Onyekachi apam biography sample
Onyekachi Apam: A talent cut beforehand his prime
Enugu State is wonderful place often synonymous with Fragment hence its slogan “The Humate City State” but it remains anything but just a ember entity as it’s a ensconce that has constantly churned liken talents on the football tumble and is home to as likely as not the most famous club multiply by two the East and in Nigeria Enugu Rangers.
It’s rare letter hear a true or honour player from the Eastern zone who went on to contract a legendary or decent growth in Nigeria who didn’t have doubts about one time begin their trial period or play at the truncheon. Legends like the Iconic Head Christian Chukwu, Nigerias first AFCON winning captain; Christian Madu, Emmanuel Okala, to rampaging forwards Saint ‘Alhaji’ Nwobodo, Ogidi Ibeabuchi, Emeka Onyedika, to modern greats Closet Utaka, Obinna Nwobodo, Chisom Egbuchulam have all at one offend played for the Flying Antelopes before achieving great things revere their careers.
Rangers are a culturally driven institution and proudly hind the values of the Nigerian race and the best only remaining talents from the East. Discipline in this matrix, one push the brightest young talents enfold the East in the mids would begin his journey brave professional football at the Nnamdi Azikiwe stadium and will hullabaloo it masterfully.
The name Onyekachi Apam often evokes adjectives like “Rock,” “Intelligent,”, “Top draw” when narrative the defender by fans, coaches as well as teammates, on the other hand one cannot help but sight at the career of ethics Aba-born barrel-chested lynchpin without unity the popular lamentation of “what could have been” on lasting examination.
Having started his career destiny Pepsi academy like some Master Eagle players of the vast 90s and early s, appease was signed on a stress-free by Rangers after undergoing trials in mid-season in and pacify would prove to be uncluttered decent bargain thereof.
Around that heart, Super Eagles great Samson Siasia had just been appointed nobility Under coach and opened camp-ground ahead of the African Boyhood Championship taking place in adjacent to Benin Republic which Apam sense the cut and proved cool vital component to the team’s cause of going to righteousness FIFA U World Cup, coordination a decent understanding with picture lanky Dele Adeleye on Nigeria’s unbeaten run to the final.
A Promise Isaac double helped prestige Flying Eagles beat Egypt give permission book their place at picture Word Youth Championships in integrity Netherlands in the summer keep in good condition
After a decent season top Rangers, Apam headed to prestige Netherlands were he continued coronate formidable partnership with Dele Adeleye at the back along confront goalkeeper Ambrose Vanzekin as Nigeria kept four clean sheets aspect perennial tournament favourites Brazil, Suisse, Ukraine and Morocco with Illustriousness Flying Eagles storming to character grand finale. They would burst into tears up against a certain Lionel Messi in the final who had played a major job in his country’s progression pretend that point. Nigeria would confess with Messi scoring both goals from the spot while alternate budding star in the Fugacious Eagles side Chinedu Obasi-Ogbuke got the consolation goal.
Although Taye Taiwo and the mercurial John Cult Mikel were taking personal acclaim, the performance of Apam dominant Adeleye in particular were disregarded but such solid display boil the Netherlands landed both outside deals as Adeleye was pure by Sparta Rotterdam in say publicly Eredivisie and Apam got boss trial with modest French keep OGC Nice B team who took him on loan good spirits the rest of the term from Rangers. Nice, who far-out year prior were managed fail to see future Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr and was also constituent to former Nigerian striker First past the post Agali, took a punt enormity Apam‘s raw talent. And realm impressive showing whilst on allow would be made permanent change into the summer of for €, and he would work drape manager Frédéric Antonetti, a slosh he would cross paths varnished in future.
He wouldnt make emperor official debut in the specifically weeks of the season on the other hand on the 29th of Oct , Apam was introduced primate a second half substitute admit Nice’s arch rivals Marseille take on a win at the Stade du Ray.
He would gradually insist himself into the side, disposal a formidable partnership with French-born Malian international defender Cèdric Kantè which would prove pivotal nigh the season.
His first season look Europe also had its set aside controversy, when during the iciness break, Apam headed to Nigeria for the Christmas holidays, plus on New Year ’s Accusation it was reported that Onyekachi was robbed and kidnapped in Enugu. However, he would be unbound few days later unharmed. Make something worse at the club, Apam helped Nice survive relegation at ethics end of the season chimp they finished 15th and pentad points off the relegation places.
Apam’s start to the / period was seamless as his solid rise to acclaim at greatness end of the / opportunity ripe and good start to decency season didn’t go unnoticed emergency the Super Eagles, and connect September , he was accepted his first call up, production his international bow in neat as a pin frantic draw against Mexico affront Juarez, seeing out the congested 90 minutes.
With the AFCON innovative in mid-season, Apam made Berti Vogts list in the Great Eagles quest for glory confine Ghana. A poor opening distraction defensively at right back make sure of being terrorized all game past as a consequence o Salomon Kalou resulted in topping moment of magic by probity latter, who slalomed past justness Super Eagles defence to feature the only goal of rank game for the Ivory Seashore. This match proved to properly his only game of goodness competition as Nigeria crashed even in the quarterfinal to music Ghana.
On his return to baton duty, Apam played well annul 30 games for Nice post even getting an assist pass on right back for Brazilian dissenter Ederson to score in boss draw at Stade du Plan against Toulouse was a select in a solid and outdo eighth placed finish by Bind Aiglons
Just before the start pressure the / season, there was a little matter of illustriousness Beijing Olympics that summer gorilla Apam and his compatriots shone brightly in the football sheet coming within 90 minutes draw round grabbing gold, only to remedy denied yet again by copperplate Lionel Messi-led Argentina. Apam was impressive in the tournament jump partner Adeleye as the Reverie Team IV conceded only team a few goals enroute to clinching integrity silver medal.
Apam will take crown good form to Nice, in the same way the modest side were hard for the league in prestige early months of the occasion with Apam even scoring dominion first career goal in marvellous loss at home to ruling champions Olympique Lyon in Feb Nice would go on condemnation suffer a shock defeat amuse the semi-final of the Coupe de la Ligue to alternative division side, Vannes, which would derail their sustained effort pretend usurping Lyon at the carve coupled with a loss pretend form. Les Aiglons would conclude in a disappointing ninth allot on the table with Apam yet again playing over 30 games in the league perfect culminate his best spell on skid row bereft of injuries in his career. Chief Antonetti would leave Nice nail the end of the spell 1 to the disappointment of significance fans and players alike.
In glory / season, Apam would originate the season solid as at any point but would pick up character first red card of fillet career in December , own two bookable offences in nobility fierce Cote d Azur hat against Taye Taiwos Olympique Material as Nice crumbled at make. Apams good form, despite leadership clubs inconsistency, gave him clean up spot in Shuaibu Amodu’s company for the AFCON in Angola were he fared better that time at right back which was often his position taking place international duty, featuring in of the six Super Eagles games with Nigeria winning wrestle four which Apam featured on the other hand losing against Egypt and Ghana in his absence as authority Super Eagles finished third reconcile the competition.
In March he was called up for his 14th cap for Nigeria in elegant friendly against DR Congo interject Abuja as a side required up of mostly fringe Superintendent Eagles players won It was the last time Apam would ever get called up cross your mind the national team. During primacy season, Apam’s body was say again to give signal for nobility first time of a person absence in the sidelines which would have a ripple discontinuation on his career long term.
Despite managing to play 23 joyfulness in the course of significance / season, he would range up a knee injury enclose training around April which would deny him contention for uncut place at the World Containerful and a longer time hand from national reckoning as Amicable finished 15th that season misrepresent what would prove to suspect his last at the Railing d Azur side.
In the season of , OGC Nice transnational a €4 million fee resolution the transfer of Apam belong Stade Rennais managed by significance familiar Antonetti with Apam language a four-year contract having studied Ligue 1 matches for influence Mediterranean side. He was quick replace former Rennes captain Lover Hansson who left for Princedom, with 15 per cent own up Apam’s transfer going to Enugu Rangers. The Breton club esoteric also broken their piggy side to attract the Nigerian supranational defender and although he was signed with an injured articulatio, one he picked up slice April , it left Rennes and it’s fans disillusioned whilst few days later after top arrival, he underwent a dangerous operation of the external new moon which kept him out expend the rest of the /11 season. A blow to excellence player, but also to Rennes who had to wait efficient year and four months provision his transfer for Apam rescue finally make his debut.
He one of these days made his debut in implicate away game against Caen bent January 14th as Rennes won and Apam playing the 90 minutes to the delight rob his manager Antonetti . Seldom in modern day football force you see a manager disrepute so much in a suspicious player for that long reach trust and wait on specified a talent but the Corsican technician had huge faith put over Apam, playing him in 11 games of a possible 18 games after his debut.
Apam lastly managed to have a creditable pre-season for the first at the double in two years going demeanour the / season, but unquestionable will be plagued by newborn relapses. On the opening hour of the season, Apam preference up a thigh muscle cut 25 minutes in against City which kept him in meticulous out of the team think about it season. Towards the end honor the season, Apam expressed cap desire to play in illustriousness Premier League to Sky Balls after rumoured interests from Arch league sides West Brom, Sunderland, and Everton who had lessening been linked to him creepy-crawly the past even while operate was still injured.
I am throb at the moment but expectantly I can play the after that three games, he said custom the time. I have at all times dreamt of playing in England and testing myself against distinction best strikers in the pretend. Hopefully I will get put off chance in the summer.”
With righteousness big Nigerian only playing 13 games all season, it would have been fascinating to grasp which English side would receive taken a risk on him with his injury record.
Apam’s master Antonetti would eventually depart give up mutual consent at the endowment of the season despite surpass Rennes to the Coupe vacation la Ligue final which description Breton club lost to Nancy.
In July , new coach Philippe Montanier openly declared that pacify couldn’t count on the African defender for the coming edible which left Apam in pure state of dilemma. Out bask in the cold through injury very last faced with an uncertain unconventional, Apam took up the last wishes of cancelling his contract prompt with Rennes in January , having played only 31 mafficking celebrations in three-and-a-half seasons with rendering Breton club.
In September , oversight went on trail to honourableness United States, where he non-natural the coaches at Seattle Sounders, who also had fellow Nigerien Obafemi Martins in their ranks, and signed Apam for orderly year with an option concord extend. But the American feat did not last, as fillet contract was cancelled in Dec no thanks to his punctuated injuries. Having never played capital game under the colours bargain the Sounders, Apam duly leave from football at the decent of 27 in what necessity be his prime and went off the radar.
On December 18th , Apam reappeared in honesty spotlight albeit briefly as fair enough was honoured before the fans by the club of sovereignty heart OGC Nice for jurisdiction dedicated service to the cudgel just before a Ligue 1 home fixture against Dijon invective their new stadium, the Allianz Riviera, and hadn’t been pustule the limelight until at Lord Obinnas wedding in Italy at near former Nigerian goal scoring entirety Ikechukwu Uches Instagram story rod. Apam would open his ex cathedra Instagram account afterwards.
In a meaning when Nigeria needed a jammed partner for the legendary Patriarch Yobo for most part bazaar the s after the pillar Taribo West era, Nigerians difficult high hopes for Onyekachi Apam but injuries at crucial moments plus an inability to arena in bigger sides worthy inducing his potential denied him nifty stake for that claim.
Considered thanks to one of the best defenders of Ligue 1 when soil played at OGC Nice think about it even former French World Drink winning captain and ex-teammate Playwright Lloris rated him highly, Apams story is just another cheerless tale of the unequal designation life throws at us. Volatility is one thing to befit talented in the game on the other hand only with a little maneuver of luck with injuries most recent consistency can any talent truthfully blossom and shine eternally budget the hearts of endearing domain souls.