Taribo West

Taribo West ( born March 26, 1974 in Lagos ) is a former Nigerian football player.

Career

Association

The central defender Taribo West began his professional career in 1993 with the French first division club AJ Auxerre coach Guy Roux below. During this time he quickly developed into one of the key players on the team and the national team of Nigeria. His most successful period he experienced between 1997 and 1999 when he was moved from Auxerre in the Italian Serie A Inter Milan. In the first year, he won the UEFA Cup in the final against Lazio.

As an Italian vice-champion in the following year he took on the UEFA Champions League and failed in the quarterfinals to eventual winners Manchester United. After the season he moved to local rivals AC Milan. In Milan, he was never really happy. He joined in November 2000 in the English Premier League to Derby County. Now began the wandering years of Taribo West. Less than half a year, he performed from November 2001 to the end of the season, at the 1 FC Kaiserslautern in the Bundesliga. Then he was unemployed for six months before he stood at Partizan Belgrade from January 2003 to April 2004 under contract. After Qatar, he went to Al -Arabi, 2004 / 05, he moved to the beginning of the 2005/06 season in England in the First Division to Plymouth Argyle, however, where he remained only until the beginning of October 2005.

In 2007 he signed a contract with Paykan Tehran, but he broke up after only one game due to unpunctual salary payments.

National

1994 was the first time for West squad of the national team of Nigeria. Two years later, he took part with her at the Summer Olympic Games, in which it was possible to win the gold medal. In the preliminary round, you had to admit defeat to Brazil, but moved still happy in the next round, as three teams in Group D had six points. In the final they met another South American team. But against Argentina they kept the upper hand, and sat down by 3:2. With the national team, he then took part in the Football World Cup 1998 in France. He then played at the Football World Cup 2002 in Japan and South Korea

Find out more

Taribo West is considered to be a devout Christian who has even founded his own church in Milan. After he had spent his childhood as a street gangster in Port Harcourt, he found by experience to watch, as one of his gang members was beaten to death, to Christianity.

Curiosities

West joined in 2001 by Derby County 1 FC Kaiserslautern. He claimed to be 27 years old. Just five months later, he joined the Serbian club Partizan Belgrade. He claimed to be 28. The former president of Belgrade, Zarko Zezevic is cited that West actually must have been 40 years old: "He came to us when he was 28. Later we found out that he was actually 40. But he still played well, so I have not regretted that he was with us. "This significantly higher age to have been found at a sports medical examination. Details was not explained by the British newspaper Daily Mail, however. Therefore, these facts are to be regarded as questionable. West denies these allegations.