as well as managing his nation in an interim basis from 2014 to 2015.

Club career

Amokachi, nicknamed "The Bull",{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/africa/1245955.stm |title=Amokachi just wants a club |publisher=BBC Sport |date=30 March 2001 |access-date=23 March 2010}} was discovered while playing for Ranchers Bees by Nigerian national team coach Clemens Westerhof, who brought the talented player to the 1990 African Nations Cup, and soon Amokachi moved to play for Club Brugge in Belgium. He competed in the new format of the Champions League, and became the first player to score in the competition, after his goal secured a 1–0 win in the opening match in the group stage against CSKA Moscow. Performing well in Belgium and at the 1994 World Cup, Everton became interested in Amokachi and their manager Mike Walker signed him for a fee of £3 million ($4.7 million).

He went on to win the FA Cup with Everton in 1995, scoring two goals in the semi-final against Tottenham Hotspur after 'substituting himself' into the match while Paul Rideout was receiving treatment (the manager Joe Royle had only instructed him to warm up in preparation for possibly coming on).{{cite web|url=http://www.evertonfc.com/players/d/da/daniel-amokachi|title=Daniel Amokachi|publisher=Everton F.C.|date=30 March 2001|access-date=20 January 2019|archive-date=2 February 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202001659/http://www.evertonfc.com/players/d/da/daniel-amokachi|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/av/football/43810623|title=The strangest substitution ever? |work=BBC Sport|date=19 April 2018|access-date=20 January 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11671/10958656/daniel-amokachi-interview-former-everton-man-happy-to-come-home|title=Daniel Amokachi interview: Former Everton man happy to come home |author=Adam Bate |publisher=Sky Sports|date=24 July 2017|access-date=20 January 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://www.planetfootball.com/nostalgia/ode-daniel-amokachi-everton-cult-hero-best-sub-never-made/|title=An ode to Daniel Amokachi, Everton cult hero and the best sub never made |website=Planet Football|author=Aanu Adeoye|date=7 November 2017|access-date=20 January 2019}} He appeared in the final only briefly, late on, again as a substitute but is remembered fondly for his beret-wearing celebrations afterwards.

He remained at Everton until the end of the 1995–96 season, when he was transferred to Beşiktaş of Turkey for a fee of £1.75 million. He had failed to make the impact at Goodison Park that many fans had been hoping for, and had been unable to win a regular place in the first team, as Rideout and Duncan Ferguson were firmly established as Everton's two strikers at that stage. He did, however, stand in for Ferguson while he spent six weeks in prison during the autumn of 1995 for an offence committed in Scotland 18 months earlier.

After leaving Beşiktaş in 1999, his playing career more or less ended. He signed with 1860 Munich, but the contract was cancelled after he failed a medical test. In turn he was rejected by Tranmere Rovers for the same reason. Amokachi trained with French second division side US Créteil, but the deal was hampered by injuries. American MLS team Colorado Rapids signed him in 2002, but seeing he was not fit enough they released him before a single match was played. He went to play in the United Arab Emirates, but was denied again due to his medical condition.

International career

He played many international matches for Nigeria, and was part of the team that participated in the 1994 FIFA World Cup and 1998 FIFA World Cup and won the 1994 African Nations Cup. He also helped win the Olympic championship in 1996, scoring in the final against Argentina.

Amokachi sustained an injury just ahead of the 1998 FIFA World Cup, played one match at the tournament, but struggled with knee problems thereafter.

Managerial career

Amokachi managed Nigerian club Nasarawa United and later Enyimba Aba. In April 2007, he quit his role as assistant coach of the Nigeria national team. On 10 April 2008, Amokachi was re-appointed to Nigeria's national team, the Super Eagles, as assistant coach to Shuaibu Amodu, and then as assistant to Stephen Keshi.

In 2015, Amokachi managed Ifeanyi Ubah, resigning after five weeks in the post.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/34281451|title=Daniel Amokachi quits as FC IfeanyiUbah coach after five weeks|publisher=BBC Sport|date=17 September 2015|access-date=25 September 2016}} In January 2016, he was named as manager of JS Hercules.{{Cite web|url=http://www.goal.com/en-ng/news/4102/transfer-zone/2016/01/21/19559152/daniel-amokachi-appointed-js-hercules-manager|title=Daniel Amokachi appointed JS Hercules manager {{!}} Goal.com|website=www.goal.com|language=en|access-date=14 May 2018}} On 4 February 2020, Amokachi was named as Nigeria’s football ambassador by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd).{{Cite web|url=https://www.msn.com/en-xl/sport/football/buhari-names-amokachi-football-ambassador/ar-BBZF9wU?li=AAIdK1J|title=Buhari names Amokachi football ambassador|website=www.msn.com|access-date=5 February 2020}}

Personal life

Amokachi is married to a Tunisian woman and has twin sons named Kalim and Nazim, both of whom are currently in the Besiktas youth academy. He also has a daughter named Raya.{{cite web|title=Nigeria And Tunisia In Tug Of War Over International Future Of Amokachi Twins|url=http://owngoalnigeria.com/2016/12/17/nigeria-and-tunisia-in-tug-of-war-over-international-future-of-amokachi-twins/|date=17 December 2016|access-date=16 November 2017|website=owngoalnigeria.com}}

Career statistics

=Club=

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition{{NFT player|13862|accessdate=}}

rowspan="2"|Club

!rowspan="2"|Season

!colspan="3"|League

!colspan="2"|National cup

!colspan="2"|League cup

!colspan="2"|Continental

!colspan="2"|Other

!colspan="2"|Total

DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
rowspan="6"|Club Brugge

|1990–91

|rowspan="5"|Belgian First Division

|3

0colspan="2"|—00|30
1991–92

|26

12colspan="2"|—613213
1992–93

|23

9colspan="2"|—612910
1993–94

|28

14colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—2814
1994–95

|1

0colspan="2"|—0010
colspan="2"|Total

!81

35colspan="2"|—1229337
rowspan="3"|Everton

|1994–95

|rowspan="2"|Premier League

|18

42220colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—226
1995–96

|25

631103100328
colspan="2"|Total

!43

10533031005414
rowspan="4"|Beşiktaş

|1996–97

|rowspan="3"|1. Lig

|30

751colspan="2"|—82004310
1997–98

|27

772colspan="2"|—71114211
1998–99

|20

450colspan="2"|—2000274
colspan="2"|Total

!77

18173colspan="2"|—1731111225
colspan="3"|Career total

!201

63226303261125976

=International=

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

|+ Appearances and goals by national team and year

!National team!!Year!!Apps!!Goals

rowspan="10"|Nigeria

|1990

61
199141
199211
199352
1994122
199552
199612
199752
199840
199910
colspan="2"|Total4413

:Scores and results list Nigeria's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Amokachi goal.

class="wikitable sortable"

|+ List of international goals scored by Daniel Amokachi[http://www.rsssf.com/miscellaneous/amokachi-intlg.html/ Daniel Owefin Amokachi - Goals in International Matches] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140803081940/http://rsssf.com/miscellaneous/amokachi-intlg.html |date=3 August 2014 }}.

scope="col"|No.

!scope="col"|Date

!scope="col"|Venue

!scope="col"|Opponent

!scope="col"|Score

!scope="col"|Result

!scope="col"|Competition

style="text-align:center"|118 August 1990Lagos, Nigeria{{fb|TOG}}style="text-align:center"|2–0style="text-align:center"|3–01992 African Cup of Nations qualification
style="text-align:center"|227 April 1991Lagos, Nigeria{{fb|BEN}}style="text-align:center"|3–0style="text-align:center"|3–01992 African Cup of Nations qualification
style="text-align:center"|329 August 1992Lagos, Nigeria{{fb|UGA}}style="text-align:center"|1–0style="text-align:center"|2–01994 African Cup of Nations qualification
style="text-align:center"|413 July 1993Lagos, Nigeria{{fb|ALG}}style="text-align:center"|4–1style="text-align:center"|4–11994 FIFA World Cup qualification
style="text-align:center"|525 September 1993Lagos, Nigeria{{fb|CIV}}style="text-align:center"|2–0style="text-align:center"|4–11994 FIFA World Cup qualification
style="text-align:center"|621 June 1994Dallas, United States{{fb|BUL}}style="text-align:center"|2–0style="text-align:center"|3–01994 FIFA World Cup
style="text-align:center"|730 June 1994Boston, United States{{fb|GRE}}style="text-align:center"|2–0style="text-align:center"|2–01994 FIFA World Cup
style="text-align:center"|86 January 1995Riyadh, Saudi Arabia{{fb|JPN}}style="text-align:center"|3–0style="text-align:center"|3–01995 King Fahd Cup
style="text-align:center"|913 January 1995Riyadh, Saudi Arabia{{fb|MEX}}style="text-align:center"|1–1style="text-align:center"|1–1 {{aet}}1995 King Fahd Cup
style="text-align:center"|10rowspan="2"|9 November 1996rowspan="2"|Lagos, Nigeriarowspan="2"|{{fb|BFA}}style="text-align:center"|1–0rowspan="2" style="text-align:center"|2–0rowspan="2"|1998 FIFA World Cup qualification
style="text-align:center"|11style="text-align:center"|2–0
style="text-align:center"|12rowspan="2"|5 April 1997rowspan="2"|Lagos, Nigeriarowspan="2"|{{fb|GUI}}style="text-align:center"|1–0rowspan="2" style="text-align:center"|2–1rowspan="2"|1998 FIFA World Cup qualification
style="text-align:center"|13style="text-align:center"|2–0

Honours

Everton

Beşiktaş

|url=https://www.tff.org/Default.aspx?pageID=29&macId=40304

|title=CumhurBaşkanlığı Kupası (Profesyonel Takım) (Final)

|publisher=tff.org

|access-date=9 March 2022}}

Nigeria

Individual

  • Beşiktaş's Super League 2000th goal.{{cite web |url= http://www.milliyet.com.tr/protesto-cagrisi-besiktas-2116410-skorerhaber/ |title= Protesto çağrısı |author= Milliyet |author-link= Milliyet (gazete) |access-date= 12 September 2015 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20151212164548/http://www.milliyet.com.tr/protesto-cagrisi-besiktas-2116410-skorerhaber/ |archive-date= 12 December 2015 |url-status= dead |df= dmy-all }}{{cite web | url = http://www.aa.com.tr/tr/spor/591261--besiktas-3000-golu-bekliyor |title= Beşiktaş 3000. golü bekliyor |author= AA |author-link= Anadolu Ajansı |access-date= 12 September 2015}}
  • International Honorary Award of Sportsmen of Turkey: 2015{{Cite news|url=http://www.sporx.com/turkiye-spor-adamlari-odulleri-sahiplerini-buldu-SXHBQ510877SXQ|title=Türkiye Spor Adamları Ödülleri sahiplerini buldu - Futbol|last=Sporx|date=22 December 2015|work=Sporx.com|access-date=14 May 2018|language=tr-TR}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.haberler.com/yilin-menajeri-ozkan-dogan-7991574-haberi/|title=Yılın Menajeri Özkan Doğan|work=Haberler.com|access-date=14 May 2018|language=tr-TR}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.fotomac.com.tr/futbol/2015/12/23/2015te-de-yilin-spor-gazetesi|title=2015'te de Yılın Spor Gazetesi|access-date=14 May 2018}}
  • African Footballer of the Year Third: 1994 (France Football), 1995, 1996
  • UEFA Champions League First Goal: 1992{{Cite news|url=https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/020d-0e145c82cfc5-154d0e6a1c16-1000--who-will-score-the-the-first-goal/|title=UEFA Champions League - News – UEFA.com|last=uefa.com|date=13 September 2013|work=UEFA|access-date=14 May 2018|language=en}}
  • Belgian Ebony Shoes Award: 1992,1994
  • IFFHS 20th-century best player in Africa: 18th place{{Cite news|url=http://m.bleacherreport.com/articles/1781781-the-50-greatest-african-players-of-all-time|title=The 50 Greatest African Players of All Time|last=Dove|first=Ed|work=Bleacher Report|access-date=14 May 2018|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/iffhs-century.html|title=IFFHS' Century Elections|website=RSSSF|access-date=14 May 2018}}
  • West African Club Championship 'The best young footballer' award: 1989{{Cite web|url=http://bahsidiger.blogspot.com.tr/2011/12/uzun-sortun-mucidi-daniel-amokachi.html|title=Bahs-i Diğer: Uzun şortun mucidi: Daniel Amokachi}}
  • Pro League 'Most successful foreign player' award: 1992
  • Beşiktaş J.K. Squads of Century (Bronze Team){{cite news|title=Beşiktaş J.K. Squads of Century (Golden Team)|url=https://www.milliyet.com.tr/gundem/iste-besiktasta-yuzyilin-11i-5171538}}

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

  • {{Facebook|amokachithebull}}
  • [http://www.bjk.com.tr/tr/oyuncu/904/daniel_amokachi.html Daniel Amokachi BJK Profile]
  • [http://www.bjk.com.tr/tr/haber/65089/besiktasimizin_unutulmaz_futbolcularindan_daniel_amokachi.html Amokachi's BJK History]
  • [https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/amokachi-intlg.html RSSSF Profile]
  • {{FIFA|77319}}
  • [http://www.eurosport.com/football/daniel-amokachi_prs190625/person.shtml Eurosport Profile]
  • {{Premier League player|876}}
  • [http://www.evertonfc.com/players/d/da/daniel-amokachi Everton FC Profile] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202001659/http://www.evertonfc.com/players/d/da/daniel-amokachi |date=2 February 2017 }}
  • [http://www.nigeriagalleria.com/Nigeria/Personality-Profiles/Footballers/Daniel-Amokachi.html Nigeria Profile]

{{Navboxes

| title = Nigeria squads

| bg = #008751

| fg = white

| list1 =

{{Nigeria squad 1990 African Cup of Nations}}

{{Nigeria squad 1994 African Cup of Nations}}

{{Nigeria squad 1994 FIFA World Cup}}

{{Nigeria squad 1995 King Fahd Cup}}

{{Nigeria men's football squad 1996 Summer Olympics}}

{{Nigeria squad 1998 FIFA World Cup}}

}}

{{Navboxes

| title = Awards

| bg = gold

| fg = navy

| list =

{{1994 Africa Cup of Nations Team of the Tournament}}

{{Ebony Shoe}}

}}

{{Nigeria national football team managers}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Amokachi, Daniel}}

Category:1972 births

Category:Living people

Category:Men's association football forwards

Category:Nigerian men's footballers

Category:Nigerian expatriate men's footballers

Category:Club Brugge KV players

Category:Everton F.C. players

Category:Beşiktaş J.K. footballers

Category:Süper Lig players

Category:Premier League players

Category:Belgian Pro League players

Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Turkey

Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Belgium

Category:Expatriate men's footballers in England

Category:Nigeria men's international footballers

Category:Olympic footballers for Nigeria

Category:Olympic gold medalists for Nigeria

Category:Footballers at the 1996 Summer Olympics

Category:1994 FIFA World Cup players

Category:1995 King Fahd Cup players

Category:Nigerian expatriate sportspeople in Turkey

Category:1998 FIFA World Cup players

Category:1990 African Cup of Nations players

Category:Nasarawa United F.C. players

Category:Nasarawa United F.C. managers

Category:Enyimba F.C. managers

Category:Africa Cup of Nations–winning players

Category:1994 African Cup of Nations players

Category:Olympic medalists in football

Category:Nigerian expatriate sportspeople in the United States

Category:Medalists at the 1996 Summer Olympics

Category:Nigerian football managers

Category:JS Hercules managers

Category:Footballers from Kaduna

Category:Nigeria Football Federation

Category:Nigerian expatriate sportspeople in Finland

Category:Expatriate football managers in Finland