Nedum Onuoha
Chinedum Onuoha is a former professional footballer and current television pundit. He also works for Manchester City as a community ambassador.
As a player he was a centre-back, but could also play at right-back or left-back. Onuoha came through the academy at Manchester City going on to make 95 appearances in the Premier League over an 8 year-spell with the club. He also spent time playing in the top flight for Sunderland and Queens Park Rangers. He was part of the QPR team that were defeated 3-2 by his former club Manchester City on the final day of the 2011–12 season, with City winning the title in the final seconds of the game. He later won promotion back to the Premier League with QPR via the 2013–14 play-offs. He later spent two seasons in Major League Soccer for Real Salt Lake. He was capped at England U20 and England U21 levels.
Personal life
Born in Warri, Delta State, Nigeria, Onuoha was brought up in Manchester, England. He went to Nelson Street Primary School Miles Platting before becoming a pupil at the Hulme Grammar School, Oldham, where he achieved eight grade 'A's' and two 'B's' at GCSE. He then completed his studies at Xaverian College Manchester where he achieved three 'A' grades at A-level in Maths, Business Studies and IT. Onuoha revealed "he had a strict Nigerian upbringing and that school came first and if he did not study properly and successfully, he was forbidden by his mother and father from playing football or athletics".An outstanding junior sprinter, aged 14 he finished in second place in the final of the 2001 English School's Athletics Association Junior 100 metres contest, clocking 11.09 seconds and beating former Great Britain sprinter Craig Pickering. However, Onuoha said about the record: "it was all just based on the fact I was doing summer training," He is also currently the co-national record holder for boys under 15 standing triple jump, in the Sports Hall events held annually throughout the UK. The record is held jointly with international long jumper Jonathan Moore.
He is known to have supported Manchester City as a boy and he attended the Division Two play-off final against Gillingham at Wembley in 1999. Onuoha's mother, Dr Anthonia Onuoha, who was his agent, developed cancer and made national headlines in September 2011 when an email exchange led to the club's CEO Garry Cook resigning from his role. The following November, Dr Anthonia Onuoha eventually succumbed to cancer. After his mother's death, he paid tribute to her, saying: "My mum always wanted me to do the best I could and out of respect for her I will carry on trying to do that. The rest of my career is dedicated to her memory. I want to carry on making her proud. She was a very special woman, and even when she was ill she never wanted me to stop playing."
Outside of football, Onuoha studied part-time to earn an accountancy degree at Manchester Metropolitan University. However, he said: "I studied accountancy, but that turned out to be one of the most boring years in my life." In April 2014, Onuoha became a father for the first time when his wife, Lucy Onuoha, gave birth to a daughter, Amaia.
In October 2021, Onuhoa returned to Manchester City to work for the City in the Community organisation.
In November 2021, it was announced that Onuoha would release an autobiography titled Kicking Back, which was co-written with Hugh Ferris. It was published in May 2022 by Biteback Publishing.
Club career
Manchester City
Having started at the Independent Schools Football Association, Onuoha progressed through the age groups in Manchester City's youth academy since joining in 1996 at age ten and played regularly for club's reserves in the 2003–04 season. He had his first involvement with the Manchester City first team in the 2004–05 pre-season, playing in a friendly against Bury. Onuoha made his first team debut against Arsenal in the League Cup on 27 October 2004, at the age of 17. He made his Premier League debut as a substitute on 1 November 2004 at home to Norwich City. Though Onuoha's natural position is centre-half, manager Kevin Keegan initially played him at right back with the intention of improving his passing ability. He then made his first Premier League start, playing the whole game, in a 3–1 win over Portsmouth on 20 November 2004. After the match, Manager Keegan praised his performance. After spending two months on the sidelines with a hamstring injury, which he sustained in mid–January, Onuoha made his first appearances in two months, starting the match and gave away a goal before being substituted, in a 2–1 loss against Tottenham Hotspur on 19 March 2005. Despite this, he was involved in the club's remaining matches, playing in the right–back position, and kept three clean sheets between 20 April 2005 and 30 April 2005. For his performance, Onuoha signed a three–year contract with the club. At the end of the 2004–05 season, making eighteen appearances in all competitions in his debut season, he was awarded the club's young player of the year.However, Onuoha missed the start of the 2005–06 season, due to a hamstring injury. His first appearance of the season came on 23 August 2005, coming on as a late substitute, in a 2–1 win over Sunderland. After being dropped from the first team in early–September, Onuoha returned against Doncaster Rovers in a League Cup match, where he was red carded for the first time in his career, after a collision with Rovers goalkeeper Andy Warrington. The red card was later rescinded however Manchester City went on to lose the game on penalties. Since returning to the first team, Onuoha continued to fight for his first team place, competing in the defensive starting line–up for the side. However, he soon suffered a groin injury that saw him sidelined for two months. While on the sidelines, Onuoha was awarded BBC North West Sports Personality of the Year Award for newcomer honour. It wasn't until on 12 December 2005 when he returned from injury, starting the whole game, in a 4–1 win over Birmingham City. Onuoha was featured in the next six matches since returning from injury. Amid to the first team, he was linked with a move to Liverpool but was happy to stay at the club. However, Onuoha damaged his knee ligament that kept him out for the rest of the 2005–06 season. He went on to make twelve appearances in the 2005–06 season.
At the start of the 2006–07 season, Onuoha continued to be sidelined, recovering from his knee ligament injury. It wasn't until on 18 November 2006 when he made his first appearance of the season, coming on as a late substitute, in a 3–1 win over Fulham. Onuoha then appeared in the next six matches before injuring his knee once again. He didn't make his return from injury until on 31 March 2007, starting the match, in a 1–0 win against Newcastle United. Following this, Onuoha established himself in the first team for the remaining matches of the season. At the end of the 2006–07 season, he made nineteen appearances in all competitions. Following this, Onuoha was rewarded with a new four-year contract.
In the opening game of the 2007–08 season, Onuoha started the season well when he set up the second goal in the game for Geovanni, in a 2–0 win over West Ham United. He captained the Manchester City side to a 2–1 victory over Bristol City in the League Cup second round. Over the season, Onuoha found himself, competing in the first team at the club's defence. After spending two months out of the first team, he made his return to the starting line–up, starting the whole game, in a 1–1 draw against Aston Villa on 22 December 2007. Onuoha continued to remain in the club's first team despite suffering injuries along the way. He then scored his first goal for City at home against Tottenham Hotspur on 16 March 2008 in a 2–1 win. On 5 April 2008, Onuoha dislocated his shoulder in a game against Chelsea and was ruled out for the remainder of the 2007–08 season following surgery. At the end of the season, he went on to make twenty–one appearances and scoring once in all competitions.
In the 2008–09 season, Onuoha made his UEFA Cup debut, starting and playing the whole game, in a 2–0 win over EB/Streymur in the first leg of the UEFA Cup qualifying round. However, the start of the 2008–09 season saw Onuoha sidelined, who suffered a knee injury while on international duty. It wasn't until on 20 October 2008 when he made his return from injury, coming on as a substitute for Micah Richards in the 58th minute, in a 2–2 draw against Newcastle United. Soon after, Onuoha found himself in the substitute bench for the next two months. But after City's 3–0 defeat to Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup, he started every single game until the end of the season, forming an effective partnership with Richard Dunne in the centre of defence. He then scored his first goal of the season in the first leg of the UEFA Cup Round, in a 2–2 draw against Copenhagen and helped the side go through to the next round after winning 2–1 in the second leg. Two months later on 19 April 2009, Onuoha scored his second goal of the season, in a 4–2 win over West Brom. Two weeks later on 2 May 2009, he set up the club's opening goal of the game, in a 3–1 win over Blackburn Rovers. For his performance, he was named Manchester City's Thomas Cook Player of the Month on two occasions for March and May. At the end of the 2008–09 season, Onuoha went on to make thirty appearances and scoring two times in all competitions. Following this, Onuoha agreed to a new five-year deal with Manchester City on 29 July 2009. During the 2008–09 season, he said about the club's new ownership, saying: "The takeover was a shock in itself, it was insane. Out of nowhere, we were getting called the richest club in football. It was a shock not just to the players, but the whole football world, it was such a big statement at that time."
In the 2009–10 season, Onuoha found himself out of the first team, due to being on the substitute bench over his own injury concern. It wasn't until on 21 November 2009 when he made his first appearance of the season, coming on as a substitute in the second half, in a 2–2 draw against Liverpool. However, his return was short–lived when Onuoha suffered a groin injury that kept him out throughout December. Onuoha didn't make return to the first team until on 24 January 2010 against Scunthorpe United in the fourth round of the FA Cup, as they won 4–2. Three months later on 11 April 2010, Onuoha played a role when he set up a goal for Carlos Tevez and scored from a solo run, as Manchester City won 5–1 against Birmingham City. Over the season, he found himself on the substitute bench for the remaining matches, due to competition in the club's defence. At the end of the 2009–10 season, Onuoha went on to make seventeen appearances and scoring two times in all competitions. Following this, he criticised Manager Roberto Mancini over his decision-making he made at the club.
After returning from a loan spell at Sunderland, Onuoha was linked with a move away from Manchester City, as various Premier League clubs made bids for him ahead of the 2011–12 season. It came after when he was told by the club that he would need to look for a new club. But no bid was accepted and he stayed at Manchester City. After being dropped from the club's pre–season tour, he announced his intention to fight for his first team place at Manchester City in the 2011–12 season. However, his first team opportunities at Manchester City were limited as Manager Mancini said: Onuoha will stay with us because he is homegrown but he knows it is difficult for him to play often." But he made his first appearance of the season, starting the whole game, in a 2–0 win over Birmingham City in the third round of the League Cup. In January 2012, Onuoha continued to be linked a move away from the club, as Queens Park Rangers made a bid for him. After the bid was accepted, the agreement between Manchester City and Queens Park Rangers was made for Onuoha on 19 January 2012. By the time he departed Manchester City that season, he had made three appearances for the side. Local newspaper, Manchester Evening News, praised Onuoha "as a true professional".