Stephen Worgu
Encyclopedia
Stephen Worgu is a Nigeria
n footballer
who plays for Alahly Benghazi S.C.on loan to Al-Merrikh
, from 15 September 2010 to 15 June 2011, for 200,000 dollars to Al-Merrikh and 300,000 dollars to Worgu.
team that won the Nigerian Premier League
under the tutelage of former Enyimba International F.C. manager, Maurice Cooreman
. Throughout his two-year stay with the Bayelsa State
club, the diminutive player enjoyed a low profile rating compared to Ideye Aide Brown
, team captain Blessing Okardi
and goalkeeper Ikechukwu Ezenwa
, before joining Enyimba in July 2007.
Worgu spent one year with Enyimba, which turned out to be a very successful year for the rising star. He lifted Enyimba to the semi-final of the CAF Champions League 2008
, their best position since their championship title in 2004. Worgu was the top scorer in the competition accumulating 13 goals, five goals ahead of Daouda Kamilou
of Cotonsport Garoua
.
ian club Al-Ahly
. The deal was worth an estimated $
2.5 million, with $1 million annual salary and the remaining $1.5 million to the former club. Worgu cited the favor of the Sudanese bid over others, due to the seriousness of their offer. Along with his compatriots Idahor
and Osunwa
, Worgu becomes the third Nigerian attacker to join the Al-Merreikh squad that competed in the African Champions' League for the first time since 2003.
At Al-Merreikh, Worgu was given the number 10 jersey, that replaced the number 27 jersey that he wore in Enyimba. With the high salary and the former Champion's league top scoring performance, the expectations were set high for the Nigerian youth star. He got to a slow start, with Al-Merreikh defending their Sudan Premier League title, and he was yet to score a goal in seven premier league and three champion's league matches. On April 21, 2009, in an interview with the BBC
, Worgu uttered his struggle to adapt to his new professional destination away from home, citing language and cultural barriers. "Going onto the pitch the fans are singing your name, but I don't know what they're saying, I have to ask a friend," he said.
On April 23, 2009, in the first match following the interview, Worgu managed to score his first goal in the Sudanese league against Al-Ittihad (Wad Medani), where Al-Merreikh won 2/0. Despite his earlier yellow card in that match, Worgu rushed towards Al-Merreikh fans to celebrate
his first league goal by taking his shirt off. He was shown a second yellow booking, which warranted him also his first red card in the competition.
Later on in August, Worgu was caught drinking which is illegal in Sudan. The club paid 24 million pounds on his behalf and he punished by 40 lashes.
The deal for Worgu’s move was concluded earlier this week when Al-Merreikh undersecretary, Mutwakil Ahmed Ali and a representative of Al-Ahly Benghazi of Libya met and agreed on a fee for the short term deal.
Worgu, 20, confirmed to SuperSport.com that he played his last game for the Sudanese side in a 3 – 1 win over Hay Al-Arab in which he scored a hat-trick on 15, 30 and 75 minutes of the match last Friday.
“Yes, I am joining Al-Ahly Benghazi of Libya on a short deal,” he simply said on telephone to SuperSport.com. However, Worgu is expected to return to Al-Merreikh in mid-June 2011.
The former Enyimba man will earn as much as $500,000 from the deal while Al-Merreikh will be paid the sum of $200,000.
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...
n footballer
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
who plays for Alahly Benghazi S.C.on loan to Al-Merrikh
Al-Merrikh
Al-Merreikh Sporting Club is a Sudanese football club based in Omdurman, Sudan. Their home stadium is Al Merreikh Stadium. Which is also known as The Red Castle. Al-Merreikh is one of the most ancient and strongest football club in Africa. El-Merreikh have been crowned with the Sudanese Premier...
, from 15 September 2010 to 15 June 2011, for 200,000 dollars to Al-Merrikh and 300,000 dollars to Worgu.
Ocean Boys (2005-2007) and Enyimba (2007)
In 2006, Worgu was a member of the Ocean Boys F.C.Ocean Boys F.C.
Ocean Boys Football Club is a Nigerian football club based in Brass, Bayelsa State.-History:Ocean Boys F.C. was founded in 2002 by Sylva Nathaniel Ngo,the chairman of Brass Local Government...
team that won the Nigerian Premier League
Nigerian Premier League
The Nigeria Premier League is the highest level of domestic Nigerian football. It is fed into by the two First Division groups: the Nigerian Division 1-A and Nigerian Division 1-B. It is organized by the Nigeria Football Association. The NPL Chairman is Davidson Owunmi.- History :The league was...
under the tutelage of former Enyimba International F.C. manager, Maurice Cooreman
Maurice Cooreman
Maurice Cooreman is a Belgian football manager who has coached primarily in Africa.- Coaching career :Cooreman led Ocean Boys to the title in 2006, but was sacked in September 2006 and then rehired two weeks later. He managed Enyimba from October 2006 to November 2008, and received a five match...
. Throughout his two-year stay with the Bayelsa State
Bayelsa State
Bayelsa State is a state in southern Nigeria in the core Niger Delta region, between Delta State and Rivers State. Its capital is Yenagoa. The language spoken here is Ijaw language and dialects of the Ijaw language such as Nembe, Atissa, Akassa, Ogbia, etc. However, like the rest of Nigeria,...
club, the diminutive player enjoyed a low profile rating compared to Ideye Aide Brown
Ideye Aide Brown
Ideye Aide Brown is a Nigerian football forward currently playing for Ukraine Premier League side FC Dynamo Kyiv.-Career:...
, team captain Blessing Okardi
Blessing Okardi
Blessing Okardi is a football player from Nigeria, who plays currently for Lobi Stars F.C..-Career:On October 27, 2006 he was on trial by KAA Gent. With Ocean Boys he captained their 2008 Nigerian FA Cup winning team, beating Gombe United in a penalty shootout on 5 July 2008. He moved to Lobi...
and goalkeeper Ikechukwu Ezenwa
Ikechukwu Ezenwa
Ikechukwu Ezenwa is a Nigerian football goalkeeper who currently plays for Heartland F.C..-Career:He began his career by Ocean Boys F.C. before moved to Heartland F.C...
, before joining Enyimba in July 2007.
Worgu spent one year with Enyimba, which turned out to be a very successful year for the rising star. He lifted Enyimba to the semi-final of the CAF Champions League 2008
CAF Champions League 2008
The CAF Champions League 2008 was the 12th running of the CAF Champions League competition. Al-Ahly of Egypt achieved an unprecented 6th Champions League cup by winning 4-2 on aggregate against Cotonsport Garoua of Cameroon .-Preliminary round:...
, their best position since their championship title in 2004. Worgu was the top scorer in the competition accumulating 13 goals, five goals ahead of Daouda Kamilou
Daouda Kamilou
Kamilou Daouda is a Nigerien footballer. He currently plays as a striker for Al-Ittihad.-References:*...
of Cotonsport Garoua
Cotonsport Garoua
Coton Sport FC de Garoua is an Cameroonian football club based in Garoua. They play at the Stade Omnisport de Garoua. In 2008 they finished runners up in the CAF Champions League.-Domestic:*Cameroonian Championship: ...
.
Al-Merrikh (2009-2010)
On 22 October 2008, Worgu agreed to a 4 year contract with the Sudanese giant, Al-Merreikh who outbid the EgyptEgypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
ian club Al-Ahly
Al-Ahly
Al-Ahly Sports Club , commonly known as simply Al-Ahly, is an Egyptian sporting club. Founded in April 1907, Al-Ahly was named in 2000 by the Confederation of African Football as the "African Club of the Century"...
. The deal was worth an estimated $
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
2.5 million, with $1 million annual salary and the remaining $1.5 million to the former club. Worgu cited the favor of the Sudanese bid over others, due to the seriousness of their offer. Along with his compatriots Idahor
Endurance Idahor
Endurance Idahor was a Nigerian football player who played for Sudanese club Al-Merreikh. On 6 March 2010, Idahor collapsed during a league game and later died on his way to the hospital.-Career:...
and Osunwa
Kelechi Osunwa
Colins Kelechi Osunwa is a Nigerian football striker. He currently plays for Al-Merreikh.-Career:Osunwa has been active in the fields of football professionally since 2001...
, Worgu becomes the third Nigerian attacker to join the Al-Merreikh squad that competed in the African Champions' League for the first time since 2003.
At Al-Merreikh, Worgu was given the number 10 jersey, that replaced the number 27 jersey that he wore in Enyimba. With the high salary and the former Champion's league top scoring performance, the expectations were set high for the Nigerian youth star. He got to a slow start, with Al-Merreikh defending their Sudan Premier League title, and he was yet to score a goal in seven premier league and three champion's league matches. On April 21, 2009, in an interview with the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, Worgu uttered his struggle to adapt to his new professional destination away from home, citing language and cultural barriers. "Going onto the pitch the fans are singing your name, but I don't know what they're saying, I have to ask a friend," he said.
On April 23, 2009, in the first match following the interview, Worgu managed to score his first goal in the Sudanese league against Al-Ittihad (Wad Medani), where Al-Merreikh won 2/0. Despite his earlier yellow card in that match, Worgu rushed towards Al-Merreikh fans to celebrate
Goal celebration
In football, a goal celebration is the practice of celebrating the scoring of a goal. The celebration may be performed by the goalscorer , his or her teammates, the manager or coaching staff and/or the supporters of the team...
his first league goal by taking his shirt off. He was shown a second yellow booking, which warranted him also his first red card in the competition.
Later on in August, Worgu was caught drinking which is illegal in Sudan. The club paid 24 million pounds on his behalf and he punished by 40 lashes.
Al-Ahly Benghazi(2010-present)
Striker Stephen Worgu has shockingly agreed to join Libyan side, Al-Ahly Benghazi, from Sudanese giants, Al-Merreikh, for a period of eight months, SuperSport.com understands.The deal for Worgu’s move was concluded earlier this week when Al-Merreikh undersecretary, Mutwakil Ahmed Ali and a representative of Al-Ahly Benghazi of Libya met and agreed on a fee for the short term deal.
Worgu, 20, confirmed to SuperSport.com that he played his last game for the Sudanese side in a 3 – 1 win over Hay Al-Arab in which he scored a hat-trick on 15, 30 and 75 minutes of the match last Friday.
“Yes, I am joining Al-Ahly Benghazi of Libya on a short deal,” he simply said on telephone to SuperSport.com. However, Worgu is expected to return to Al-Merreikh in mid-June 2011.
The former Enyimba man will earn as much as $500,000 from the deal while Al-Merreikh will be paid the sum of $200,000.
Position
Worgu plays in variable positions, but mainly as attacking midfielder or striker.Career statistics
(Correct as of 31/12/2010)| Club | Season | Sudan Premier League | Caf Champions League | cecafa clubs cup2009 or caf cap 2010 | Sudan Cup | Friedly matches | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goals(app) | Goals(app) | Goals(app) | Goals(app) | Goals(app) | Goals(app) | ||
| Al-Merreikh | season 2009 | 3(20) | 0(11) | 0(6) | 0(4) | 9(17) | 12(58) |
| Al-Merreikh | season 2010 | 10(14) | 0(6) | 0(2) | 0(4) | 6(13) | 16(39) |
Honours
- 2006: Nigerian Premier LeagueNigerian Premier LeagueThe Nigeria Premier League is the highest level of domestic Nigerian football. It is fed into by the two First Division groups: the Nigerian Division 1-A and Nigerian Division 1-B. It is organized by the Nigeria Football Association. The NPL Chairman is Davidson Owunmi.- History :The league was...
Winner - 2008: CAF Champions League 2008CAF Champions League 2008The CAF Champions League 2008 was the 12th running of the CAF Champions League competition. Al-Ahly of Egypt achieved an unprecented 6th Champions League cup by winning 4-2 on aggregate against Cotonsport Garoua of Cameroon .-Preliminary round:...
top scorer with 13 goals