Eric_Odhiambo

Eric Odhiambo

Eric Odhiambo

English footballer

Eric Geno Sije Odhiambo (born 12 May 1989) is an English footballer who plays for Kidlington in the Hellenic League as a striker. He began his career with Leicester City, but didn't make any first team league appearances, spending time on loan with Southend United, Dundee United and Brentford. Since leaving Leicester in 2009, Odhiambo has played for Inverness Caledonian Thistle in Scotland, Denizlispor in Turkey, Hereford United in England and Sligo Rovers in Ireland before joining Kidlington in 2015.

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He is the brother of football players, Eddie and Anaclet Odhiambo. Odhiambo is now back at Leicester City as a part-time Academy coach.[2]

Club career

Leicester City

Odhiambo made his senior debut in a 3–2 League Cup defeat against Aston Villa on 24 October 2006.[3] On 5 May 2007 he signed his first professional contract with Leicester along with seven other players, including Andy King, Max Gradel and Carl Pentney.[4]

He joined League One side Southend United on a one-month loan on 31 August.[5] Odhiambo made his debut, coming on as a substitute in the late minute, as Southend lose 3–2 against Brighton & Hove Albion the following day and on 29 September 2007, he made his first start and played 90 minutes, in a 2–1 win over Port Vale. His loan deal was extended by a month on 27 September,[6] and several days later, having his loan deal extended, his loan spell was extended by a month once again[7] but he returned to Leicester on 29 October without scoring any goals.[8]

Odhiambo joined Scottish Premier League club Dundee United on loan in the January transfer window until the end of the season, under former Leicester manager Craig Levein.[9] He made his debut as a last-minute substitute in United's 4–1 win against Hearts on 2 January.[10]

On 27 November 2008 having failed to feature for Leicester up to this point, he joined Brentford on an initial one-month loan deal.[11]

Having returned from an unsuccessful loan spell at Brentford, Odhiambo had his Leicester contract terminated by mutual consent on 30 January 2009, having never played a league game for the club.[12]

Inverness Caledonian Thistle

On the same day, Odhiambo joined Scottish Premier League side Inverness Caledonian Thistle until the end of the season,[13] making his debut as a second-half substitute against Celtic.[14] The next game, Odhiambo scored his first goal, with the opener, in a 1–1 draw against his former club, Dundee United.[15] Later in the season, the club would get relegated from the Scottish Premier League. Despite being used less often, Odhiambo was offered a new contract for another season[16] and signed a new deal the following month, with a one-year deal.[17]

With the club relegated, Odhiambo started his season, having missed out, due to injury[18] but kept his first-team place and scored his first goal of the season, in a 2–0 win over Airdrie United on 14 November 2009, having played his first match last week. In the second half of the 2009–10 season, he was a key player in Terry Butcher's side which gained promotion to the SPL and scored five goals. At the end of the season, with the club promoted, Odhiambo was offered a new contract with the club for another season and signed another one-year deal.[19]

With the club back at the Scottish Premier League, Odhiambo soon started his season when he scored his first of the season in the first round of Scottish League Cup in a 3–0 win over Queen's Park and scored three goals in two consecutive games against Hearts and a brace against St Mirren and on 30 October 2010, Odhiambo soon scored against Scottish giant Rangers. After the match, manager Butcher praised his performance.[20] Due to his goalscoring form for months, Odhiambo was known as a 'super sub', insisting he wants to make a start in the first team, rather staying on the bench.[21] Since then, Odhiambo was unable to score more goals and have been most used substitute later on the season. Despite earlier in the season that Odhiambo will stay,[22] He was released by Inverness at the end of the 2010–2011 season[23]

Since been released by Inverness, Sky Sports reports that Odhiambo is being tracked by number of clubs south of the border with an unnamed League One club[24]

Denizlispor

In July, Odhiambo then signed for Turkish side Denizlispor on a three-year deal[25] After the move, Odhiambo says his challenge to make an impact, like Kenny Miller.[26] Having made five appearances by coming on as a substitute in the second half, Odhiambo scored his first goal, as Denizlispor lose 5–2 against Bucaspor on 15 October 2011.[27] On 25 March 2012, Odhiambo received a red card – for the first time in his Turkish career – after a second bookable offence, in a 1–1 draw against Karşıyaka.

The next season, Odhiambo provided assist for Yasin Görkem Arslan – in a 1–0 win over Gaziantep Büyükşehir Belediyespor on 3 September 2012 and several weeks later on 23 September 2012, Odhiambo scored his second goal for the club – in a 4–3 loss against Tavşanlı. Several months later, Odhiambo soon find himself left out of the first team after a contract dispute with the club.[28] Soon after, Odhiambo went on trial with League Two side Torquay United.[29] However, the move had no avail.

Hereford

On 19 September 2013, Hereford signed Odhiambo subject to international clearance. During his time at Edgar Street, his opportunities were limited as he made only seven appearances, scoring one goal against Dartford. He left Edgar Street on 7 January 2014 following the expiration of his contract.[30]

Sligo Rovers

After leaving Hereford, Odhiambo signed for League of Ireland side Sligo Rovers, based in County Sligo, Ireland. On 24 February 2014, Odhiambo scored a hat-trick on his debut against Crusaders in the 2014 Setanta Sports Cup.[31]

Kidlington

After leaving Sligo Rovers, Odhiambo signed for Uhlsport Hellenic Premier Division side Kidlington, based in Oxfordshire, England. Odhiambo signed for Kidlington in August 2015 where he was a member of the side that won the Uhlsport Hellenic Premier Division title 2015–16 season, thus earning promotion to the Southern Football League Division One Central.

Honours

Inverness Caledonian Thistle

References

  1. [1]
    "Eric Odhiambo". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
  2. [2]
    "Academy Staff". lcfc.com. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  3. [3]
    Leicester 2–3 Aston Villa, BBC Sport 24 October 2006. Retrieved on 2007-09-27.
  4. [4]
    "Young Stars Make The Grade". LCFC.co.uk. 5 May 2007. Archived from the original on 18 February 2012. Retrieved 4 March 2009.
  5. [5]
    Southend loan move, Leicester City Archived 18 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  6. [6]
    Southend target Foxes extension, BBC Sport 27 September 2007. Retrieved on 2007-09-27.
  7. [7]
    "Odihambo extends loan at Southend". BBC Sport. 3 October 2007. Retrieved 20 February 2013.
  8. [8]
    Teenager Odhiambo leaves Southend, BBC Sport 29 October 2007.
  9. [9]
    Dundee Utd to sign Foxes striker, BBC Sport 28 December 2007. Retrieved on 2007-12-30.
  10. [10]
    "Dundee United 4–1 Hearts". BBC Sport. 2 January 2008. Retrieved 5 January 2008.
  11. [11]
    "Eric Joins Bees". LCFC.co.uk. 27 November 2008. Archived from the original on 18 February 2012. Retrieved 27 November 2008.
  12. [12]
    "Eric Moves On". LCFC.co.uk. 30 January 2009. Archived from the original on 18 February 2012. Retrieved 30 January 2009.
  13. [13]
    "Inverness add Foran and Odhiambo". BBC Sport. 30 January 2009. Retrieved 31 January 2009.
  14. [14]
    "Inverness Vs Celtic". BBC Sport. 1 February 2009. Retrieved 1 February 2009.
  15. [15]
    "SPL: Dundee United 1 Inverness Caley Thistle 1". Daily Record. 16 February 2009. Retrieved 20 February 2013.
  16. [16]
    "Inverness begin reshaping squad". BBC Sport. 25 May 2009. Retrieved 20 February 2013.
  17. [17]
    "Foran stays as ICT re-sign trio". BBC Sport. 30 June 2009. Retrieved 20 February 2013.
  18. [18]
    "First Division: Title race will be wide open this year, says Dunfermline ace Graham Bayne". Daily Record. 8 August 2009. Retrieved 20 February 2013.
  19. [19]
    "Richie Foran agrees new Inverness Caledonian Thistle deal". Daily Record. 28 April 2010. Retrieved 20 February 2013.
  20. [20]
    "Terry Butcher dedicates Ibrox draw to Grant Munro". BBC Sport. 30 October 2010. Retrieved 20 February 2013.
  21. [21]
    "Odhiambo wants to start". Sky Sports. 5 November 2010. Retrieved 20 February 2013.
  22. [22]
    "Butcher wants to keep key men". Sky Sports. 19 November 2010. Retrieved 20 February 2013.
  23. [23]
    "Caley cut another five". Sky Sports. 3 May 2011. Retrieved 20 February 2013.
  24. [24]
    "Odhiambo in demand". Sky Sports. 24 June 2011. Retrieved 20 February 2013.
  25. [25]
    "Odhiambo opts for Turkish move". Sky Sports. 7 July 2011. Retrieved 20 February 2013.
  26. [26]
    "Eric Odhiambo: I want to be as big a hit in Turkey as Kenny Miller". Daily Record. 9 July 2011. Retrieved 20 February 2013.
  27. [27]
    "Bucaspor VS Denizlispor – Match Details" [Bucaspor VS Denizlispor – Maç Detaylari] (in Turkish). tff. 15 October 2011. Retrieved 20 February 2013.
  28. [28]
    "Striker Eric Odhiambo keen on return to UK". Sky Sports. 29 December 2012. Retrieved 20 February 2013.
  29. [29]
    "Torquay United consider Eric Odhiambo move". BBC Sport. 27 November 2012. Retrieved 20 February 2013.
  30. [30]
    "Odhiambo leaves Edgar Street". Hereford United. 7 January 2014. Archived from the original on 30 May 2014.
  31. [31]
    "Odhiambo's debut treble". Irish Independent. 24 February 2014. Retrieved 24 February 2014.
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