Eagles: Odegbami, Amiesimaka, others hail Oliseh’s choice

Several of the harshest critics of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) have given their blessings to the proposed hiring of ex-Nigeria skipper Sunday Oliseh as new coach of the Super Eagles.

Oliseh is expected to soon sign a five-year contract with the NFF after Stephen Keshi was fired as the country’s coach.
Ex-internationals Adokiye Amiesiemaka and Segun Odegbami have often been critical of the way football is run in Nigeria, but they have now applauded the engagement of Oliseh as the Eagles new coach.

“I give my 100% for the appointment (of Oliseh),” praised Amiesiemaka, who won Nigeria’s first AFCON winners’ medal in 1980.

“Oliseh is most brilliant and articulate, he can handle the national team.

“(At full international level)managing egos and identifying the players who can fit and execute your plans on the pitch. He can do that. Let them go out and get him.”

Odegbami, who had threatened to lead a protest march were Nigeria to hire a foreign coach for the national team, said Oliseh was the obvious choice for the top post.

“It’s a fantastic choice. He’s the only one!” claimed Odegbami.

“He will lay a solid foundation for the development of Nigerian football.

“My only concern is that he will work with a foreign assistant when we have many very qualified Nigerians who can do this job as well.”

Those who oppose Oliseh’s engagement say he has yet to coach his teeth as a coach.

However, Amiesiemaka argued that Oliseh is a gamble worth taking.

“Life itself is a risk,” he maintained.

“In 1990, Germany were coached by Franz Beckenbauer, who did not have any serious experience as a coach, no coaching licences, he was just an ex-international who played for many years for Bayern Munich and Germany.

vanguard