Okala mourns Hamilton, solicits assistance for Emeteole

Emmanuel Okala, the 1980 Africa Nations Cup winning goalkeeper, says former Super Falcons Coach, Paul Hamilton’s death is a painful loss.
Okala said in Awka, Anambra State that he had known the fallen veteran in the 1960s.
He said Hamilton was popular in Onitsha back then when he was playing for the Onitsha Red Devils.
Okala said he grew up to play against “Wonder Boy’’ in the Amakiri Cup in 1971 as a Rangers International FC of Enugu player while Hamilton played for the Army selected side.
Hamilton spent the bulk of his playing career which spanned between 1961 to 1975 with the defunct NEPA Football Club in Lagos.
His football career was cut short with a leg injury and, thereafter, went into coaching and was hired as coach of the U-20 national team.
He was also one time head coach of the Nigerian national football team in 1989 but was fired after Nigeria failed to qualify for the 1990 FIFA World Cup.
Hamilton was later drafted to coach the female national team “Super Falcons’’ to the first ever world cup held in China 1991
He had his left leg amputated as a result of many injuries. He passed away after a long illness on Thursday.
Okala said the death was painful for the family and the deceased did the best he could for the nation and prayed for the repose of his soul.
“I knew when he was playing in Onitsha and as young students, we would go and watch him in the field.
“He was an inspiration to many of us and I grew up to play with him, we played in the Amakiri Cup in 1971 where Rangers International won.
“I worked with him in the defunct Nigeria Football Association (NFA) when he was heading the Lagos wing and later, he became the first and maybe the best coach of the female national team, Super Falcons.
“He was a great man, we will miss him,’’ he said.
Okala also appealed to Nigerians to come to the aid of ailing Kelechi Emeteole who played for Nigeria in the 1976 Nations Cup in Ethiopia.
He described the ailment as serious that demand fund to treat.
According to him, these former footballers and coaches who did their best could live longer if adequate care was provided for them in retirement.
“Kelechi is down, I call on people who have the means to please assist him as his sickness needs money,’’ he appealed.
Emetiole, who is also known as “Caterpillar’’, is down with an ailment doctors say is cancer of the throat and requires about $11,000 for the treatment.