EX-NIGERIA COACH, PAUL ‘WONDER BOY’ HAMILTON, IS DEAD

Duro Ikhazuagbe

A former Nigeria player and coach, Paul Hamilton, 75, died in a Lagos hospital yesterday. Fondly called Wonder Boy due largely to his wonderful football skills, the former national team handler died from heart and kidney related health issues, according family sources thursday.

Hamilton’s wife, Durdy, also confirmed the death of the coach who led Nigeria to a bronze medal at the 1985 FIFA World Youth Championship (now known as FIFA U20 World Cup) in the then Soviet Union.

“Yes my husband is dead. As I speak with you, I am at the Military Hospital in Yaba. I am with some doctors for a meeting,” Hamilton’s Durdy said with a mournful voice early yesterday when the news of Hamilton’s death filtered into the National Stadium in Lagos.

His death yesterday was the anticlimax of the health challenges Hamilton had endured since he retired from the national team job. Late last year, the left leg of the ‘Wonder Boy’ was amputated to save his failing health.He told THISDAY some years back that the injury on the leg was sustained during his days as national team player.

Though retired, Hamilton was not far from the game. He had an office behind the table tennis knock up hall at the Sports-city, imparting the experiences he garnered over several decades as coach and player to the younger generation. But his failing health limited him from the game in the last couple of years until he breathed his last thursday.

Hamilton played for the senior national team in the 1960s and early 1970s, including featuring in the football tournament at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City.

He was at a few times head coach of the senior national team, including taking the reins for the 1990 FIFA World Cup qualifying series, before Dutchman Clemens Westerhof took over with only the last match of the campaign (away to Cameroon in Yaounde) left in the series.

‘Wonder Boy’ was also the first head coach of the senior women national team, Super Falcons, and steered the team to the 1991 and 1995 FIFA Women’s World Cup final competitions. He was also at different times Head of Technical Department and Head of Lagos Liaison Office of the Nigeria Football Federation.

In his reaction yesterday, NFF General Secretary, Dr. Sanusi Mohammed, said: “We are in terrible shock. ‘Wonder Boy’ Hamilton was a perfect gentleman in the real sense of the word, despite being a former international player for Nigeria and a Chief Coach of the senior national team.

“He worked very hard and with his whole heart for Nigeria in all spheres, as a player, a coach and as an administrator. The Nigeria football family will miss him dearly.”

Also, former Captain of the Green Eagles who played under Hamilton, Henry Nwosu said the death of the coach came to him as a rude shock. Nwosu said Nigerians would sorely miss Hamilton’s gentle and jovial nature. “This is sad and unfortunate. Coach Hamilton’s death is a rude shock to me. Coach Hamilton was my coach in the Green Eagles / Super Eagles.

“He made me Super Eagles captain at one point in time. He was gentle, jovial and never got angry with anyone. I remember vividly telling him that he was the ‘Wonder Man’ as I became the ‘Wonder Boy’. We will miss him dearly.”He urged the government to assist his family in whatever way possible to give Hamilton a befitting burial.