How Victor Agali, Babayaro and Aiyegbeni were caught with ladies at the 2004 AFCON – Ex-Super Eagles coach, Christian Chukwu reveals!
Former Super Eagles captain and coach, Christian Chukwu has revealed how the trio of Victor Agali, Celestine Banayaro and Yakubu Aiyegbeni were caught with ladies presumably sex workers at the team’s hotel during the 2004 Africa Cup of Nations in Tunisia.
The former Rangers of Enugu coach and 1980 AFCON winner said they got a tip from the security operatives at the team’s hotel that the tree of them brought ladies with them into the hotel which led to their expulsion from the camp after Super Eagles’ 1-0 loss go Morocco. – their first game of the competition
Christian Chukwu said this during a radio program; “No Holds Barred” on Brila Fm recently.
He said;
“We got report from the security people of the hotel who confirmed they (Agali, Aiyegbeni, Babayaro) came in with women into the hotel.”
“The three of them didn’t deny it and it got their teammates really angry. First thing is discipline and if that decision was not taken what kind of message are you trying to send? And that’s why Osaze (Odemwingie) came up and proved himself.”
The former Super Eagles coach also added that the decision to send them out of the camp was not his only but a joint decision.
“The decision to send them away from the competition was not only taken by the coaches, it was a general decision.”
The team defeated South Africa 4-0, Benin Republic 2-1, in their last two games in the group stage despite the setback.
They also deferred arch-rival,Cameroon 2-1 in the quarter-finals with goals from Utaka and a sublime free kick from Okocha.
However, they lost to hist country Tunisia in the semifinals on penalties 5-3 before adding to their collection of bronzes with a 2-1 win over the Eagles of Mali at the Stade Mustapha Ben Jannet, Monastir.
