Taribo West: Clubs give charms to footballers to win matches-Taribo

Taribo West
Former Super Eagles defender, Taribo West said at the weekend that the use of charm exists in football world, saying both players and coaches sometimes seek fetish power to win matches.

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Taribo who is now a pastor said he was also involved in this kind of fetish arrangement while playing abroad but later realized that charm did not work but hard work and the power of the God Almighty.

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He said, “I find himself entangled in another life of charms and superstitious beliefs when I got to Europe because I saw some of my colleagues, even white team mates importing talisman and charms from Israel and India to win match.”

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According to him, footballers paid huge sums of money to buy charms to win games and to protect them from career-threatening injuries and also to be foretold the results of matches before they were played.

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He explained that he used to hold a magical stone from Israel before games, adding, “I can say this now because I’m born again and I have since realized that all this is vanity and has no power whatsoever. To succeed. Players and officials are deeply involved in the act. Of course yes (I was involved). I don’t know why people decline to talk about their involvement with charms. Football has to do with a lot of powers. When there are big events, you look at the stadium, you see people, fans invoking all kinds of things; magicians are there, voodooists are there.

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“In my playing days, when I was ignorant, I used to get some mallams and babalawos (traditional doctors) to make charms for us, which we took to (national) camp. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn’t.
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“In some clubs, before every game, the president or leader of the club will give you a lucky charm to play with. They will tell you to put it in your boots or socks and play. It’s their superstitious belief; that it can help them win matches.
“There are some coaches who are connected to African magicians and soothsayers from Senegal, Burkina Faso, Zaire or even Nigeria. These people are consulted to give these coaches results of games even before the matches are played.

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“These people see strange things and they can tell you with their magic and charms, what the outcome of a match will be. People believe and use it. It works for those who believe in it. I saw it, I experienced it, I was with players that used it and I used it. So, why are people denying it? There are charms and rituals in football. It still exists.”