Godwin Odiye
{{short description|Nigerian footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}}
{{Use Nigerian English|date=August 2019}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Godwin Odiye
| image =
| fullname = Godwin Odiye
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1956|4|17|df=y}}
| height =
| birth_place = Lagos, Nigeria
| death_date =
| position = Defender
| youthyears1 = 1978–1982
| youthclubs1 = San Francisco Dons
| years1 = ?–?
| clubs1 = Nestle
| caps1 =
| goals1 =
| years2 = ?–?
| clubs2 = National Bank of Lagos
| caps2 =
| goals2 =
| years3 = 1983–1994
| clubs3 = Greek-Americans
| caps3 =
| goals3 =
| totalcaps =
| totalgoals =
| nationalyears1 = 1976–1980
| nationalteam1 = Nigeria[https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/nig-recintlp.html Nigeria - Record International Players]
| nationalcaps1 = 39
| nationalgoals1 = 2
| manageryears1 =
| managerclubs1 =
}}
Godwin Odiye (born 17 April 1956) is a former Nigeria international football defender.
Life
Odiye was born in Lagos in April 1956 to the family of Jonah and Cecilia Odiye. He attended St Paul's School, Ebute Metta, Eko Boys and then attended St Finbarr's, Akoka. He played football at both his primary and secondary schools. At St Finbarrs, he started out as a left-half back. In 1975, he was called to play for a junior team called the Nigerian Academicals. The team beat Ghana in 1975 giving Odiye attention among scouts.{{citation needed|date=August 2019}}
Odiye began playing club football in Nigeria for third division league side, Nestle and later National Bank of Lagos.{{cite web|publisher=Nigeria Village Square|title=The complicated hero - Introducing a man called Odiye|url=http://www.nigeriavillagesquare.com/articles/suya-spot/the-complicated-hero-introducing-a-man-called-odiye.html|date=16 July 2008|access-date=12 October 2011|archive-date=5 February 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150205070107/http://www.nigeriavillagesquare.com/articles/suya-spot/the-complicated-hero-introducing-a-man-called-odiye.html|url-status=dead}} While playing for National Bank, Odiye also worked with the bank as a clerk. He worked in the morning and trained in the evening. In 1978, Odiye was recruited by University of San Francisco to play collegiate soccer. Odiye moved to the United States to attend college and after graduating in 1983, he played for a local semi-professional club Greek-American A.C. which he would help win the 1985 and 1994 U.S. Open Cup.{{cite web|publisher=TheCup.us|author=Hakala, Josh|title=The US Open Cup Final: 1914-2010|url=http://thecup.us/the-open-cup-final-1914-present/|date=5 October 2010}}
Odiye made several appearances for the senior Nigeria national football team, including FIFA World Cup qualifying matches, and played at the 1976 and 1980 African Cup of Nations finals. He is well known for scoring an own goal in a 1978 FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Tunisia.{{cite web|website=The Philadelphia Inquirer|author=Jensen, Mike|title=A Chance To Redeem Himself Godwin Odiye Hopes To Alter His Dubious Standing In Nigerian Soccer|url=http://articles.philly.com/1994-04-28/sports/25864522_1_nigerian-soccer-world-cup-blunders|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151017081654/http://articles.philly.com/1994-04-28/sports/25864522_1_nigerian-soccer-world-cup-blunders|url-status=dead|archive-date=17 October 2015|date=28 April 1994}}
In September 2003, Godwin began working at the College Preparatory School in Oakland, CA as a teacher of a Recreation, Health, & Fitness class.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{FIFA player|55446}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20111103012420/http://www.college-prep.org/athletics/profile.aspx?pageaction=VPSFaculty&LinkID=93&DirectoryModuleID=64 Bio at College-Prep.org]
{{Nigeria Squad 1980 African Cup of Nations}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Odiye, Godwin}}
Category:Africa Cup of Nations–winning players
Category:Nigerian men's footballers
Category:Nigerian expatriate men's footballers
Category:Nigeria men's international footballers
Category:1976 African Cup of Nations players
Category:1980 African Cup of Nations players
Category:Expatriate men's soccer players in the United States
Category:Nigerian expatriate sportspeople in the United States
Category:San Francisco Dons men's soccer players
Category:Greek-American A.C. players
Category:Men's association football defenders
Category:African Games silver medalists for Nigeria
Category:African Games medalists in football
Category:Competitors at the 1978 All-Africa Games
Category:20th-century Nigerian sportsmen
{{Nigeria-footy-defender-stub}}