Ambrose Vanzekin was the goalkeeper of the Flying Eagles team that won silver at the 2005 FIFA U-20 World Cup in the Netherlands.
BY Idris Shehu
Ambrose Vanzekin, the former Flying Eagles goalkeeper, said his family had to “beg around to survive and eat” during his spell as the goalkeeper trainer at Bendel Insurance FC.
The 38-year-old shared his financial ordeal in a recent video on his Tiktok page.
Vanzekin was appointed as the goalkeeper trainer at Insurance in 2021 — a few months before the club gained promotion to the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL).
The goalkeeper coach said he was paid “N75,000 monthly,” and the salary “was not even sufficient for transport costs”.
Vanzekin added that he “begged for cash from people to attend training sessions” and “owed people all over my community”.
He said after his remuneration was increased, “transportation fees consumed almost everything,” and “I had to trek long distances at times to make training sessions”.
“During my first three years as Bendel Insurance’s goalkeeper trainer, I was paid N75,000 monthly. A whole me, Ambrose Vanzekin, somebody that went to the Olympics and brought silver medal back to Nigeria. I made Nigeria proud. I was paid an amount not up to $100 for three years,” Vanzekin said.
“I struggled for one year, and I struggled again the second year. I was unable to complete my training sessions with the team because of my struggles. The salary was not even sufficient for transport costs. Before one or two weeks, I would not attend training again. I loved the job and wanted to go, but there was no money.
“Sometimes, I begged for cash from people to attend training sessions. I owed people all over my community.
“After the government scrapped the management of Bendel Insurance over a disagreement between the governor and his deputy, my salary was increased to N260,000. But still, nothing is going fine. Transportation fees consumed almost everything. I had to trek long distances at times to make training sessions.
“I used to spend N2000 every day on transport. I do not even know how my family eat. They just beg around so that we can survive and eat.”
Vanzekin added that he had resigned from the job, saying the club management treated him “unfairly”.
Vanzekin was the goalkeeper of the Flying Eagles team that won silver at the 2005 FIFA U-20 World Cup in the Netherlands.
The team, which comprised Mikel Obi, Chinedu Ogbuke and Ambrose Efe, lost to a Lionel Messi-inspired Argentina in the final.
Vanzekin was also the goalkeeper when Nigeria won the silver medal in the men’s football event at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.
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