Cooreman would forever be remembered for what he did for the growth of the Nigerian domestic league from the early 2000 as some of his former players recalled great moments with the late Belgian coach. TUNDE LIADI reports.
Maurice Cooreman remained unarguably the best foreign manager to grace the Nigerian league after traversing the length and breadth of the country.
He coached Akwa United as well as Enyimba, Ocean Boys, Warri Wolves and Gombe United but he reportedly died in his native Belgium recently at 79 years of age.
Cooreman led the defunct Ocean Boys to the Nigerian title in 2006 but was sacked in September 2006 and was dramatically rehired two weeks later.He managed Enyimba from October 2006 to November 2008 and received a five match ban in April 2008 after attacking a referee.
He also ventured into the Ghanaian League when he was appointed manager of Asante Kotoko in November 2008. Back in Nigeria Cooreman has also managed the NPA. Bendel Insurance, Lobi Stars and Gabros as well as Kaduna United.
Cooreman, who led Kaduna United to a historic Federation Cup glory for the first time in 2010 at Enyimba’s expense, decided to extend his stay with the team for another year.
He was named as the new head coach of Warri Wolves in 2012 as well as signing a one-year contract with Gombe United in October 2012 but resigned on health ground in 2014.
He was hired in March 2015 as coach of second-division Ikorodu United before he left the domestic scene.
Former Ocean Boys and Enyimba goalkeeper, Ikechukwu Ezenwa told NationSport that Cooreman made an indelible mark in his career and that he would forever be grateful to the Belgian for his significant role in his life.
Ezenwa disclosed that the extra sessions he devoted to him at the formative stage of his career and the fact that he got his first league title while with Ocean Boys with Cooreman as his coach, would make the Belgian to continue to be part of him in as much as he is alive.
“He was someone that gave me that confidence as a young, aspiring goalkeeper,” Ezenwa told NationSport.”After every training session, he comes out to give me about 10 to 15 football walks. He said it would give me confidence in ball handling. He had a special place in my heart and I can never forget him. It was with him I won my first NPFL title. When I got the news about his demise, I felt so bad. I thank God he lived a fulfilled life. May his gentle soul rest in perfect peace.”
Ezenwa added that Cooreman saw football as business and was always willing to assist players with potential to realize their dream.
He said the former gaffer at Warri Wolves hated to lose and could vent his frustration on anything when his team is losing but that he was always quick to calm himself and the players at the end of the game.
He said: “He was someone that doesn’t like to see any talented player wasting away. He wants to be there for you to make sure you make it to the next level. He discovered Stephen Worgu.
“ He knew his potential and he later became one of the players with highest transfer fee in Africa. He saw Worgu at Ocean Boys and brought him to Enyimba where he performed in CAF Champions League and became the highest scorer.
“There is a certain word he normally said whenever we missed a goal. But at the end of the game he would tell us not to worry that we were together.
“He was one man that doesn’t like to see his team lose. He could pour out his frustration when his team is losing. He could do and undo to show that he had the zeal for the team.
“He took football to be business. He made me to understand that football is business.”
Ezenwa stated that he was expecting the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to name Cooreman as Super Eagles handler at some stages during his stint in Nigeria because of his deep knowledge of Nigerian league and the domestic league players.
He said his appointment would have brought about a rebirth in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) which he reckoned would have rubbed off positively on the other leagues.
“I was expecting Maurice Cooreman to coach the Super Eagles because he knew the home based players very well. Between 2006 and 2008 Cooreman was everywhere and should have been approached and given a chance then. He won the league with Ocean Boys, Enyimba and he also won the FA Cup with Kaduna United. He went to Ikorodu United and also made an impact,” he added.”He had so much information about the Nigerian league and the domestic league players were doing well then.”
Another player who blossomed under Cooreman was Richard Bubagha who is now a coach with Nigeria Nationwide One Division One, BYT, Lagos.
Bubagha disclosed that he got the news of Cooreman’s death with rude shock and disbelief and that he has been mourning the Belgian since then.
The former Ocean Boys player explained some of the good virtues he learned from Cooreman adding that even though the Belgian was very accommodating and kind-hearted but that he was a strict disciplinarian.
“I got the news with shock and sadness,” he said.“He was a great tactician that impacted a lot to me then. He was technically and tactically so good that he was good enough to be called a master.
“He made me to know the importance of being discipline in a team.
“He practically gave me the opportunity to showcase my talent then in league. We won the league title way back 2006.
“Late Maurice Cooreman was a disciplinarian that doesn’t take nonsense from any player. He made us to understand that he gave room to only serious minded players, doesn’t attach sentiment in his selection and he brought competition into the team. Every player is equal before him, unless you are that type that’s not ready to work.”
Bubagha revealed what they discussed the last time he met Cooreman , adding the Belgian felt fulfilled for being a coach.
“The last time I met him was in Gombe. It was when I took my team Bayelsa United to play Gombe United in a league game during the 2014-15 season,” he revealed.“ He was then the Technical Adviser of Gombe United then, he was delighted to see that one of his boys has become a coach heading a Nigerian Premier League side.
“Even in death, I still love and respect Maurice Cooreman.”
Former Nigeria Professional Football League highest scorer, Jude Aneke said he was not happy for days and was unable to do anything of note when the news of Cooreman’s death got to him.
Aneke said he took Cooreman as his father and that the Belgian made him whom he became as a footballer after he spotted him at Anambra United.
“Maurice Cooreman death was really a tragedy to me… because of our father and son relationship… he made me understand football, how to become a complete striker,” he explained. “Our time in Kaduna United and Warri wolves then was fun because he always brought out the best in you as a player
“Besides one cannot talk about Nigeria premier league without mentioning Cooreman…because he has coached a lot of clubs in Nigeria.”
Aneke a greenhorn then was introduced to Cooreman and after impressing the Belgian in test games, he was signed.
He said the experienced coach would always be in his heart because of the huge impact he had in his career and that the history of topflight football would be incomplete without the mentioning of Cooreman based on all the players he had tutored and how he helped to improve Nigerian football.
He continued: “Someone introduced me to Cooreman back then in 2010 when he was at Kaduna United coach then.
“ I met him in his hotel towards evening. We discussed briefly and he said 8am I should come for training the following day. I impressed him in my first training session and after some few trials he then signed me for Kaduna United. He can make a player out of nothing.”
The 2012 NPFL highest scorer with 20 goals shared an unforgettable experience he had with Cooreman while they were both together in Kaduna United for a CAF Confederation Cup Group Stage tie with Club Africain of Tunisia in Tunis.
“We have a lot of memories. Yeah there was a time we had a continental game in Tunisia,” he recalled.“We couldn’t train for five days because of flight issues and so we got to Tunisia without training at all. We arrived in the morning and the game was to be played by 10.00 pm at night of the same day.
” Cooreman converted our warming up session into a kind of training session for about 15 minutes; you won’t believe when the game started , the Tunisians could not understand how we could play so well without training for five days,” he added.
Source: The Nation
