Former Super Falcons and Golden Eaglets coach Godwin Izilein is dead. He reportedly died at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) yesterday (February 7) at the age of 81.
Aside from national team jobs, the late Izilein, in his coaching career, handled a string of domestic clubs, including New Nigerian Bank, Sharks Fc, Dolphins, and Bendel Insurance, respectively.
Izilein, who took to sports consulting after his coaching career, had his early education at Annunciation Catholic College Irrua, Esan Centre LGA, Edo State, Nigeria. He subsequently studied at a sports school, Sportschule Hennef and DHfK Deutsche Hochschule für Körperkultur all in Germany.
He is regarded as one of the country’s best indigenous coaches having guided the Super Falcons to their sixth Women’s Africa Cup of Nations glory in South Africa in 2004 amid controversies.
After their continental triumph in South Africa, protesting Falcons players insisted on getting their camp allowances and winning bonuses in Johannesburg before the trip back home. Still, angry federation officials believed Izilein instigated the girls.
The then-Ibrahim Galadima-led Nigeria Football Association board refused to pay Izilein his entitlements of $12,000 after the protest, with successive boards also reneging on payment 20 years later, until his demise.