Former Ivorian international and Arsenal defender Emmanuel Eboue has been offered a coaching job by his former Turkish club Galatasaray after hearing about his bitter divorce that cost him everything he had including his three children who he has not heard from since June.
The 34-year-old disclosed in an interview with British tabloid newspaper Sunday Mirror that his wife Aurelie took everything including mansions, cars and their first house in North London where he has been ordered by a court to surrender ownership.
Manager of Galatasaray Fatish Terim told CNN Turk that he would give Eboue the job of assistant coach of the club’s under-14 team. “We heard news about Eboue in the dressing room, I was informed there, we will do whatever we can to help my friend.”
Eboue admitted that he was on the brink of suicide after his incident that followed a year’s ban by FIFA for failing to pay a reported €1million owed to his former agent Sebastien Boisseau. After the ban, the Ivorian player was signed by Cypriot side Turk Ocagi Limassol where he didn’t go beyond the medicals due to undisclosed “medical problems”.
He blamed “naivety” for his plight saying he entrusted his finances to his wife and she managed all the contracts he signed which left him vulnerable in her hands.
“I look back and say ‘Emmanuel, you have been naive… why didn’t you think about that before?’ It is hard. Very, very hard. The money I earned, I sent it to my wife for our children. In Turkey, I earned eight million euros. I sent seven million back home. Whatever she tells me to sign, I sign.
“She is my wife. The problems with FIFA were because of people advising me. People who are supposed to care. But it was because of them FIFA banned me,” he said.
The once glorious footballer who is known for his impeccable performance with the Ivory Coast national team, Sunderland, Galatasaray and Arsenal had called for support while advising young footballers not to make the mistakes he did.
“I want God to help me. Only he can help take these thoughts from my mind. I continue to thank God. I have my life. I didn’t want what has happened. I don’t wish it on anybody,” he said.
“I would accept help from anywhere but if my previous club wants to help me then I would be very, very happy. Maybe I could help the young players? … Maybe I’d see some of the people I played with or against and I’d feel embarrassed. But I would cope,” he hinted.
No club has responded to his request for support except Galatasaray.
Emmanuel Eboué’s story is heartbreaking! pic.twitter.com/eDG79CJOTK
— Wọlé II (@Kingwole) December 24, 2017
