Blessing Kaku

Blessing Kaku
Personal information
Full name Blessing Kaku
Date of birth (1978-03-05) 5 March 1978 (age 46)
Place of birth Ughelli, Nigeria
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Youth career
1994 Steel Pioneers
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1996–1997 Sharks F.C. 0 (0)
1997–1998 SV Braunau 0 (0)
1998–1999 RWD Molenbeek 28 (0)
1999–2000 KRC Harelbeke 26 (5)
2000–2002 K.R.C. Genk 20 (0)
2002–2003 Hapoel Be'er-Sheva 42 (11)
2003–2004 F.C. Ashdod 19 (4)
2004 Bolton Wanderers 1 (0)
2005 Derby County 4 (0)
2005 Maccabi Tel Aviv 8 (1)
2006 F.C. Ashdod 18 (3)
2006–2008 Maccabi Petah Tikva 58 (4)
2008–2009 Enosis Neon Paralimni 11 (1)
Total 235 (29)
International career‡
2000–2004 Nigeria 4 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 30 October 2008
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 31 August 2006

Blessing Kaku (born 5 March 1978) is a former Nigerian international football player, who was a member of the national squad at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. He spent most of his time in Israel playing for multiple clubs (Hapoel Be'er Sheva, Maccabi Tel Aviv, F.C. Ashdod, Maccabi Petah Tikva). He also played for Cyprus-based club Enosis Neon Paralimni and Belgian side K.R.C. Genk. He also played in England for Bolton Wanderers, and Derby County but failed to make an impact in his short spells with both of the English clubs.

Transfer Controversy

His transfer from F.C. Ashdod to Bolton Wanderers in August 2004 is mentioned in the Stevens inquiry report in June 2007, concerns were raised because of the apparent conflict of interest between agent Craig Allardyce and his father Sam Allardyce (Bolton manager at the time) and the club itself.[1]

Notes and references

  1. ^ "What Stevens said about each club". The Daily Telegraph. 16 June 2007. Archived from the original on 11 October 2007. Retrieved 17 June 2007.[dead link‍]