John Utaka: More than just a winger

John Utaka celebrates with teammates Dele Aiyenugba (left) and George Abbey (right) after putting the Super Eagles ahead against Cameroon at the AFCON. Photo: AFP

Cast your minds back to that eventful AFCON 2004 Sunday afternoon quarter final cracker at the Ben Jannet and recollect that lung-bursting 30-yard run from an electric no.7 who left millions of Nigerians lost in euphoria at the sight of Cameroon’s Idris Kanemi sprawling to the ground after being beaten at his near post to what was the winner of a titanic AFCON encounter in the Tunisian city of Monastir.

Finally, Nigeria had avenged their AFCON final defeat in Lagos from four years earlier, sending tournament favourites and reigning champions the Indomitable Lions out of the competition. Who was that player behind it all? None other than the technically brilliant but often overlooked John Utaka – a player blessed with pace, power, balance and a wicked right foot to booth.

“The Attacker” will go down in history as one of the most underrated Nigerian players ever produced having spent most of his career chocked to the wings by his clubs and national team even when he never was a natural winger.

Despite producing decent numbers upfront as a striker, Utaka was never really trusted to be your archetypal No.9 for long periods of time in most of the teams he played for.

John Utaka, who was mostly deployed on the wings in the Nigerian national team,  jumps over his marker during a game between Nigeria and Senegal at the 2006 Africa Cup of Nations. The Super Eagles won the third-place match 2-1. Photo: AFP

Born in Enugu just two years after Nigeria conquered the continent with their maiden AFCON title triumph, Utaka grew up like every other child in eastern Nigeria with dreams