FCT FA chairman Adam Mouktar Mohammed has sang the praise of former Super Eagles John Utaka for the shining example he has become in Europe after his retirement.
Utaka, who featured at the 2002 and 2010 World Cups, played for Rennes, RC Lens and helped Montpellier to win their first and only Ligue 1 championship in 2012.
He also played in the Premier League with Portsmouth.
He is currently the coach of Montpellier U19s.
Mouktar Mohammed met with Utaka at the recent Nigeria-France Sports Awards in Paris as well as at a charity game in Lens.
“Utaka is a great example of what a former player should be overseas many years after he has quit the game,” Mohammed told SCORENigeria
“He is highly respected by those up there in football in France, a complete gentleman who is trusted and well tested.
“He is a great ambassador for Nigeria football in Europe.”
Utaka’s accomplishment as a coach is already evident by the role he played in the career of Elye Wahi, whose Transfermarkt value is now 40 Million Euros.
This summer the 20-year-old striker joined Lens for 30 Million Euros from Montpellier.
“He came around to meet Utaka and his mother was full of appreciation for what he has done for her son,” Mouktar Mohammed disclosed.
He is also guiding new Ligue 1 goals sensation Jerome Akor at Montpellier.
The ex-Eagles star has his own foundation, the John Utaka Foundation.
