Sunday Oliseh

Sunday Ogochukwu Oliseh (born 14 September 1974) is a Nigerian football manager and former player. In his active playing career he 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.

Sunday Oliseh
Personal information
Full name Sunday Ogochukwu Oliseh
Date of birth (1974-09-14) 14 September 1974
Place of birth Abavo, Delta State, Nigeria
Height 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Defensive midfielder
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1989–1990 Julius Berger
1990–1994 RFC Liège 75 (3)
1994–1995 Reggiana 29 (1)
1995–1997 1. FC Köln 54 (4)
1997–1999 Ajax 54 (8)
1999–2000 Juventus 8 (0)
2000–2004 Borussia Dortmund 53 (1)
2003–2004 → VfL Bochum (loan)[1][2] 32 (1)
2005–2006 Genk 16 (0)
Total 321 (18)
International career
1993–2002 Nigeria 54 (2)
Managerial career
2007 Eupen (Sports director)
2008–2009 Verviétois
2015–2016 Nigeria
2017–2018 Fortuna Sittard
2022 SV 19 Straelen
Medal record
Representing  Nigeria
Men's Football
Gold medal – first place1996 AtlantaTeam Competition
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Playing career

Oliseh played 63 international matches and scored three goals[3] for Nigeria, and played at the Football World Cups of 1994 and 1998. Oliseh also participated in the 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.[4] 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 for having led the team as they demanded unpaid allowances and dues owed to be paid.[5]

In March 2004, Oliseh was sacked by Borussia Dortmund after head butting teammate Vahid Hashemian while on loan at VfL Bochum allegedly over racial remarks.[6][7]

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.[8]

Managerial career

Oliseh started his coaching career in Belgium with youth teams in the Belgian 3rd Division Verviers, notably the Under 19 team. Graduated to the first team as chief coach season 2008–09 Verviers. During the 2014–15 season, he was appointed as the Chief Coach and Club Manager of RCS VISE 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.[9] On 27 December 2016, it was announced that Oliseh had been appointed as the new manager of Fortuna Sittard.[10] He was fired on 14 February 2018,[11] and claimed the reason he was fired was because he refused to participate in illegal activities at the club.[12]

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.[13]

In June 2022, he was appointed as the new head coach of German club SV 19 Straelen.[14][15] In August 2022, after just two months in charge, he quit his position after the team suffered five losses in five games.[16]

Style of play

Although Oliseh 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.[17]

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
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition[18]
Club Season League
DivisionAppsGoals
Liège 1990–91 Belgian First Division 30
1991–92 161
1992–93 302
1993–94 260
Total 753
Reggiana 1994–95 Serie A 291
FC Köln 1995–96 Bundesliga 240
1996–97 304
Total 544
Ajax 1997–98 Eredivisie 295
1998–99 253
Total 548
Juventus 1999–2000 Serie A 80
Borussia Dortmund 2000–01 Bundesliga 220
2001–02 181
2002–03 20
2004–05 110
Total 531
Bochum (loan) 2002–03 Bundesliga 110
2003–04 321
Total 753
Genk 2005–06 Belgian First Division 160
Career total 32118

International
Appearances and goals by national team and year[18]
National teamYearAppsGoals
Nigeria 199310
1994110
199530
199610
199740
199872
199930
2000100
200170
200270
Total542

Honours

Ajax

Juventus

Borussia Dortmund

Nigeria U23

Nigeria

References
  1. "Bochum release Oliseh". BBC Sport. 1 March 2004. Retrieved 4 April 2010.
  2. Bennett, Mark (28 April 2004). "Ruhr treat for Bochum". UEFA. Retrieved 4 April 2010.
  3. Roberto Mamrud (10 April 2014). "Sunday Ogorchukwu Oliseh - International Appearances". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
  4. "Oliseh goal vs. Spain". YouTube. Archived from the original on 1 February 2011.
  5. Obayiuwana, Osasu (19 June 2002). "Sunday Oliseh quits". BBC News. Retrieved 14 October 2012.
  6. "Oliseh shown door after punch-up". CNN. 11 March 2004. Retrieved 14 October 2012.
  7. "Oliseh not surprised". BBC News. 12 March 2004. Retrieved 14 October 2012.
  8. "Oliseh leaves Genk" (in French). sport.be. Archived from the original on 26 September 2007.
  9. "Sunday Oliseh Quits Super Eagles: Coach Resigns Over Lack Of Suppor". www.360nobs.com. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
  10. Fortuna Sittard verrast: Oliseh is de nieuwe trainer (Dutch). NOS. 27 December 2016.
  11. "FORTUNA SITTARD STELT SUNDAY OLISEH OP NON-ACTIEF" (in Dutch). Fortuna Sittard. 14 February 2018. Archived from the original on 14 February 2018.
  12. Sunday Oliseh on Twitter Sunday Oliseh. 14 February 2018.
  13. Titus, Vincent (18 March 2020). "Sunday Oliseh reveals why he is yet to return to management". Futaa. Retrieved 23 September 2020. 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.
  14. Nigeria legend Oliseh primed for coaching return with German club SV Straelen Goal.com. 22 June 2022.
  15. [https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2022/06/22/oliseh-appointed-coach-in-germany/ Oliseh Appointed Coach in Germany ] Thisdaylive.com. 22 June 2022.
  16. Nigeria legend Oliseh resigns from German side SV Straelen after two months Goal.com. 24 August 2022.
  17. Wilson, Jonathan (18 December 2013). "The Question: what does the changing role of holding midfielders tell us?". The Guardian. Retrieved 31 October 2014.
  18. "Oliseh, Sunday". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 20 July 2011.
  19. "Rennes Juventus 2 - 2 (Aggregate: 2 - 4)". uefa.com. Archived from the original on 14 July 2004. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
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