Benedict Iroha

Benedict Iroha
Personal information
Date of birth	November 29, 1969 (age 54)
Place of birth	Aba, Nigeria
Height	1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Position(s)	Left back, Left midfielder
Senior career*
Years	Team
1989	Bendel Insurance
1990	Iwuanyanwu Nationale
1991–1992	ASEC Mimosas
1992–1996	Vitesse Arnhem
1996–1997	San Jose Clash
1997	D.C. United
1997–1998	Elche CF
1998–2000	Watford
Total
International career
1990–1998	Nigeria
Managerial career
2000–2006	FC Dallas (Youth Coach)
2007	Nigeria U-17 (Assistant Coach)
2007–2008	Dolphins FC
2009–	Heartland F.C. (Chief Trainer)
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Benedict Iroha (born November 29, 1969) is a former Nigerian association football defender.

Career

He was originally a midfielder before national coach Clemens Westerhof converted him to play left back. His club career in Europe was largely unsuccessful, and Iroha was allocated to San Jose Clash in 1996. The next season he was traded to D.C. United, where he won the league title. After a move to Spanish side Elche CF in 1997, he moved to Watford in December 1998, playing 10 games for the Hertfordshire side. Unfortunately a problem with bunions forced him to the sidelines, and he retired in March 2000.

International career

Playing for the Nigerian national team, he was featured in the 1994 FIFA World Cup and the 1998 FIFA World Cup as well as when they won the 1994 African Nations Cup.

Coaching career

After retiring he returned to the USA to coach in the youth department of FC Dallas. Most recently, he was an assistant with the Nigerian U-17 team that won the 2007 FIFA U-17 World Cup and head coach of Nigeria's Dolphins FC. He currently is on the staff of Heartland of Owerri.

External links

National Football Teams Profile