Taribo West

Personal information
Full name	Taribo West
Date of birth	26 March 1974 (1974-03-26) (age 35)
Place of birth	Port Harcourt, Nigeria
Height	1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Playing position	Defender (retired)
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1993–1997	Auxerre	73	(1)
1997–1999	Internazionale	44	(1)
1999–2000	Milan	4	(1)
2000–2001	Derby County	18	(0)
2001–2002	Kaiserslautern	10	(0)
2002–2004	Partizan	16	(1)
2004–2005	Al-Arabi	-	(-)
2005–2006	Plymouth Argyle	4	(0)
2006–2007	Julius Berger	-	(-)
2007–2008	Paykan	0	(0)
National team
1994–2005	Nigeria	41	(0)
Honours Competitor for  Nigeria Men's Football Gold 1996 Atlanta Team Competition
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Taribo West (born 26 March 1974) is a former Nigerian professional footballer. West was a member of the Nigeria national team in two World Cups. He is also known for the various unusual and colourful hairstyles that he has sported over the years.

[edit] Club career

Taribo moved to France in January 1993 spending four and half years at Auxerre. He was part of a successful team that won the league championship and two French Cups.

Clearly the exposure helped Taribo, as he moved on to Internazionale, where he played a vital role in capturing the UEFA Cup title in 1998.

Taribo found himself at the centre of heated transfer speculation at then end of the 1998–99 season following clashes with former Inter coach, Mircea Lucescu. Once Marcello Lippi took over the club, it became apparent that Taribo had to move on. After many months of talks with various clubs, including Newcastle United, Liverpool, Ajax and Juventus, Taribo joined Inter's rivals, AC Milan. He has helped them to secure a berth in next season's UEFA Champions League.

Subsequently, West had unassuming brief spells with Derby County and Kaiserslautern.

Taribo was again playing the spotlight of Europe when he was acquired by Partizan from Serbia. With Partizan, Taribo played a crucial role in defence under then manager Lothar Matthäus and helped Partizan get to the UEFA Champions League group stages where they were drawn in a group with Real Madrid, Porto and Olympique de Marseille.

After that, in early August 2004, he signed a one-year contract with Al-Arabi.

In 2005, Derby County fans sent shirts to West's hometown in Nigeria in a campaign backed by BBC Radio Derby.^[1]

In August 2005, West was signed by then Championship side Plymouth Argyle, but only made 4 appearances and scored no goals.

On August 18, 2007 West signed a one-year contract with Iranian club Paykan,^[2] but failed to make a start with the club, having his contract terminated by mutual consent only three months later.

It was widely believed that West had returned to football in early 2008, when he signed for the Spanish Segunda División side Xerez. However, it was revealed by the BBC three days later that the president of the club flatly refuted these allegations, leaving many puzzled as to why West made this bizarre claim.^[3][4]

[edit] International career

He has been capped 41 times by the Nigeria national team and played in the 1998 and (all matches and minutes) and 2002 FIFA World Cup (two appearances).

He was also a member of the Nigerian team that won the gold medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia.

[edit] Career statistics

[edit] Honours

[edit] Club

[edit] Auxerre

• French League: 1995–96
• French Cup: 1993–94, 1995–96

[edit] Internazionale

• UEFA Cup: 1997–98

[edit] Partizan

• Serbia and Montenegro League: 2002–03

[edit] International

• Olympic Games: 1996

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Taribo West career stats at Soccerbase
• AJ Auxerre profile

Nigeria squads v • d • e Nigeria squad – 1996 Olympic Gold Medalists 1 E. Babayaro • 2 C. Babayaro • 3 West • 4 Kanu • 5 Uche • 6 Amuneke • 7 Babangida • 8 Oruma • 9 Fatusi • 10 Okocha • 11 Ikpeba • 12 Obafemi • 13 Lawal • 14 Amokachi • 15 Oliseh • 16 Obiekwu • 17 Oparaku • 18 Joseph • Coach: Bonfrere v • d • e Nigeria squad – 1998 FIFA World Cup 1 Rufai • 2 Oparaku • 3 Babayaro • 4 Kanu • 5 Uche • 6 West • 7 Finidi • 8 Adepoju • 9 Yekini • 10 Okocha • 11 Lawal • 12 W. Okpara • 13 Babangida • 14 Amokachi • 15 Oliseh • 16 Okafor • 17 Eguavoen • 18 Oruma • 19 Iroha • 20 Ikpeba • 21 G. Okpara • 22 Baruwa • Coach: Milutinović v • d • e Nigeria squad – 2002 FIFA World Cup 1 Shorunmu • 2 Yobo • 3 Babayaro • 4 Kanu • 5 Okoronkwo • 6 West • 7 Ikedia • 8 Adepoju • 9 Ogbeche • 10 Okocha • 11 Lawal • 12 Ejide • 13 Afolabi • 14 Udeze • 15 Justice • 16 Sodje • 17 Aghahowa • 18 Akwuegbu • 19 Ejiofor • 20 Obiorah • 21 Utaka • 22 Enyeama • 23 Opabunmi • Coach: Onigbinde