Emmanuel Olisadebe
Emmanuel Olisadebe ( born December 22, 1978 in Warri, Nigeria ) is a former Polish footballer of Nigerian origin.
Career
The trained striker Emmanuel Olisadebe came in 1997 from Nigeria to Poland. He made first sample workouts with Wisła Krakow and Ruch Chorzów before he signed a contract with Polonia Warsaw. In his first season he still had to contend with starting difficulties and scored only one goal. But in the 1999/2000 season he was already one of the best players in the Ekstraklasa and was instrumental in the profits of the Polish championship of his club.
In 2000 he took part in the Polish citizenship and played once as the first black player in the history of Polish football for the Polish national football team. With his goals he was instrumental in the first qualifying Poland since 1986 for the Football World Cup 2002 in Japan and South Korea. He played out so quickly in the hearts of the Polish fans and in 2001 was also the first black player of the year in Poland.
However, the appearance at the World Cup was then less enjoyable. Poland already retired from in the first round. Olisadebe only scored one goal in the only victory over the United States. After his successes with the Polish national Olisadebe moved in 2001 to the Greek first division club Panathinaikos Athens. There he could shine both in the Greek league and in the Champions League and won the Double in 2004 and was among the favorites of the public. In January 2006 Olisadebe moved to the English first division club FC Portsmouth where, however, he could not prevail. In August 2006 he moved back to Greece to AO Xanthi. However, he came after a dispute with the club presidents no longer used and changed the club again. From 2007 to 2008 he played for Cypriot club APOP Kinyras Peyias. In April 2008 Olisadebe signed a contract with the Chinese first division club Henan Construction FC ( often referred to as Henan Jianye FC ). He played three seasons, his contract until the end of 2010 and was not renewed. For the 2011/2012 season hired Olisadebe at the Greek second division side FC Vyzas Megaron. However, he came up with not a single league use and moved to second round to league rivals Veria FC. Here he came up with nine league appearances in which he scored a goal. Veria rose in the Super League (highest Greek league ) on, but Olisadebe got a new contract and was initially without a club. In early January, he stated that he had ended his active career. He returned to Nigeria.
Overall Olisadebe played 25 times for the Polish national team, scoring eleven goals.
Olisadebe is one of a large group nigerianischstämmiger persons who are in Poland in public life. These include the boxer Izuagbe Ugonoh, Member of Parliament John Godson, television presenter and actress Olimpia Ajakaiye Aleksandra Szwed.
Achievements
- Greek Champion (2004)
- Greek Cup winner (2004)
- Poland's Player of the Year (2001)
- Polish Champion (2000)
- Polish League Cup winner (2000)
- Polish Supercup winner (2000)
- World Cup participation (2002)