Taribo West is a retired Nigerian professional footballer who played as a defender. Famed for his outrageous hair stylings, not to mention his talents as a tough uncompromising defender.
He began his career in Nigeria with the club Julius Berger before moving to Europe to play for Auxerre in France.
He played for several clubs throughout his career, including Inter Milan, AC Milan, and Derby County. He is best known for his time at Inter Milan, where he won the UEFA Cup in 1998 during a famous final featuring a magnificent Ronaldo performance.
In 1999, West moved to AC Milan, unfortunately he was unable to capture the form that made hims such a hit at Inter, he was eventually loaned out to Derby County in the English Premier League. He played for the Rams for one season, but was unable to help them avoid relegation.
After returning to AC Milan, he was released by the club and moved to the French side Marseille.
In 2002, West returned to homeland Nigeria and joined the club Heartland F.C. where he played for two seasons before retiring from professional football.
Throughout his career, West was known for his physical strength, aerial ability, and his ability to score goals from set-pieces. He was also known for his eccentric and colorful hairstyles, which became his trademark.
Championship Manager fame
Taribo West was also known for his appearances in the popular football management simulation game, Championship Manager. The game was widely popular among football fans and players in the late 90s and early 2000s and many players like Taribo West became popular among the game’s community due to their high-rated attributes and potential in the game. Not to mention the fact that he was a free transfer, quickly making him a much required acquisition in any new game.
The player was known for his high defensive attributes and was considered a top defender. Just as in reality, he was known for his physical strength, aerial ability, and his ability to score goals from set-pieces.
It’s such attributes that even to this day make him aChampionship Manager, or Football Manager as it;s known now, community favourite.
West’s popularity in the game was such that it even caught the attention of the media, and he was interviewed about his fame in the game, where he stated that he was aware of his fame in the game and found it amusing.
What’s Taribo West doing now
After retiring from football, West has worked as a coach and a television commentator. He has coached several clubs in Nigeria, including Enyimba, Nasarawa United, and El-Kanemi Warriors. He is currently working as an analyst for various sports television channels in Nigeria.
In addition to his coaching and media work, West is also involved in charity work. He has been involved in several charitable foundations, including the Taribo West Foundation, which helps to support underprivileged children in Nigeria.
West has also been involved in politics, he ran for the position of the governor of Akwa Ibom State in Nigeria under the Labour Party in 2007, but was unsuccessful in his bid.
Now, the former Nigerian international has turned to religion full time, becoming, in his words, ‘a God fearing Pastor’.