Football - John ‘Koven’ Alcindor passes away |07 March 2024
John Alcindor (back row, third left) died on Monday (Photo: Contributed)
Former Plaisance midfielder John Alcindor sadly passed away on Monday at his home in La Louise.
‘Koven’, as he was popularly known in football circles, was a very energetic midfielder with a gifted left foot. Described as a “workhorse” since he was very fit, John was a key player for the Plaisance team who challenged the likes of St Louis and Mont Fleuri for the league title during the regionalisation era (late 1970s until early 1990s).
Playing alongside Suketu Patel, Gilbert Victor, Julien Lagrenade, Mike Adrienne, Gonzague Boniface, his cousin Charles Alcindor, they won the FA Cup in 1990 by beating Anse Aux Pins in the final.
He accompanied the Plaisance team on a tourney to Reunion where they played against Jeanne d’Arc, St Denis and JS St Pierroise who boasted Cameroon’s soccer star Roger Milla who achieved international stardom at 38 years old, an age at which most forwards have retired, by scoring four goals at the 1990 Fifa World Cup and thus becoming the oldest goalscorer in World Cup history. Milla helped Cameroon become the first African team to reach the World Cup quarterfinals before finally losing 3-2 in a dramatic overtime encounter with England. Four years later, at the age of 42, Milla broke his own record as the oldest goalscorer in World Cup by scoring against Russia in the 1994 Fifa World Cup.
John even represented his country at the Jeux des Villes in 1986 in Mauritius and wore the number seven jersey. He was a fervent Liverpool and Brazil fan.
After retirement, John played domino and he brought this competitive spirit with him to the many competitions he took part in with his team – Unity – comprising Carlvin Pierre, Aubrey Pierre, Maryliane Nolin, Joseph Agathine, Michel Talma, Cliff Nourrice and David Ernest.
They finished as the best team in 2008 after winning the league title, Regional Cup ahead of St Pierre, ‘Best Tournament’ team trophy and the award for the most improved team with an overall 71.8% score. To cap a good season for Unity, John was chosen as the male domino player of the year.
In 2015, Unity finished as the first division league champions as they amassed 34 points from 14 games, winning 11, drawing one and suffering two defeats.John headed the list of kapot givers with a difference of +21 (26 for and 5 against) in the top division.
Meanwhile, another former footballer – Roddy Adrienne – was laid to rest yesterday.
Roddy started his football career with the Bombers Football Club when he was just a teenager.
He then defended the colours of Rovers in the early 1970s before emigrating to Italy.
Seychelles NATION expresses deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of John Alcindor and Roddy Adrienne.
Gerard Govinden
