Ifeanyi Udeze

Ifeanyi Udeze

Personal information
Full name	Ifeanyi Udeze
Date of birth	(1980-07-21) 21 July 1980
Place of birth	Lagos, Nigeria
Height
Position(s)	Defender
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1997	Bendel Insurance	?	(?)
1997–2000	Kavala	59	(0)
2000–2002	PAOK	33	(0)
2003	→ West Bromwich Albion (loan)	10	(0)
2003–2006	PAOK	70	(1)
2006–2007	AEK Athens	3	(0)
2007–2008	PAOK	0	(0)
International career‡
2000–2005	Nigeria	35	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 17 March 2008 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 6 May 2007

Ifeanyi Udeze (born 21 July 1980) is a retired Nigerian football player. He played for Nigeria and was a participant at the 2002 World Cup. He usually played as a left fullback, being also used as center back.

Club career

Udeze played for clubs such as Bendel Insurance FC, AO Kavalas (Greece), and PAOK Thessaloniki, before joining West Bromwich Albion in 2003. In his first season with the Albion, he played in the Premier League, joining the club on loan in the latter stages of the season; however, his efforts were to no avail, and Albion were relegated.

He was released from AEK Athens on January 2007 after six months from the signing of a 3-year contract on 11 August 2006.

On 4 July 2007 he returned to PAOK FC, signing a two-year deal. A niggling knee injury prevented him from grabbing a first team spot and he was released after a year at the club.

International career

Ifeanyi Udeze first came into international limelight at the inaugural UEFA-CAF Meridian Cup held in Portugal in 1997 - a tournament where Spain's Xavi Hernandez and Portugal's Simao made their mark. Udeze was a member of the Fanny Amun-led Nigerian squad that beat Spain 3-2 to win the tournament. Some members of the squad include Rabiu Afolabi, Joseph Enakarhire, Bright Igbinadalor, Chijioke Nwankpa, Hashimu Garba, Aliyu Mohammed, and goalkeeper Greg Etafia.

Udeze made his full international debut in 2001. He went on to feature for Nigeria at the Africa Cup of Nations in 2002 and 2004, and Korea and Japan World Cup in 2002 - playing two games.

At the 2002 Africa Cup of Nations held in Mali, he was selected among the CAF Team of the Tournament.

During his playing days, he was Super Eagles' second choice left-back to former Chelsea left-back, Celestine Babayaro. On some occasions, he played together with Babayaro; both switching positions from the left full-back to the left wing of the midfield, often confusing opponents with their identical style of play.

Udeze was noted for his feistiness, intelligent marking and remarkable recovery rate. He was Nigeria's most fouled defender in games he featured in. Whenever he joined the attack, he was seldom dispossessed of the ball without winning a free-kick, corner or throw-in.

Udeze last featured for Nigeria in a 2006 World Cup qualifier against Angola in 2005.

External links

• Ifeanyi Udeze career statistics at Soccerbase