Though, he had played for three notable football clubs in the country before joining Lagos darling club, Stationery Stores FC, in 1987, Joe Ashinze became popular when he joined the ‘Flamming Flamingoes’ as he got invitation to the senior national team, the Super Eagles, same year.
Other clubs he played for include Rangers International of Enugu and Iwuanyanwu Nationale of Owerri.
The two-time Nigerian league top-scorer, in a chat with TheNiche, however, lamented his short stint in the Super Eagles under Coach Paul Hamilton.
He said: “I wasn’t given a chance to exhibit my skill in the Super Eagles. In fact, I did not really enjoy my stay in the team under Hamilton.”
He did not mince words in blaming Hamilton for his plight in the team.
While disclosing that sentiment in terms of the team’s selection has been in football long before now, he called on the coaching crew to have a rethink in this area.
He narrated how Hamilton frustrated him in the team and refused to use him during crucial matches of the Super Eagles.
“We had a lot of strikers in the team then such as the late Rashidi Yekini, Dahiru Sadi, Samson Siasia, Mike Obiku, Ndubuisi Okosieme, Lukmon Osun and my humble self.
“He (Hamilton) found favour in Siassia and Yekini, not because they were better off.
“Fans at our trainings knew that I was better than Yekini, Siasia and others and they kept showering praises on me.
“He even selected players for matches based on sentiments. If not, I would have been part of the Super Eagles players that represented the country at the US ’94 World Cup.
“So when I travelled out of the country in 1994, I refused to come back home. A knee injury I had in Europe in 1995 eventually sent me packing from active football, as I was forced to retired due to the injury,” he said.
He likened Hamilton to his coach in Stationery Stores then, Kashimawo Laloko, who he also said under-utilised him during his days in the team.
Though, he described Laloko as a very good and strict coach, he faulted some of his decisions at times, especially when it comes to selection of players.
“Laloko did not like my face, but he could not do away with me. He joined Stores the same season I joined, but because of my playing prowess and brilliant skills, the fans fell in love with me and were always shouting ‘Ashinze, Ashinze’ at training sessions.
“Laloko felt I was too popular, and most times, he would not want to use me for crucial matches; yet he could not do without me because I found favour in the supporters, most of whom have been following my career, even before I joined Stores.
“If he (Laloko) had a way of benching me then, he would have done that; but I was in my best form then and in the good books of the supporters,” he said.
Ashinze, however, showered praises on another former coach of Stationery Stores, the late Austin Ofoukwu, for his gentility on an off the pitch, and described him as a very good, caring and loving coach.
Stationery Stores national league match against Iwuanyanwu Nationale in 1987 remains his most memorable match in his career, as he scored the goal of the match to give Stores the three maximum points.
Ashinze, who is now into automobile business, advised the up-and-coming football players to be determined, focused and not be discouraged by difficulties; but make sure they get to the top of their playing career.
Ashinze fact file
Joe Ashinze
• Played for Ahlyfuslam Rocks of Ilorin (1977 to 1979)
• Played for ITT FC of Lagos (1980 to 1981)
• Played for Union Bank FC of Lagos (1981 to 1985)
• Played for Stationery Stores of Lagos (1985 to 1987)
• Played for Rangers International FC of Enugu (1988)
• Played for Iwuanyanwu Nationale of Owerri (1989)
• Was in the Super Eagles team (1987 to 1989)
• Played for Club de Maritimo of Portugal (1989)
• Played for Apa of Lanaka, Cyprus (1990)
