Taribo west church
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Taribo West: The Nigerian pastor who practised old-school defending
The changing nature of football means that defenders that adopt a no-nonsense approach to the game are now few and far between, with modern managers largely preferring players comfortable in possession over those who thrive when their teams do not have the ball.
One wonders, then, how Taribo West would have fared these days.
Even in an era when attackers were offered less protection, and referees went easier on aggressive centre-backs, West stood out, renowned for his fearsome physicality.
He was a fiercely determined character who took no prisoners – Andrei Kanchelskis could vouch for that – and, consequently, collected plenty of yellow and red cards.
There was definitely a bit of the devil about him, which was ironic given he was a devout Christian who would later become a pastor, setting up his own church called 'Shelter in the Storm Miracle Ministries of All Nation'.
However, while West achieved infamy because of his tough-tackling style, he was by no means poor in possession.
Indeed, he w
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Taribo West
Taribo West (born 26 March 1974) is a Nigerian pastor and former professional footballer who played as a defender. He is best remembered for his various unusual and colourful hairstyles.[1][2] Primarily a centre-back, West was a physically commanding and powerful defender. Although he lacked significant pace, West was known for his ball-winning abilities, commitment, and hard-tackling style of play, as well as his forward surging runs.[3][4][5][6][7][8] Considered as one of the greatest Nigerian centre-backs ever.
Club career
[change | change source]The central defender Taribo West began his professional career in 1989 with the club Obanta United. He made a move to Europe in 1993 and joined AJ Auxerre under the coach Guy Roux. During this time he quickly developed into one of the team's key players and Nigeria's international player. His most successful time was between 1997 and 1999, when he moved from Auxerre to Inter Milan in the Italian Serie A. In his first year he won the UE
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Taribo West
Nigerian footballer
Taribo West (born 26 March 1974) is a Nigerian pastor and former professional footballer who played as a defender.[1] He is best remembered for his various unusual and colourful hairstyles.[2][3]
After winning several major trophies with Auxerre in French football, West went on to play for both Milanese clubs, Inter Milan and AC Milan. He also appeared in the top-level leagues of England and Germany.
At international level, West was capped 42 times for Nigeria between 1994 and 2005,[4] taking part in two World Cups and two African Championships. He also represented his country at the 1996 Olympics, winning a gold medal.
Club career
Early years
Born in Port Harcourt, West was discovered by Monday Sinclair,[5] who recruited him to play for Sharks. He started playing professionally with Obanta United in 1989, before returning to Sharks in 1990. West then played for Enugu Rangers in 1991, before joining Julius Berger in 1992.[6]
Auxerre
Following successfu
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