Sunday Oliseh
{{short description|Nigerian footballer and manager}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2020}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Sunday Oliseh
| fullname = Sunday Ogochukwu Oliseh
| image =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1974|9|14|df=y}}
| birth_place = Abavo, Delta State, Nigeria
| height = 1.83 m
| position = Defensive midfielder
| years1 = 1989–1990
| clubs1 = Julius Berger
| caps1 =
| goals1 =
| years2 = 1991–1994
| clubs2 = RFC Liège
| caps2 = 75
| goals2 = 3
| years3 = 1994–1995
| clubs3 = Reggiana
| caps3 = 29
| goals3 = 1
| years4 = 1995–1997
| clubs4 = 1. FC Köln
| caps4 = 54
| goals4 = 4
| years5 = 1997–1999
| clubs5 = Ajax
| caps5 = 54
| goals5 = 8
| years6 = 1999–2000
| clubs6 = Juventus
| caps6 = 8
| goals6 = 0
| years7 = 2000–2005
| clubs7 = Borussia Dortmund
| caps7 = 53
| goals7 = 1
| years8 = 2003–2004
| clubs8 = → VfL Bochum (loan){{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/africa/3522129.stm |title=Bochum release Oliseh |date=1 March 2004 |publisher=BBC Sport |access-date=4 April 2010}}{{cite web |url=http://www.uefa.com/memberassociations/news/newsid=173325.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121023041107/http://www.uefa.com/memberassociations/news/newsid=173325.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=23 October 2012 |title=Ruhr treat for Bochum |date=28 April 2004 |publisher=UEFA |access-date=4 April 2010 | first = Mark | last = Bennett}}
| caps8 = 32
| goals8 = 1
| years9 = 2005–2006
| clubs9 = Genk
| caps9 = 16
| goals9 = 0
| totalcaps = 321
| totalgoals = 18
| nationalteam1 = Nigeria{{refn|group=note|Oliseh played 54 games and scored 2 goals for Nigeria per RSSSF.{{Cite web | url = https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/s-oliseh-intl.html | title = Sunday Ogorchukwu Oliseh - International Appearances | author = Roberto Mamrud | date = 10 April 2014 | access-date = 29 January 2015 | publisher = Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation}}}}
| nationalyears1 = 1993–2002
| nationalcaps1 = 55
| nationalgoals1 = 4
| manageryears1 = 2007
| managerclubs1 = Eupen (sports director)
| manageryears2 = 2008–2009
| managerclubs2 = Verviétois
| manageryears3 = 2015–2016
| managerclubs3 = Nigeria
| manageryears4 = 2017–2018
| managerclubs4 = Fortuna Sittard
| manageryears5 = 2022
| managerclubs5 = SV 19 Straelen
| medaltemplates = {{MedalCountry|{{NGR}}}}{{MedalSport|Men's Football}}{{MedalGold|1996 Atlanta|Team Competition}}
}}
Sunday Ogochukwu Oliseh (born 14 September 1974) is a Nigerian football manager and former footballer who played as a defensive midfielder. Physical yet technically gifted, he played for top European clubs including Ajax, Borussia Dortmund and Juventus. He is widely regarded as one of the best African midfielders of all time.
Playing career
Oliseh played 55 international matches and scored 4 goals for Nigeria, and played at the 1994 and 1998 FIFA World Cups. Oliseh was also part of Nigeria's Olympic gold medal winning team of 1996.
Oliseh was voted Africa's third best footballer in 1998 by CAF.
He is mostly remembered for scoring the winning goal in the group stage match against Spain in the 1998 World Cup, as Nigeria prevailed 3–2. A throw-in deep in the Spanish half was headed clear by Fernando Hierro – Oliseh ran and fired an explosive shot from 25 yards and took Spanish goalkeeper Andoni Zubizarreta completely by surprise.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69Eu8HMrG94 |title=Oliseh goal vs. Spain |website=YouTube |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110201195014/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69Eu8HMrG94 |archive-date=1 February 2011 }} Despite captaining Nigeria during the 2002 African Cup of Nations, Oliseh was omitted from his country's World Cup squad later that year for disciplinary reasons. After missing out on World Cup selection, Oliseh retired from international football in June 2002, demanding unpaid allowances and dues owed to be paid.{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/africa/2053413.stm | work=BBC News | first=Osasu | last=Obayiuwana | title=Sunday Oliseh quits | date=19 June 2002 | access-date = 14 October 2012}}
In March 2004, Oliseh was sacked by Borussia Dortmund after headbutting teammate Vahid Hashemian while on loan at VfL Bochum allegedly over racial remarks.{{cite news| url=http://edition.cnn.com/2004/SPORT/football/03/11/germany.oliseh/index.html | work=CNN | title=Oliseh shown door after punch-up | date=11 March 2004 | access-date = 14 October 2012}}{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/africa/3505318.stm | work=BBC News | title=Oliseh not surprised | date=12 March 2004 | access-date = 14 October 2012}}
In January 2006, at the age of 31, Oliseh retired from professional football after playing a half season for Belgian First Division A top club K.R.C. Genk.{{cite web|url=http://www.sport.be/fr/jupilerleague/0506/nieuws/article.html?Article_ID=116717&comp=2304 |title=Oliseh leaves Genk |language=fr |publisher=sport.be |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070926235324/http://www.sport.be/fr/jupilerleague/0506/nieuws/article.html?Article_ID=116717&comp=2304 |archive-date=26 September 2007 }}
Managerial career
Oliseh started his coaching career in Belgium with youth teams in the Belgian 3rd Division Verviers, notably the Under 19 team. He graduated to the first team as chief coach of Verviers in the 2008–09 season. During the 2014–15 season, he was appointed as the Chief Coach and Club Manager of RCS VISE in the Belgium 3rd Division.
In 2015–16, was appointed by the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) the National Team Chief Coach of Nigeria (Super Eagles of Nigeria) where he made an impressive statistic of; 14 Games (Only 2 losses) 19 Goals scored, 6 conceded.
He qualified Nigeria to the CHAN tournament in Rwanda, qualified Nigeria to the Group phase of the 2018 world cup Qualifiers and on his first game as Chief Coach of Nigeria in an AFCON qualifier managed a draw in Tanzania.
He resigned as Nigeria's national coach at about 2:28am on 26 February 2016 exactly a month to the team's encounter with the Pharaohs of Egypt in the AFCON qualifiers. He was barely 8 months into his stay as manager due to contract violations, lack of support, unpaid wages and benefits to his players, Asst. Coaches and himself.{{Cite web|url=http://www.360nobs.com/2016/02/sunday-oliseh-quits-super-eagles-former-captain-quits-as-head-coach/|title=Sunday Oliseh Quits Super Eagles: Coach Resigns Over Lack Of Suppor|website=www.360nobs.com|access-date=14 May 2018}}
On 27 December 2016, it was announced that Oliseh had been appointed as the new manager of Fortuna Sittard.[http://nos.nl/artikel/2150260-fortuna-sittard-verrast-oliseh-is-de-nieuwe-trainer.html Fortuna Sittard verrast: Oliseh is de nieuwe trainer] (Dutch). NOS. 27 December 2016. He was fired on 14 February 2018,{{Cite web|url=https://www.fortunasittard.nl/nieuws/fortuna-sittard-stelt-sunday-oliseh-op-non-actief|title=FORTUNA SITTARD STELT SUNDAY OLISEH OP NON-ACTIEF|date=14 February 2018|publisher=Fortuna Sittard|language=nl|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180214194611/https://www.fortunasittard.nl/nieuws/fortuna-sittard-stelt-sunday-oliseh-op-non-actief|archive-date=14 February 2018}} and claimed the reason he was fired was because he refused to participate in illegal activities at the club.[https://twitter.com/SundayOOliseh/status/963804333618946049 Sunday Oliseh on Twitter] Sunday Oliseh. 14 February 2018.
After two years without a club, in March 2020, Oliseh stated that he had turned down "two jobs from Belgian clubs", but that he waited for the right offer.{{cite web |last1=Titus |first1=Vincent |title=Sunday Oliseh reveals why he is yet to return to management |url=https://futaa.com/article/204265/n-a |publisher=Futaa |access-date=23 September 2020 |date=18 March 2020 |quote=As reported by Sports Extra, Oliseh says he is yet to receive the right offer having turned down two jobs from Belgian clubs. The 45-year-old has been without a club for the last two years since parting ways with Dutch club Fortuna Sittard in 2018.}}
In June 2022, he was appointed as the new head coach of German club SV 19 Straelen.[https://www.goal.com/en-ng/news/nigeria-legend-oliseh-primed-for-coaching-return-with-german-club-sv-straelen/bltf5ff1e0df5b84db4 Nigeria legend Oliseh primed for coaching return with German club SV Straelen] Goal.com. 22 June 2022.[https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2022/06/22/oliseh-appointed-coach-in-germany/ Oliseh Appointed Coach in Germany
] Thisdaylive.com. 22 June 2022. In August 2022, after just two months in charge, he quit his position after the team suffered five losses in five games.[https://www.goal.com/en-ng/news/nigeria-legend-oliseh-resigns-from-german-side-sv-straelen-after-two-months/blta4a94c94c6bf5c7b Nigeria legend Oliseh resigns from German side SV Straelen after two months] Goal.com. 24 August 2022.
Style of play
Oliseh was a physical yet technically gifted midfielder.{{cite web |url=https://www.goal.com/en/news/oliseh-to-liverpool-klopp-football-will-be-boring-if-we-all-played-same-way/blt482eb96199f119a6 |title=Oliseh to Liverpool's Klopp: 'Football will be boring if we all played same way' |publisher=www.goal.com |date=8 May 2022 |access-date=23 November 2023 }} Although he essentially played as a defensive midfielder throughout his career, Jonathan Wilson noted in a 2013 article for The Guardian that he was an early example of a more creative interpreter of this role, who focussed more on ball retention and passing rather than solely looking to win back possession.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2013/dec/18/question-holding-midfielders-changing-role|title=The Question: what does the changing role of holding midfielders tell us?|last=Wilson|first=Jonathan|author-link=Jonathan Wilson (writer)|work=The Guardian|date=18 December 2013|access-date=31 October 2014}}
Personal life
His younger brothers, Azubuike and Egutu, are also professional footballers; another brother is Churchill Oliseh and his nephew is Sekou Oliseh.
Career statistics
=Club=
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition{{NFT|10501|name=Oliseh, Sunday|accessdate=20 July 2011}} | |||||||||
| rowspan="2"|Club
!rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|Cup !colspan="2"|Continental !colspan="2"|Other !colspan="2"|Total | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division||Apps||Goals||Apps||Goals||Apps||Goals||Apps||Goals||Apps||Goals | |||||||||
| rowspan="5"|Liège
|rowspan="4"|Belgian First Division |3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | ||||
| 1991–92
|16 | 1 | colspan="2"|— | |16 | 1 | |||||
| 1992–93
|30 | 2 | colspan="2"|— | |30 | 2 | |||||
| 1993–94
|26 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | |26 | 0 | |||||
| colspan="2"|Total
!75||3||||||colspan="2"|—|||||||75||3 | |||||||||
| Reggiana
|29 | 1 | 4 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 33 | 1 | ||
| rowspan="3"|1. FC Köln
|rowspan="2"|Bundesliga |24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 24 | 0 | ||
| 1996–97
|30 | 4 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 31 | 4 | ||
| colspan="2"|Total
!54||4||1||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||55||4 | |||||||||
| rowspan="3"|Ajax
|rowspan="2"|Eredivisie |29 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 8 | 1 | colspan="2"|— | 42 | 6 | |
| 1998–99
|25 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 34 | 3 |
| colspan="2"|Total
!54||8||8||0||13||1||1||0||76||9 | |||||||||
| Juventus
|Serie A |8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 1 |
| rowspan="5"|Borussia Dortmund
|rowspan="4"|Bundesliga |22 | 0 | 2 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 24 | 0 | ||
| 2001–02
|18 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 2 |
| 2002–03
|2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 2004–05
|11 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 15 | 1 | |
| colspan="2"|Total
!53||1||4||1||15||1||0||0||72||3 | |||||||||
| rowspan="3"|Bochum (loan)
|rowspan="2"|Bundesliga |11 | 0 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 12 | 0 | ||
| 2003–04
|21 | 1 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 1 | 0 | 22 | 1 | |
| colspan="2"|Total
!32||1||1||0||colspan="2"|—||1||0||34||1 | |||||||||
| Genk
|Belgian First Division |16 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 19 | 0 | |
| colspan="3"|Career total
!321||18||20||1||40||3||2||0||383||22 |
= International =
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" | |||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| rowspan="11"|Nigeria
|1993 | 1 | 0 | |
| 1994 | 12 | 0 | |
| 1995 | 3 | 1 | |
| 1996 | 1 | 0 | |
| 1997 | 4 | 1 | |
| 1998 | 7 | 1 | |
| 1999 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2000 | 10 | 1 | |
| 2001 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2002 | 7 | 0 | |
| Total||55||4 |
Honours
Ajax
Juventus
- UEFA Intertoto Cup: 1999{{Cite web |url=http://www.uefa.com/Competitions/IntertotoCup/AllTimeStatistics/season%3D1999/Round%3D1274/match%3D56923/index.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040714021010/http://www.uefa.com/Competitions/IntertotoCup/AllTimeStatistics/season%3D1999/Round%3D1274/match%3D56923/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=14 July 2004 |title=Rennes Juventus 2 - 2 (Aggregate: 2 - 4)|publisher=UEFA |access-date=11 April 2020}}
Borussia Dortmund
- Bundesliga: 2001–02
- UEFA Cup runner-up: 2001–02
Nigeria U23
Nigeria
Notes
{{Reflist|group=note}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Wikiquote}}
- {{Fussballdaten|olisehsunday}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-sports}}
{{succession box|title=Nigeria captain|before=Uche Okechukwu|after=Jay-Jay Okocha||years=1998–2002}}
{{s-end}}
{{Navboxes
| title = Nigeria squads
| bg = #008751
| fg = white
| bordercolor = #00703C
| list1 =
{{Nigeria squad 1994 Africa 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}}
{{Nigeria squad 2000 Africa Cup of Nations}}
{{Nigeria squad 2002 Africa Cup of Nations}}
}}
{{Nigeria national football team managers}}
{{Fortuna Sittard managers}}
{{Authority control|state=}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Oliseh, Sunday}}
Category:Nigerian emigrants to Belgium
Category:Footballers from Delta State
Category:Nigerian men's footballers
Category:Men's association football defenders
Category:Nigeria men's international footballers
Category:Belgian Pro League players
Category:AC Reggiana 1919 players
Category:Borussia Dortmund players
Category:Africa Cup of Nations–winning players
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Category:1995 King Fahd Cup players
Category:1994 African Cup of Nations players
Category:2000 African Cup of Nations players
Category:2002 African Cup of Nations players
Category:Olympic medalists in football
Category:Medalists at the 1996 Summer Olympics
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Category:Footballers at the 1996 Summer Olympics
Category:Nigerian football managers
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Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Italy
Category:Nigerian expatriate sportspeople in Germany
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Germany
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