Portsmouth 2008 FA Cup winner becomes boss of ambitious French women's team
The Nigerian winger made 114 appearances after joining from Rennes in a £7m deal
A Pompey FA Cup winner has taken his next step on the coaching journey after being appointed by a women’s football team.
Not to be confused with Montpellier HSC, Utaka’s new club compete in the Regional 1 Occitania Football League, with the ambitious 43-year-old targeting guiding them to national level.
The former Nigerian international winger had previously spent five years at Montpellier HSC with their men’s team, serving as an assistant coach and also striking coach at a club he represented with distinction as a player.
During the second half of last season, he stepped in to assist the new women’s coach, developing an understanding of the game, before opting to move to neighbours ASPTT Montpellier this month.
Now the 2008 FA Cup winner for Pompey is bidding to drive his new club towards the upper echelons of French women’s football.
‘That is the challenge I accepted’
‘I felt it was time to implement my own philosophy and start my managerial career fully. When the chance came, I took it.
‘During the second phase of the previous season, after the women’s team coach was sacked, I was called to assist the newly appointed head coach.
‘We aim to reach the national level where we will compete against the country’s top teams. That is the challenge I accepted—to elevate the team beyond the regional level.’
Since retiring from football in 2018, Utaka has focused on building a coaching career and three years ago earned his Uefa A Licence.
Created Portsmouth’s winning FA Cup final goal
As a pacy winger, he was recruited from Rennes for around £7m in July 2007 by Harry Redknapp and spent three-and-a-half years on the south coast.
A stunning solo goal against Bolton on his third appearance suggested the Nigerian would make a huge impact on the Premier League, yet his time with the Blues was mixed.
However, it was Utaka’s cross from the right in the FA Cup final at Wembley which set up Kanu for the winning goal against Cardiff in May 2008.
Won Ligue 1 just 18 months after leaving Championship Portsmouth
He would make 114 appearances, scoring 13 goals, before being sold to Montpellier in January 2011, with Pompey now in the Championship following relegation.
Just 18 months later, his two goals earned Montpellier the Ligue 1 title for the first time in their history, following a 2-1 victory over Auxerre in May 2012.
Utaka would go on to play for Turkish club Sivasspor as well as Ismaily, Nogoom El Mostakbal, Aswan and CS Sedan, while he featured 48 times for Nigeria, scoring six times.
Now, having hung up his boots in 2018, he’s attempting to carve out a career in coaching, with the project at ASPTT Montpellier Women representing his latest challenge.