Former Nigeria coach and ex-international Paul Ebiye Hamilton has died after a protracted illness at the age of 76.
The news of his death was announced on Thursday and took the football fraternity in the country by surprise even though news of his illness has been an open secret.
Hamilton's both legs were amputated at the Lagos Teaching Hospital, Idi Araba after been bedridden for months with an unidentified condition. Wonder boy, as his fondly called gave up the ghost in the early hours of Thursday morning in Lagos.
Hamilton spent the bulk of his playing career with NEPA Lagos between 1961 and 1975. After retirement, he was hired as coach of the U-20 national team. The stint was short but was again on the national frontier when he was hired as head coach of the Nigeria national football team in 1989.
Unfortunately, he was fired after Nigeria failed to qualify for the 1990 FIFA World Cup in Italy. He went on to coach the female national team for their first World Cup. He received his UEFA coaching license in summer 2006.
The Nigeria Football Federation mourned the late coach on its official handle on Thursday. Hamilton is survived by his wife, Durdy, children and grand children