Episode 36 ’ You don’t win the Bundesliga by mistake’ with guest Sunday Oliseh, defensive midfielder, coach, broadcaster and Olympic gold medallist with Nigeria.

Thank you for your interest in the BvB London fan community podcast as every week the focus of the show will be on exploring a facet of Borussia Dortmund's life by talking to experts and former participants of the club's life.

People like players, fans and journalists who have covered the club and decision-makers and experts who know the world of all our club well.

The aim of the podcast is to make this wonderful football club more accessible to non-German speakers. The podcast may also be of interest to German football fans who want to learn or practice English.

On today's show, the interview guest is Sunday Oliseh between 2000-04 Defensive midfielder with Borussia and a 63 time Nigeria international. Sunday played started his career in Nigeria before moving to Belgium in 1990 to play for RFC Liege before gaining a contract in Italy with Reggiana.

In 1995 Oliseh gained a contract in the Bundesliga with 1 FC Köln. In 1997 the 54 Nigeria international moved to the Eredivisie to play for Ajax where he played 54 times and scored 9 goals.

In 1999 Italian record champions Juventus came calling a star-studded midfield including Zinedine Zidane and Edgar Davids proved a disappointment for the then 26-year-old.

From 2000 four successful years in Dortmund followed including the Meisterschaft 2001-2 and the club reached the UEFA Cup final. In 2003/4 a loan to VFL Bochum followed where the club reached a European place for the first time in the club's history. Oliseh finished his career in the Jupiter Pro league in Belgium with 4-time champions KRC Genk.

Oliseh earned 63 caps for his country of birth Nigeria including playing at the FIFA World Cup tournaments of USA 1994 and France 1998 and at the Atlanta 1996 Olympic games where the 'Super Eagles' won the gold medal. 

Following his active career Oliseh achieved his coaching licence in Belgium. Highlights of his coaching career are managing the Nigeria national team in 2015/16 and Fortuna Sittard in the Eredivisie in the Netherlands in 2017/18.

Oliseh is now a regular commentator on Belgian and Nigerian television.

1. Early life growing up in Nigeria, plans for a university education and getting scouted. 

2. Liege in Belgium the first steps in professional football.

3. Serie B with Reggina Calcio the adventure of the Italian second tier.

4. New shores the Bundesliga: 1 FC Köln in the mid-1990s 'In the German league you either wake up or you get kicked out'.  

5. A star-studded season in the Serie A at Juventus with Zidane, Davids, Del Piero.   

6. Deutscher Meister, 2000-2004 from pain to glory with Borussia Dortmund 'You don't win the Meisterschaft by mistake'. 'BVB now have exceptional talent but at times I miss the killer instinct' in this generation'.

7. Olympic gold with the 'Super Eagles' 73 times a national hero with the Nigeria team at two FIFA World Cup tournaments 'Maradona seemed to have eyes in the back of his head'.

8. Coaching career the opportunity of a lifetime as head coach of the Nigeria national.

09. Managing in the Netherlands with 2-time champions Fortuna Sittard.

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