The 1980 Africa Cup of Nations winner, popularly called Mathematical Segun Odegbami, has kicked against Nigeria resorting to hiring foreign coach for the Super Eagles following the dismissal of Stephen Keshi.
Keshi was relieved of his duties by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on Saturday night, for allegedly applying to coach African champions Cote d’Ívoire.
Technical Director of the NFF, Shuaibu Amodu has been mandated to handle the team on an interim basis before a substantive coach; preferably a foreigner is named by the Amaju Pinnick-led NFF Executive Committee.
But in an interview with newsmen, Odegbami warned that he would lead Nigerians to resist the hiring of an foreigner for the Eagles, insisting that our ‘foreign coach is a Nigerian living in Nigeria’.
Odegbami, who raised the alarm about hidden agenda behind the move to hire a foreign coach, said that the NFF does not need to go outside the shores of the country to get a coach for the Eagles as there was one in Nigeria, in the person of former Eagles captain, Sunday Oliseh, who he backed to do better than the foreigner the NFF is shopping for.
“We don’t need a foreign coach for the Eagles. If the NFF has plans to hire a foreign coach, it does not need to go abroad as we have a technically qualified, intellectually sound and world-acclaimed pundit in Sunday Oliseh.
“‘The world recognises the immense knowledge of Oliseh on football matters. He has the education and knows about tactical formations. He has worked with academies in Europe and has a deep knowledge of the game and knows how to manage players. He has distinguished himself amongst his peers. We have gone beyond the level of going overseas to look for coaches for our national team as Nigeria has its own foreign coach in Oliseh.
“There would be a hidden agenda behind the hiring of a foreign coach. So the best option for us is to make use of Oliseh as he possesses all the requirements to succeed on the job. Oliseh is the right candidate, so they should give the job to him.”
The former Shooting Stars of Ibadan striker frowned at Amodu’s appointment as the temporary coach of the Eagles. saying that the recent appointment was in direct conflict with his job as the technical director of the NFF.
“I really have issues with his appointment as he is the technical director of the NFF, with its clear mandate and responsibilities. Now he is being saddled with additional job. It looks untidy.”
