Nedum Onuoha
Encyclopedia
Chinedum "Nedum" Onuoha (born 12 November 1986) is an English
-Nigerian
footballer. He currently plays for Manchester City
. He is a defender, typically a centre back, but he can also play at right back or left back.
, Onuoha was brought up in Manchester
, England
. He went to Nelson Street Primary School Miles Platting before becoming a pupil at the Hulme Grammar School
, Oldham, where he achieved eight 'A' and two 'B' grades at GCSE. He then completed his studies at Xaverian College
Manchester where he achieved three 'A' grades at A-level. An outstanding junior sprinter; aged 14 he finished in second place in the final of the 2001 English School's Athletics Association Junior 100 metres contest, clocking 11.09 seconds and beating current Great Britain sprinter Craig Pickering
. He is often known as "Ned" in reference to the Simpsons character and the similarity to his own name.
He is also currently the co-national record holder for boys under 15 standing triple jump, in the Sports Hall events held annually throughout the UK, the record is held with international long jumper Jonathan Moore.
He is known to have supported Manchester City as a boy and attended the Manchester City youth academy.
. He made his first team debut against Arsenal
in the Carling Cup on 27 October 2004, at the age of 17. He made his Premier League debut as a substitute on 1 November 2004 at home to Norwich City
. Though Onuoha's natural position is centre-half, manager Kevin Keegan
initially played him at right back with the intention of improving his passing ability. Against Doncaster Rovers in a Carling Cup match, Onuoha was red carded for the first time in his career. Man City went on to lose the game on penalties.
Onuoha made 18 appearances in his debut season, but suffered a series of injuries during the 2005–06
season, meaning he played only 12 games.
Due to injuries to various first choice players during the 2006–07
season, Onuoha enjoyed several long spells in the first team. He soon established himself and was rewarded with a new four-year contract.
He captained the Manchester City side to a 2–1 victory over Bristol City
in the Carling Cup 2nd round. He scored his first goal for City at home against Tottenham Hotspur
on 16 March 2008 in a 2–1 win. On 5 April 2008 Onuoha dislocated his shoulder in a game against Chelsea
and was ruled out for the remainder of the 2007–08
season following surgery.
The first half of the 2008–09 season was an injury-plagued time for Onuoha, missing most matches, however after City's 3–0 defeat to Nottingham Forest in the F.A. Cup, he started every single game until the end of the season, forming an effective partnership with Richard Dunne in the centre of defence.
On 29 July 2009, Onuoha agreed to a new five-year deal with Manchester City.
at the Stadium of Light
. He scored his first goal as the result of a brilliant dribble around three Chelsea defenders for Sunderland
in a 3-0 win against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge
on 14 November 2010.
On returning to Manchester City, Onuoha decided he wanted first team football.However he isn't good enough for it.
, making his debut on 12 October 2005. He was part of the squad participating in the 2007 European Under 21s Championship
in the Netherlands. During the Championships Onuoha was subjected to racist abuse from Serbia
n fans, but received praise for maintaining his conduct amid provocation. He was a regular at centre back, partnering Steven Taylor
. During the semi-final against the Netherlands
, he limped off with an injury and England were down to ten men as all three of the permitted substitutions had been made; they lost 13–12 on penalties. He captained the England Under-21 team for the first time in a 0–0 draw with Poland
Under-21s. In the summer of 2009 he took part in the European Championships
and played his last match for the U-21's.
In March 2007, Onuoha received an international callup from Nigeria
, but has announced he would like to represent England
at full international level. However, he has since admitted that he would play at the FIFA World Cup
for Nigeria if he were to be called up.
Individual
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
-Nigerian
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
footballer. He currently plays for Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
. He is a defender, typically a centre back, but he can also play at right back or left back.
Biography
Born in Onitsha, NigeriaNigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
, Onuoha was brought up in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. He went to Nelson Street Primary School Miles Platting before becoming a pupil at the Hulme Grammar School
Hulme Grammar School
Hulme Grammar School is an independent grammar school situated on and around Chamber Road, about three-quarters of a mile south of the centre of Oldham, Greater Manchester, England, between Frederick Street and Windsor Road.-History:...
, Oldham, where he achieved eight 'A' and two 'B' grades at GCSE. He then completed his studies at Xaverian College
Xaverian College
Xaverian Roman Catholic Sixth form College is a College in the city of Manchester.-Admissions:It lies in the inner city suburb of Rusholme close to Wilmslow Road and Oxford Road...
Manchester where he achieved three 'A' grades at A-level. An outstanding junior sprinter; aged 14 he finished in second place in the final of the 2001 English School's Athletics Association Junior 100 metres contest, clocking 11.09 seconds and beating current Great Britain sprinter Craig Pickering
Craig Pickering
Craig Keith Pickering is an English sprinter, currently based at the Marshall Milton Keynes Athletics Club; however, he also runs for the University of Bath and Newham and Essex Beagles. He is a former student of the Royal Latin School and got pointed in the sprinting direction by his PE teacher...
. He is often known as "Ned" in reference to the Simpsons character and the similarity to his own name.
He is also currently the co-national record holder for boys under 15 standing triple jump, in the Sports Hall events held annually throughout the UK, the record is held with international long jumper Jonathan Moore.
He is known to have supported Manchester City as a boy and attended the Manchester City youth academy.
Manchester City
Onuoha played regularly for Manchester City's reserves in the 2003–04 season, and had his first involvement with the Manchester City first team in the 2004–05 pre-season, playing in a friendly against BuryBury F.C.
Bury Football Club is an association football team based in Bury, Greater Manchester. The team currently play in League One. The club's nickname is The Shakers which was bestowed upon them by club chairman JT Ingham, an industrialist and ironmonger of the late 1890s.-Formation of the club and the...
. He made his first team debut against Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
in the Carling Cup on 27 October 2004, at the age of 17. He made his Premier League debut as a substitute on 1 November 2004 at home to Norwich City
Norwich City F.C.
Norwich City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk. As of the 2011–12 season, Norwich City are again playing in the Premier League after a six-year absence, having finished as runner up in the Championship in 2010–11 and winning automatic promotion.The...
. Though Onuoha's natural position is centre-half, manager Kevin Keegan
Kevin Keegan
Joseph Kevin Keegan, OBE is a former international footballer and former manager of the England national football team and several English clubs, most notably Newcastle United....
initially played him at right back with the intention of improving his passing ability. Against Doncaster Rovers in a Carling Cup match, Onuoha was red carded for the first time in his career. Man City went on to lose the game on penalties.
Onuoha made 18 appearances in his debut season, but suffered a series of injuries during the 2005–06
2005-06 in English football
The 2005–06 season was the 126th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:*The rebuilt Wembley Stadium was due to open in time for the FA Cup final in May. However, in August 2005, The Football Association reserved the Millennium Stadium as a backup, as there was some doubt whether...
season, meaning he played only 12 games.
Due to injuries to various first choice players during the 2006–07
2006-07 in English football
The 2006–07 season was the 127th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:* The number of divisions at Level 8 of the English football league system increased from four to five...
season, Onuoha enjoyed several long spells in the first team. He soon established himself and was rewarded with a new four-year contract.
He captained the Manchester City side to a 2–1 victory over Bristol City
Bristol City F.C.
Bristol City Football Club is one of two football league clubs in Bristol, England . They play at Ashton Gate, located in the south-west of the City...
in the Carling Cup 2nd round. He scored his first goal for City at home against Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
on 16 March 2008 in a 2–1 win. On 5 April 2008 Onuoha dislocated his shoulder in a game against Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
and was ruled out for the remainder of the 2007–08
2007-08 in English football
The 2007–08 season was the 128th season of competitive football in England.-European competitions:In October 2007 Arsenal equalled the UEFA Champions League record victory with a 7–0 win over Slavia Prague at the Emirates Stadium. The record was broken the following month when Liverpool...
season following surgery.
The first half of the 2008–09 season was an injury-plagued time for Onuoha, missing most matches, however after City's 3–0 defeat to Nottingham Forest in the F.A. Cup, he started every single game until the end of the season, forming an effective partnership with Richard Dunne in the centre of defence.
On 29 July 2009, Onuoha agreed to a new five-year deal with Manchester City.
Sunderland loan
In August 2010, Onuoha joined Sunderland on a season-long loan. He made his Sunderland debut on 14 August against Birmingham CityBirmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
at the Stadium of Light
Stadium of Light
The Stadium of Light is an all-seater football stadium in Sunderland, England. With space for 49,000 spectators, the Stadium of Light has the fifth-largest capacity of any English football stadium. The stadium primarily hosts Sunderland A.F.C. matches...
. He scored his first goal as the result of a brilliant dribble around three Chelsea defenders for Sunderland
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
in a 3-0 win against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge
Stamford Bridge (stadium)
Stamford Bridge is a football stadium in Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, West London, and is the home of Chelsea Football Club. The stadium is located within the Moore Park Estate also known as Walham Green and is often referred to as simply The Bridge...
on 14 November 2010.
On returning to Manchester City, Onuoha decided he wanted first team football.However he isn't good enough for it.
International career
Onuoha was a regular in the England U-21 sideEngland national under-21 football team
England's national Under-21 football team, also known as England Under-21s or England U21, is considered to be the feeder team for the England national football team....
, making his debut on 12 October 2005. He was part of the squad participating in the 2007 European Under 21s Championship
2007 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
The UEFA U-21 Championship 2007 were held from 10 June 2007 to 23 June 2007. It is the 16th staging of UEFA's European Under-21 Football Championship....
in the Netherlands. During the Championships Onuoha was subjected to racist abuse from Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
n fans, but received praise for maintaining his conduct amid provocation. He was a regular at centre back, partnering Steven Taylor
Steven Taylor (footballer)
Steven Vincent Taylor is an English footballer, currently playing for Premier League club Newcastle United. He is a versatile central defender who can play at right back or, on rare occasions, at left back...
. During the semi-final against the Netherlands
Netherlands national football team
The Netherlands National Football Team represents the Netherlands in association football and is controlled by the Royal Dutch Football Association , the governing body for football in the Netherlands...
, he limped off with an injury and England were down to ten men as all three of the permitted substitutions had been made; they lost 13–12 on penalties. He captained the England Under-21 team for the first time in a 0–0 draw with Poland
Poland national under-21 football team
The Poland national under-21 football team is the national under-21 football team of Poland and is controlled by the Polish Football Association....
Under-21s. In the summer of 2009 he took part in the European Championships
2009 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
The 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship began on 15 June 2009, and was the 17th UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship. This was the first tournament after the competition reverted to a two-year format, following the single-year 2006-07 competition, which allowed the change to...
and played his last match for the U-21's.
In March 2007, Onuoha received an international callup from Nigeria
Nigeria national football team
The Nigeria national football team, nicknamed the Super Eagles or Green Eagles, is the national team of Nigeria and is controlled by the Nigeria Football Federation . The team has ranked as high as 5th in the FIFA World Rankings, in April 1994...
, but has announced he would like to represent England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
at full international level. However, he has since admitted that he would play at the FIFA World Cup
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
for Nigeria if he were to be called up.
Honours
Manchester City- Vodacom ChallengeVodacom ChallengeThe Vodacom Challenge is a association football pre-season tournament that features Vodacom-sponsored South African giants Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs plus from 2006 onwards an invited European club...
Runner-up: 2009
Individual
- Sunderland Goal Of The Season: 2011
External links
- Nedum Onuoha Official Website at Icons.comIcons.comIcons.com, founded by James Freedman, was initially a football website that provided regular diary updates from many of the world's top footballers and also guest interviews from some of the biggest names in the football world...
- Nedum Onuoha's Premier League profile