Former Super Eagles defender Uche Okechukwu has been appointed as the new Sporting Director of Enyimba FC, signalling a decisive shift in the football structure of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) giants as they intensify efforts to arrest a difficult season.
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Okechukwu replaces Ifeanyi Ekwueme, who recently exited the role amid growing concerns over Enyimba’s recruitment approach, squad planning and internal management issues that have impacted results on the pitch.
The change followed an internal review of the Aba-based club’s sporting operations, with sources confirming that player recruitment strategy and overall performance were central to the assessment.
The appointment forms part of a broader restructuring at the People’s Elephant, who are also working to resolve outstanding matters surrounding the head coach position as they seek stability and a return to competitiveness.
Okechukwu’s arrival further reinforces Enyimba’s leadership core, which is chaired by former Super Eagles captain Nwankwo Kanu.
The club has increasingly leaned on the experience of ex-internationals to guide the ongoing rebuild. Earlier this week, on January 26, 2026, the Abia State Government announced the appointment of Coach Deutsch Detchoua Gustave Emmanuel as Enyimba’s new head coach, following approval from Governor Alex Otti.
A respected figure in Nigerian football, Okechukwu brings vast experience to his new role.
He earned 47 caps for Nigeria, featured at two FIFA World Cups and two Africa Cup of Nations tournaments, and was part of the celebrated AFCON-winning squad of 1994.
He also claimed Olympic gold with Nigeria at the 1996 Atlanta Games and captained the national team on several occasions before retiring from international football after the 1998 World Cup.
At club level, Okechukwu enjoyed a remarkable 13-year spell in Turkey, becoming the longest-serving foreign player in the country’s football history. His contribution was later recognised with Turkish citizenship, under the name Deniz Uygar.
Enyimba will now look to Okechukwu’s pedigree, leadership and deep understanding of football operations to reshape recruitment, strengthen squad balance and help restore the club’s status as a dominant force in Nigerian and continental football.
