Former Super Eagles defensive ace, Taribo West has been accused by the President of a Serbian team, in an interview granted an English tablo...
Former Super Eagles defensive ace, Taribo West has been accused by the President of a Serbian team, in an interview granted an English tabloid, of lying about his age in his days as an active footballer.
Taribo, who was one of the players that won gold medal for Nigeria at the Atlanta Olympics in 1996, was accused by the President of Partizan Belgrade, Zarco Zecevic, that he was actually 40 when he joined his side in 2002, and not 28 as he claimed back then.
The former Milan, Derby County and Plymouth centre half, now retired, joined Serbian team Partizan Belgrade in 2002 after leaving Derby County and told club bosses he was 28.
He joined us saying he was 28. We only later found out he was 40, but he was still playing well so I don’t regret having him on the team, Zecevic told The Daily Mail.
But according to the Croatian media, the former defender known for his colourful hairstyles also lied when trying to join Croatia’s Rijeka club.
At the age of 44, they said West told club doctors he was only 32.
It was only after an examination that the doctors raised suspicions with the club because, according to them, Taribo's knees suggested he was older.
He wasn’t signed to the team but later joined Plymouth and then Iranian side Paykan FC, where he ended his career at the age of 46 in 2008.
Today his Wikipedia entry says he is 39.
