Ugo Ehiogu – emotional tributes flood in for Tottenham’s under-23 coach who died at the club’s training ground Thursday of a cardiac arrest

From Anthony Ogbo (Reporting from London)

International Guardian – Vauxhall, LONDON– Just about 24 hours ago after Tottenham Hotspur announced that their under-23 coach, Ugo Ehiogu, passed away in the early hours Thursday morning after suffering a cardiac arrest at the club’s training ground, tributes have been pouring in from all over the football fraternity. In her own statement, Tottenham said: “The club sends its deep condolences to Ugo’s family. Gemma has specifically asked that the family are given privacy at this difficult time. We should also like to place on record our thanks to all the medical professionals including those at North Middlesex University Hospital, Royal Brompton Hospital and Harefield Hospital for their care and support.” Ugo Ehiogo’s impact on football will not be forgotten, I’m sure the fans of the many clubs he honorably represented won’t allow his name to fall silent and vanish into the oblivion. Nor should the manner of his death be ignored. Football has had a tragic recent history with cardiac arrest. Fabrice Muamba’s uplifting death defiance is juxtaposed by the cruel death of Piermario Morosini. Sportsmen, in particular, should be aware of what to do when someone goes into cardiac arrest. To receive proper training, visit somewhere like Coast2Coast in North York. It might just be able to help avoid loss of life. Ehiogu was a fit and healthy athlete, the opposite of the precomposed images we have of someone who has suffered this fate. This is why it is truly paramount that as many people as possible are trained in CPR.

Here are a few annotated clips of reactions so far:

Ugo Ehiogu: Paul Merson breaks into tears during emotional tribute to former England defender

A tearful Paul Merson paid an emotional tribute to his ex-team-mate Ugo Ehiogu, the former England defender who passed away in the early hours of Friday morning. Ehiogu was rushed to hospital on Thursday after suffering a heart attack at Tottenham Hotspur’s training ground, where he worked as the north London club’s Under-23s coach. Merson played alongside Ehiogu at Aston Villa between 1998 and 2000 and appeared on Sky Sports News following confirmation of Ehiogu’s tragic death, despite being visibly distraught.

England Manager Gareth Southgate Pays Tribute to ‘Colossus’ Ugo Ehiogu

England manager Gareth Southgate led the heartfelt tributes to Ugo Ehiogu following the sudden death of a coach who was described as an on-field “colossus” and a “father figure” to a generation of young Tottenham Hotspur players.

Ehiogu, 44, suffered a heart attack on Thursday morning at Tottenham’s Enfield training base, where he was the manager of the under-23 team, and died in hospital early on Friday morning.

Southgate, who was a close friend and team-mate of Ehiogu at Aston Villa, Middlesbrough and England, articulated the “disbelief” and deep grief being felt throughout the national game.

“HE WAS A COLOSSUS” Gareth Southgate pays emotional tribute to Ugo Ehiogu – his former England, Aston Villa and Middlesbrough team-mate

England Southgate said: “I’m stunned and deeply saddened by Ugo’s passing and clearly my initial thoughts are with his wife Gemma, his children and his family. “I know that football will be grieving because he was so highly respected by everybody he worked with and losing him at such a young age is difficult to come to terms with. “Most importantly, he was a gentleman and he is one of those characters that people would find it difficult to have anything bad to say about.

Ugo Ehiogu dies: Former England defender ‘a hugely popular football figure’

Ugo Ehiogu, who has died at the age of 44 after suffering a cardiac arrest, was not just a highly accomplished and successful defender who was forging a growing reputation as a coach – he was a hugely popular figure within the game. The reaction to his death after collapsing at Tottenham’s training centre, the club where he was an under-23s coach, is a reflection of the esteem in which Ehiogu was held. Ehiogu was a powerful, imposing figure as a player and a well-rounded character away from the game, making a career in the music business while also shaping the future of the next generation at Spurs.

Ugo Ehiogu’s death leaves Chelsea’s Antonio Conte pondering own mortality

Antonio Conte has admitted that the sudden death of the Tottenham Under-23 coach and former England international defender Ugo Ehiogu will overshadow the build-up to Chelsea’s FA Cup semi-final against Tottenham, the team with whom they are also vying for the Premier League title. The Chelsea manager said he expected there to be “a strange atmosphere” as Ehiogu is remembered before kick-off at Wembley, and that the news has forced him to consider his own mortality. Ehiogu, at 44, was three years younger than the Italian. “It is a shock, for sure,” he said. “When this type of situation happens I am a 47-year-old, a former player, and a coach. You think – for sure, this could happen to me. You think about this, and you hope that this situation never happens to someone. But when it happens, you reflect a lot about life. And sometimes you think [you should] live the life more, and not sometimes be angry for stupid problems. Because you don’t know if the day after you’ll be here, or another place.”

Leeds United head coach Garry Monk leads tributes to Ugo Ehiogu

GARRY Monk led the Leeds United tributes to former Whites defender Ugo Ehiogu who tragically died today aged 44. Ehiogu, who was Tottenham’s Under-23s coach, collapsed at the club’s training centre yesterday after suffering a cardiac arrest. The centre-back will be best remembered for enjoying almost a decade with Aston Villa but the defender also spent two months on loan at Leeds from Middlesbrough from November 2006 until January 2007. The former England centre-back made six starts for United and scored on his second appearance in a 2-2 draw at home to Barnsley.

Southgate: ‘It’s difficult to come to terms with’

We leave you with this fitting tribute to Ugo Ehiogu from England manager Gareth Southgate, who was his long-time defensive partner at both Aston Villa and Middlesbrough.

“I’m stunned and deeply saddened by Ugo’s passing and clearly my initial thoughts are with his wife Gemma, his children and his family. “I know that football will be grieving because he was so highly respected by everybody he worked with and losing him at such a young age is difficult to come to terms with…

‘Only the Good Die Young’: Paul Merson Pays Tearful Tribute to Ugo Ehiogu

Ugo Ehiogu’s death at age of 44 prompted tributes from all over the football world as former team-mate Paul Merson broke down in tears and said “only the good die young”. Former England defender Ehiogu, who was Tottenham’s Under-23s coach, collapsed at the club’s training centre on Thursday after suffering a cardiac arrest. Ex-clubs and team-mates have paid tribute to a “gentle giant”, whose death was announced by Tottenham this morning.

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