Ammo Baba
Encyclopedia
Emmanuel Baba Dawud better known as Ammo Baba (Arabic
: عمو بابا) (born November 27, 1934 in Baghdad
, Iraq
– May 27, 2009 in Duhok, Iraq
), was a former Iraq
i and ethnic Assyrian
international football
player and coach of the Iraq national football team
. He scored the first international goal for Iraq in 1957 against Morocco
at the 2nd Pan Arab Games in Beirut
and later returned to the team as the coach in 1978.
for the Iraqi schoolboys against the home nation Egypt in 1951 after being spotted by Iraqi schoolboys' coach Ismail Mohammed playing for the Liwa Al-Dulaim school province team. It was the same coach that gave him the nickname 'Ammo Baba', and also advised him to move to Baghdad to play for one of Iraq's top teams.
Ammo who is still revered by generations who never saw him play, was an instinctive out and out goalscorer, known for his bicycle kicks or backward double-kicks as they are known in Iraq, heading ability, and the power of his shooting. He had an opportunist's eye for goal but also displayed magnificent technique and virtuoso skill of a great footballer.
Ammo was born in Baghdad
on the British controlled military camp RAF Hinaidi but moved with his family to live on the Civil Cantonment on the large RAF base in Habbaniya
in 1937, where he first learnt to play the game of football. After playing for his school team, he moved to RAF Employees' (Assyrian) Club in 1951 replacing legendary striker and fellow Assyrian Aram Karam
, where he played with other famous Assyrian footballers such as Hormis Goriel, Emmanuel "Ammo Simsim" Samson and Youra Eshaya
. In 1954 he signed for Baghdad based Haris Al-Maliki
where he was a huge success, scoring bundles of goals, season after season.
The prolific marksman was once the captain of a short-lived Arab national team during the mid-Sixties, in a Nasser-inspired experiment in Arab unity which failed due to the fact that, which Ammo Baba puts it 'no one wanted to play against us'. It had been the initiative of Arab radio station Sawt Al-Arab (Voice of the Arabs) in Cairo, and two of the best players from each Arab country were called up to take part in the team, from Iraq Ammo Baba, and Qais Hamed were selected. The team organised in Egypt
did not play in any international competitions, managing only to play a few local teams in Cairo and Alexandria. Ammo Baba had been picked alongside Qais Hamed, and the team was able to beat Al-Ismaili, Al-Ittihad Alexandria, draw with Zamalek and lose to Tersana, with Ammo scoring the first goal for the Arab team, and hit another two goals against Al-Ismaili.
After brilliant scoring record for both Iraq and Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya
, he was spotted by English 2nd Division side Notts County managed by former Iraqi military coach Frank Hill
and was offered a contract to play for them, but when the call from Meadow Lane
came, he could not leave the country, due to a sudden coup led by the Iraqi General Abdul-Karim Qasim on July 14, 1958. A year earlier another former coach of his, William Cook
offered him a chance to play for Crewe Alexandra, then in the English Third Division and there were also offers from Chelsea
and Celtic but Ammo decided to stay in Iraq.
He went onto play and coach Nadi Athori (Assyrian Sports Club) to the Iraqi Cup Championship in 1960 beating his former employers Al-Jawiya 3-0 in the final, before returning to Al-Jawiya in 1962 after Nadi Athori were relegated from the Iraqi first division. He later played for Al-Maslaha and Kuliya Al-Askariya before calling it a day in 1970.
Due to a serious injury he sustained in 1965 while playing for Iraq at the Pan Arab Games
in Cairo
, Ammo was nearly forced to retire from the game but returned to play for a further five years. He began his coaching career at Al-Maslaha (Passenger Transport) team in Baghdad
in 1967 in a player-coach role. A year earlier while returning from injury, the Iraq FA named him coach of the Baghdad XI side for a match against East Germany however they were beaten 4-0 by the Germans and Ammo was relieved of his duties.
In 1978, Baba was appointed as Iraq's football military national team coach, leading the team to its third CISM World Military Championship title a year later beating nations such as Austria
, Morocco
, and Greece
, on the way to the final where they beat Italy
, on penalties.
The same year he was appointed as the head coach of Iraq's national team
for the first time. He would be appointed and re-appointed on seven different occasions, during the 1980s and 1990s (see below for exact years). Iraqis often call the 1980s as the "golden years" of Iraq football, where Baba led the national team to numerous tournaments and many titles.
Throughout his coaching years, Baba was also the Olympic team head coach, where he led the team to two Olympic appearances in Los Angeles 1984
, and Seoul 1988
.
In addition, Baba led Iraq to three titles in the Gulf Cup
(1979, 1984, 1988), the Asian Games of 1982
, and the Arab Nations Cup
in 1988.
Baba also found success in the Iraqi League, where he led Al Talaba
to a title in 1981. After leaving the national scene, Baba was hired by Al Zawraa, and led them to a title in 1994.
Ammu Baba was one of the few prominent Iraqis to openly confront Saddam Hussein's Uday, the president of the Iraqi Football Association.
After the Iraq war all of his family, including his children, moved to Chicago
where there is a sizeable Assyrian
community, while he stayed in Baghdad
, where he ran a football academy
for teenagers. On January 20, 2006, the 71-year-old Baba was attacked in his home, where he was tied, blind-folded, beaten, and then robbed.
Ammo Baba died at the age of 74 on Wednesday the 27th of May 2009, after suffering from Diabetes and its complications in Duhok. He was buried at Baghdad's largest stadium as he requested before his death.
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
: عمو بابا) (born November 27, 1934 in Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
, Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
– May 27, 2009 in Duhok, Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
), was a former Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
i and ethnic Assyrian
Assyrian people
The Assyrian people are a distinct ethnic group whose origins lie in ancient Mesopotamia...
international football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
player and coach of the Iraq national football team
Iraq national football team
The Iraqi national football team represents Iraq in international football and is controlled by the Iraq Football Association. They won the 2007 Asian Football Confederation Asian Cup tournament.-The Golden Generation:...
. He scored the first international goal for Iraq in 1957 against Morocco
Morocco national football team
The Morocco national football team , nicknamed أسود الأطلس , is the national team of Morocco and is managed by Eric Gerets. Winners of the African Nations Cup in 1976, they were the first African team to win a group at the World Cup, which they did in 1986, finishing ahead of Portugal, Poland, and...
at the 2nd Pan Arab Games in Beirut
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
and later returned to the team as the coach in 1978.
Playing career
Ammo Baba, exploded onto the middle eastern football scene at the age of 16 in a Pan Arab School Championship in CairoCairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
for the Iraqi schoolboys against the home nation Egypt in 1951 after being spotted by Iraqi schoolboys' coach Ismail Mohammed playing for the Liwa Al-Dulaim school province team. It was the same coach that gave him the nickname 'Ammo Baba', and also advised him to move to Baghdad to play for one of Iraq's top teams.
Ammo who is still revered by generations who never saw him play, was an instinctive out and out goalscorer, known for his bicycle kicks or backward double-kicks as they are known in Iraq, heading ability, and the power of his shooting. He had an opportunist's eye for goal but also displayed magnificent technique and virtuoso skill of a great footballer.
Ammo was born in Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
on the British controlled military camp RAF Hinaidi but moved with his family to live on the Civil Cantonment on the large RAF base in Habbaniya
Habbaniya
The Habbaniya, or Habbania, are a Sunni Muslim tribe of the nomadic Bedouin Baggara people in the plains of Sudan's Darfur, North Kurdufan, and South Kurdufan provinces....
in 1937, where he first learnt to play the game of football. After playing for his school team, he moved to RAF Employees' (Assyrian) Club in 1951 replacing legendary striker and fellow Assyrian Aram Karam
Aram Karam
Aram Karam , an ethnic Assyrian and Christian, was one of the first great Iraqi footballers, who earned a reputation for scoring goals from apparently impossible long-range situations....
, where he played with other famous Assyrian footballers such as Hormis Goriel, Emmanuel "Ammo Simsim" Samson and Youra Eshaya
Youra Eshaya
Youra Eshaya Pera is a former Iraqi and ethnic Assyrian and football player who was the first Iraqi player ever to play in Europe.-Early life:...
. In 1954 he signed for Baghdad based Haris Al-Maliki
Haris Al-Maliki
Haris Al-Maliki were one of the best Iraqi teams of the 40s and 50s, winning seven Army Championship titles from 1949....
where he was a huge success, scoring bundles of goals, season after season.
The prolific marksman was once the captain of a short-lived Arab national team during the mid-Sixties, in a Nasser-inspired experiment in Arab unity which failed due to the fact that, which Ammo Baba puts it 'no one wanted to play against us'. It had been the initiative of Arab radio station Sawt Al-Arab (Voice of the Arabs) in Cairo, and two of the best players from each Arab country were called up to take part in the team, from Iraq Ammo Baba, and Qais Hamed were selected. The team organised in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
did not play in any international competitions, managing only to play a few local teams in Cairo and Alexandria. Ammo Baba had been picked alongside Qais Hamed, and the team was able to beat Al-Ismaili, Al-Ittihad Alexandria, draw with Zamalek and lose to Tersana, with Ammo scoring the first goal for the Arab team, and hit another two goals against Al-Ismaili.
After brilliant scoring record for both Iraq and Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya
Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya
Air Force Club or Nadi Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya is a football club based in Baghdad, Iraq. "Al Quwa Al Jawiya" is Arabic for "Air Force". It was the first club to be found in Iraq on July 4, 1931 under the name of "Gipsy Moth," by a group of Iraqi flight policemen from the RAF Base of Hinaidi...
, he was spotted by English 2nd Division side Notts County managed by former Iraqi military coach Frank Hill
Frank Hill
Frank Robert Hill was a Scottish football player and manager.-Forfar and Aberdeen:Hill was born in Forfar and started his career at Forfar Athletic, joining the club in 1924. He moved to Aberdeen in 1928 and played over 100 Scottish First Division matches...
and was offered a contract to play for them, but when the call from Meadow Lane
Meadow Lane
Not to be confused with The Meadow, home of Southern Football League Premier Division football team Chesham UnitedThe Meadow Lane Stadium is a football stadium in Nottingham, England...
came, he could not leave the country, due to a sudden coup led by the Iraqi General Abdul-Karim Qasim on July 14, 1958. A year earlier another former coach of his, William Cook
Billy Cook (Northern Irish footballer)
William Cook was a Northern Irish professional football player and manager. He capped 15 times for Northern Ireland....
offered him a chance to play for Crewe Alexandra, then in the English Third Division and there were also offers from Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
and Celtic but Ammo decided to stay in Iraq.
He went onto play and coach Nadi Athori (Assyrian Sports Club) to the Iraqi Cup Championship in 1960 beating his former employers Al-Jawiya 3-0 in the final, before returning to Al-Jawiya in 1962 after Nadi Athori were relegated from the Iraqi first division. He later played for Al-Maslaha and Kuliya Al-Askariya before calling it a day in 1970.
Coaching career
Pan Arab Games
The Arab Games are a regional multi-sport event held between nations from the Arab World. They are organized by the Union of Arab National Olympic Committees. The first Games took place in 1953 in Alexandria, Egypt. Intended to be held every four years since, political turmoil as well as financial...
in Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
, Ammo was nearly forced to retire from the game but returned to play for a further five years. He began his coaching career at Al-Maslaha (Passenger Transport) team in Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
in 1967 in a player-coach role. A year earlier while returning from injury, the Iraq FA named him coach of the Baghdad XI side for a match against East Germany however they were beaten 4-0 by the Germans and Ammo was relieved of his duties.
In 1978, Baba was appointed as Iraq's football military national team coach, leading the team to its third CISM World Military Championship title a year later beating nations such as Austria
Austria national football team
The Austria national football team is the association football team that represents the country of Austria in international competition and is controlled by the Austrian Football Association ....
, Morocco
Morocco national football team
The Morocco national football team , nicknamed أسود الأطلس , is the national team of Morocco and is managed by Eric Gerets. Winners of the African Nations Cup in 1976, they were the first African team to win a group at the World Cup, which they did in 1986, finishing ahead of Portugal, Poland, and...
, and Greece
Greece national football team
The Greece national football team represents Greece in association football and is controlled by the Hellenic Football Federation, the governing body for football in Greece. Greece's home ground is Karaiskakis Stadium in Piraeus and their head coach is Fernando Santos...
, on the way to the final where they beat Italy
Italy national football team
The Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...
, on penalties.
The same year he was appointed as the head coach of Iraq's national team
Iraq national football team
The Iraqi national football team represents Iraq in international football and is controlled by the Iraq Football Association. They won the 2007 Asian Football Confederation Asian Cup tournament.-The Golden Generation:...
for the first time. He would be appointed and re-appointed on seven different occasions, during the 1980s and 1990s (see below for exact years). Iraqis often call the 1980s as the "golden years" of Iraq football, where Baba led the national team to numerous tournaments and many titles.
Throughout his coaching years, Baba was also the Olympic team head coach, where he led the team to two Olympic appearances in Los Angeles 1984
Football at the 1984 Summer Olympics
The football tournament at the 1984 Summer Olympics started on July 29 and ended on August 11. It featured only a men's tournament, as women's football had yet to become an Olympic event. It was the first Olympic football competition in which professionals were allowed...
, and Seoul 1988
Football at the 1988 Summer Olympics
Final results for the football competition at the 1988 Summer Olympics. The tournament was held from September 17, 1988 to October 1, 1988.-Medal summary:...
.
Gulf Cup of Nations
The Gulf Cup of Nations , also known as Khaleeji followed by the edition of the games , is a football tournament currently held every two years rotating the host city every edition...
(1979, 1984, 1988), the Asian Games of 1982
1982 Asian Games
The 9th Asian Games were held from November 19, 1982 to December 4, 1982 in Delhi, India.An incredible 74 Asian and Asian Games records were broken. This was also the first Asiad to be held under the aegis of the Olympic Council of Asia.-Sports:...
, and the Arab Nations Cup
Arab Nations Cup
The Arab Cup of Nations , is a football competition held between Arab countries, the first edition where held in 1963 in Lebanon.-Winners:...
in 1988.
Baba also found success in the Iraqi League, where he led Al Talaba
Al Talaba
Talaba Sport Club is an Iraqi football club based in Baghdad. The word Talaba means Students in the Arabic language...
to a title in 1981. After leaving the national scene, Baba was hired by Al Zawraa, and led them to a title in 1994.
Iraq national team head coaching years
- Note the Military Cup games are not counted, since they were not considered to be Class A national teams participitating.
| Ammo Baba Coaching Record | |||||
| Year | Games | Wins | Losses | Draws | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978–1979 | 18 | 14 | 2 | 2 | 1978 Asian Games 1978 Asian Games The 8th Asian Games were held from December 9, 1978 to December 20, 1978 in Bangkok, Thailand. Originally, the host city was Singapore but Singapore dropped its plan to host the Games due to financial problems. And then Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan was decided to host the 8th Games... - 4th place Gulf Cup 1979 - Champions |
| 1981–1984 | 64 | 34 | 9 | 20 | Merdeka Tournament 1981 - Champions 1982 Asian Games 1982 Asian Games The 9th Asian Games were held from November 19, 1982 to December 4, 1982 in Delhi, India.An incredible 74 Asian and Asian Games records were broken. This was also the first Asiad to be held under the aegis of the Olympic Council of Asia.-Sports:... - Champions Qualified for 1984 Olympics 1984 Summer Olympics The 1984 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1984... Gulf Cup 1984 - Champions |
| 1987–1988 | 40 | 23 | 6 | 11 | Qualified for the 1988 Olympics 1988 Summer Olympics The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were an all international multi-sport events celebrated from September 17 to October 2, 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. They were the second summer Olympic Games to be held in Asia and the first since the 1964 Summer Olympics... games 1988 Gulf Cup Gulf Cup The Gulf Cup may refer to either of two association football tournaments:*Gulf Club Champions Cup, for club teams*Gulf Cup of Nations, for national teams... - Champions |
| 1988–1989 | 12 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 1988 Arab Nations Cup Arab Nations Cup The Arab Cup of Nations , is a football competition held between Arab countries, the first edition where held in 1963 in Lebanon.-Winners:... - Champions |
| 1993 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | |
| 1996 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | |
| 1996 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | |
| 1997 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| Total | 143 | 81 | 21 | 40 |
Personal life
After the Iraq war all of his family, including his children, moved to Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
where there is a sizeable Assyrian
Assyrian
-In antiquity:*ancient Assyria**the Old Assyrian period **the Middle Assyrian period **the Neo-Assyrian period *Either of two provinces of the Persian Empire:**Achaemenid Assyria...
community, while he stayed in Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
, where he ran a football academy
Academy
An academy is an institution of higher learning, research, or honorary membership.The name traces back to Plato's school of philosophy, founded approximately 385 BC at Akademia, a sanctuary of Athena, the goddess of wisdom and skill, north of Athens, Greece. In the western world academia is the...
for teenagers. On January 20, 2006, the 71-year-old Baba was attacked in his home, where he was tied, blind-folded, beaten, and then robbed.
Ammo Baba died at the age of 74 on Wednesday the 27th of May 2009, after suffering from Diabetes and its complications in Duhok. He was buried at Baghdad's largest stadium as he requested before his death.