Eric Geno Sije Odhiambo is making seismic waves in England after landing a coaching role at Championship outfit Coventry City but has had a long route to the top having graced the lower echelons of football. Contrary to many social media posts of Kenyans claiming one of their very own, Odhiambo is actually a Tanzanian but also holds a British passport after being born in Oxford, England. Odhiambo’s career has been an aberration and a stark opposite of most footballers who start from lesser clubs before gracing the top clubs as he started out at Leicester City before going on a journey in non-league sides.ACADEMY: Odhiambo – ‘Professional Player to Coach scheme a great opportunity.’➡️ https://t.co/1c5FWq9qx9 #PUSB pic.twitter.com/g8c2elNo9c— Coventry City (@Coventry_City) December 21, 2021 After making no senior appearances at the 2016 Premier League champions and spending time on loan with Southend United, Dundee United and Brentford, Odhiambo left having spent a decade at the club. The 32-year-old packed his bags for a trip to Scotland where he joined Inverness Caledonian Thistle and after 63 appearances and 10 goals his passport was stamped for Turkey to join Denizlispor in 2013.Odhiambo then spent the latter stages of his career shuttling around lower league sides that included Hereford United, Sligo Rovers, Brackley Town, Kidlington, North Leigh, Abingdon United, Abingdon United and FC Kidlington.Since calling time on his career in 2019, the former Leicester City striker enrolled for the Professional Player to Coach Scheme after he achieved his dream of becoming a professional football coach.🗣 “If anyone was thinking about applying for this, I’d say 100 per cent go for it.”Ex-@LCFC forward Eric Odhiambo believes the Professional Player to Coach Scheme can inspire players from more diverse backgrounds pic.twitter.com/QVghbTBcOu— Premier League (@premierleague) December 20, 2021 The Tanzanian was recently appointed as lead foundation phase coach at Coventry City, where he will look after the recruitment and wellbeing of players from Under-8s through to Under-12s.Professional Player to Coach Scheme that was launched back in 2020 and aimed at increasing the number of black and Asian players in the game and Odhiambo credits the programme for handing him a chance. “I don’t think I would have been able to get in front of the academy manager to present myself and have the opportunity to show them that I’m capable of doing the role.The highlight of my time here has to have been applying for the role and getting it. I don’t think it would have been possible without the scheme,” said Odhiambo. Having had stints in England, Scotland, Turkey and Ireland, the player turned coach believes the experience makes him ideally placed to share what he has learned with the next generation.Eric Odhiambo, 32, is the newest coach at the academy side of Championship side Coventry City. As the Lead Foundation Coach at Coventry, he is in charge of the recruitment and wellbeing of players from Under-8s through to Under-12s. #StarsAbroad pic.twitter.com/S2M1DBUSYz— Jeff Kinyanjui (@Nyash88) December 24, 2021 Odhiambo fostered a strong bond with most of the academy players at Coventry with the club’s Academy Manager Dan Bolas opening up on his impact. “Straightaway from early days, some of the younger players, the nine and 10-year-olds really gravitated towards him. His energy, his enthusiasm, his personality, but also his empathy and the fact he’s actually been through the scheme and been through the process as a player, as a young player… gives him that empathy… that really helps him develop good links with the players. The parents can see that as well and appreciate that,” added Odhiambo.
