Nigeria: Team Profile – Enyimba

16 July 2011

Two-time African champions Enyimba are back in familiar territory after they last reached the semi-finals of the competition in 2008.

They will be favourites along with Cotonsport of Cameroon to qualify for the knockout stage of the competition from a group that also has Morocco’s Raja Casablanca and Al Hilal of Sudan.

State of the team

Enyimba are enjoying a surge in form in the Nigeria Premier League after a rather indifferent start to the season.

A cash crunch which has hit most of the clubs in the Nigerian top flight was blamed for the poor of ‘The People’s Elephant’, but they have since regained form and are pushing for a better finish even though it is looking increasingly unlikely they will retain the championship.

They are now seventh on the 20-team table with 48 points from 30 matches.

Strengths

The team’s star player now is Josiah Maduabuchi. He is a very skilful forward who can single handedly destroy any opposition on a good day. He has good pace, dribbles very well and weighs in with a fair share of goals.

They have a strong back four marshalled by central defender Nnaemeka Anyanwu, a former youth international who has matured within such a short time.

In attack, Victor Barnabas, Uche Kalu and Josiah Maduabuchi have provided the goals.

They have experience running through the team, from goalkeeper Chijoke Ejiogu to defender Kenneth Anyanwu, midfielder Chiedozie Johnson and forward David Tyavkase.

They are also almost invincible at home.

Weaknesses

Their away form has been a concern lately. In last season’s CAF Confederation Cup, they lost heavily away from home.

They have also several quality players like Cletus Itodo, Ajani Ibrahim, Gabriel Reuben and Atanda Sakibu, who helped them to win the league last season.

Nnaemeka Anyanwu has formed a great central defensive combo with Emmanuel Anyanwu, who though has been away with the country’s Olympic team and will also be unavailable for the opening three match days of the Champions League as he is now the country’s Under-20 World cup bound for the World Cup in Colombia.

The coach

Felix Okey Emordi helped Enyimba to successfully defend the CAF Champions League trophy they first won in 2003.

He is a very experienced coach who has handled some of Nigeria’s top clubs like Enugu Rangers, and he also worked briefly with Bush Bucks in South Africa.

Last season, he returned on his second stint at club and helped them to win their sixth league title.

He is a very pragmatic coach, a tough task master, who believes in fitness, direct play and would always be happy for his team to play ugly and win, rather than the reverse.

Squad

Goalkeepers: Chijoke Ejiogu, John Lawrence, Godwin Paul

Defenders: Emmanuel Anyanwu, Nnaemeka Anyanwu, Kenneth Anyanwu, Valentine Nwabaeli, John Agbawu, Usman Amodu, Markson Ojobo, Musa Mustapha, Samuel Tswanya, Chinedu Udoji, David Amanyi, Kevin Njoku, Abdullahi Abdul

Midfielders: Rasheed Olabiyi, Peter Onoja, Chiedozie Johnson, Otekpa Eneji

Forwards: Josiah Maduabuchi, Philip Auta, Victor Barnabas, Uche Kalu, Junior Osagie, Ifeanyi Ede, Bernard Okorowanta, Nonso Elias, Henry Uche, Ahmed Kadiri

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