OBITUARY

Former Super Eagles coaching target and England manager Venables dies aged 80

Published

1 year ago

November 26, 2023

Terry Venables, who was an initial Nigeria target to take over Clemens Westerhof in the days leading to Nigeria’s debut at the World Cup in 1994, has died.

The Chairman of the National Sports Commission at the time had proposed Venables to take over Westerhof’s job following a fall out with the Dutch.

Venables had previously managed England’s national soccer team and Tottenham Hotspur.

He died aged 80 after an illness, his family said on Sunday.

Venables guided England to the semi-finals of the 1996 European Championship on home soil before losing to Germany on penalties.

“We are totally devastated by the loss of a wonderful husband and father who passed away peacefully yesterday after a long illness,” the family said in a statement.

In addition to his spell in charge of Tottenham, during which he won the FA Cup in the 1990-91 season, he also took charge of Crystal Palace, Leeds United and Barcelona in a glittering managerial career.

During his time at Barcelona, Venables earned the nickname El Tel, winning LaLiga and reaching the European Cup final in 1986. Venables was also responsible for bringing British strikers Gary Lineker and Mark Hughes to the Nou Camp.

“The best, most innovative coach that I had the privilege and pleasure of playing for,” Lineker, who also played under Venables at Spurs and England, wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.

“He was much more, though, than just a great manager, he was vibrant, he was charming, he was witty, he was a friend.”

Venables started his professional career as a player with Chelsea in 1960 and played for Tottenham Hotspur, Queens Park Rangers and Crystal Palace before retiring to take over the manager’s role there.

As a player, he made over 500 league appearances and won the League Cup with Chelsea in 1965 and the FA Cup with Spurs in 1967. He made two international appearances for England.

Venables also had a two-year stint as chief executive of Spurs from 1991-93.

“We are extremely saddened to learn of the passing of Terry Venables, our former player, manager and chief executive, who passed away on Saturday,” Spurs said in a statement.

Current England manager Gareth Southgate, part of the Euro 1996 side and who missed a penalty in the shootout defeat by Germany, said Venables “made people feel special.”

“Any player will have great affinity with the manager that gave them their opportunity, but it was quickly evident playing for Terry Venables that he was an outstanding coach and manager,” Southgate said.

“Tactically excellent, he had a wonderful manner, capable of handling everyone from the youngest player to the biggest star.”

Venables also brought the mercurial Paul Gascoigne to Tottenham from Newcastle in 1988, helping him become one of the most sought-after midfielders in the world.

“Such a sad day, cheers boss,” Gascoigne said.

OBITUARY

Fourteen years after Nigeria’s Olubayo’s death, former Croatia international Pokrivac dies in a similar car accident

Published

5 hours ago

April 19, 2025

Kunle Solaja

A former Croatia international, Nikola Pokrivac, died in a car accident in Karlovac in central Croatia on Friday, the anniversary of the similar death of a Nigerian international footballer, Adefemi Olubayo.

Olubayo died in a car crash while driving on the A2 motorway at Egnatia Odos, near the city of Kaval in Greece, while on his way to the airport to catch a flight to Nigeria to finalise details of his wedding.

In similar circumstances, the former Croatian footballer died on the same 18 April.

According to information by the Croatian Football Federation (HNS), Pokrivac, who featured for Croatia from 2008 to 2010, was 39 at the time of his death.

Local media reported that the collision, which involved four vehicles, also killed one other person from a different car.

Pokrivac was in a vehicle with three teammates from fourth-tier club NK Vojnic, who are injured, two of them critically.

Former Dinamo Zagreb midfielder Pokrivac played for Croatia from 2008 to 2010, earning 15 caps. He also played for Ligue 1 side AS Monaco and Austrian club RB Salzburg.

“It is impossible to find words of comfort in such a shocking and unimaginably sad moment when we have lost a young life,” the HNS said in a statement.

“I can only express my deepest condolences to Nikola’s family and loved ones for this irreparable loss, and the HNS and the Croatian football family will be with them in these most difficult moments,” HNS President Marijan Kustic added.

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OBITUARY

Gabon forward Boupendza dies in terrible circumstances

Published

2 days ago

April 17, 2025

Kunle Solaja

Gabon forward Aaron Boupendza has died at 28 following a fall from the 11th floor of a building in China, the Gabonese Football Federation (FEGAFOOT) said on Wednesday.

Boupendza, who joined Zhejiang FC earlier this year, was in good form with four goals in six matches.

“At 28, Boupendza is remembered as a great striker who left a lasting impression at the African Cup of Nations in Cameroon (in 2022),” FEGAFOOT said in a statement.

“Trained at CF Mounana and Bordeaux in France, the Gabonese striker joined the Chinese league after a brief spell in Romania.

“FEGAFOOT and the great family of Gabonese soccer offer their biological family their sincere condolences in this difficult time.”

Authorities in China have launched an investigation to find out whether the fall was an accident, suicide, or the result of foul play, media reports in Romania said.

There was no official confirmation of the cause of death.

“It is with great sadness that I learn of the tragic death of Aaron Boupendza, a talented centre-forward who brought honour to Gabonese soccer,” Gabon President Brice Oligui Nguema said.

“I offer my sincere condolences to his family and friends. May God bless his soul.”

The forward played for several clubs in France, Turkey, Qatar, the United States and China.

-Reuters

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OBITUARY

One by One, the Green Eagles are Flying Away!

Published

6 days ago

April 13, 2025

Kunle Solaja

One after the other, they fly away. The Green Eagles are depleting. The Nigerian heroes of 1980 are fast fading out.

Christian Chukwu, their chairman who became the first skipper to lift the then newly donated Africa Cup of Nations, is no more.

He departed just 20 days after the 45th anniversary of the historic 1980 feat.

His death, and that of another national teammate, Charles Bassey, has brought the number of passages to nine. Before Chukwu and Bassey, the dead ones are: Best Ogedegbe who was in goal, Muda Lawal, the scorer of the final goal, Okey Isima, Tunde Bamidele, Aloysius Atuegbu and Martin Eyo.

Thus only 13 of the 22 heroes of 1980 are alive. Even the coach, Brazil’s Professor Otto Gloria, has passed on. With the charismatic Stephen Keshi also dead in 2016, now two of Nigeria’s three Africa Cup of Nations captains are gone.

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