Osaze faces sanction
Sports Apr 4, 2011
By Onoche Anibeze

Amodu Shuaibu, in the estimation of Osaze Odewengie, was a good coach until he benched him a few times during the Angola Nations Cup in 2010.

Thereafter, Amodu’s style was dubbed obsolete by the same Osaze. The West Brom striker publicly campaigned for the engagement of a foreign coach especially when he was absolutely sure the authorities had opted to sign one in spite of the short time to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

Lars Lagerback was signed. After few training sessions under the Swede Osaze almost idolized the man, saying that “now we have a good coach.”

His remarks on the style of the man painted the Swede as first class coach.

The World Cup started and Argentina pipped Nigeria by a lone goal. By the time Nigeria had fumbled against Greece and Korea and Osaze also found himself on the bench, the Swede, in the estimation of Osaze, had turned a bush man from a civilized country. Osaze publicly, too, ate his words on Amodu and regretted that Nigeria ever signed Largaback. He said that Amodu should have been left to continue.


Osaze with team mates celebrating a goal in one of their matches under Coach Samson Siasia.
All the players who were invited for the Ethiopia qualifier were also invited for the friendly against Kenya.

But after the March 27 match Osaze returned to England the following day. Nigeria Football Federation officials Tuesday night complained that Osaze did not inform anybody before leaving. They were considering sanctions against him.

“We have told Samson Siasia to take any disciplinary decision that he may deem fit,” a top Federation member said Thursday, adding “if Osaze is not disciplined, it may send wrong signals and other players may toe his line. He just ignored the federation and the coaches. This is wrong and an act of indiscipline.”

By Friday, what Osaze said on his twitter page was already in the media. He had attacked Siasia, found faults in his coaching style and claimed that senior members of the team were not comfortable with Siasia’s coaching style.

“His training methods, his unguarded outbursts, attitude and treatment of older players is causing disaffection,” Osaze was reported to have said. He came in as a substitute against Ethiopia.

Contacted on this Siasia preferred to focus on his job and not to respond to his players tantrums.

“I have got serious things to do. My focus now is how to play Argentina June 1 and win the next Nations Cup qualifier in Ethiopia. We should win that match,” he said.

We gathered from the Federation last night that Osaze may be suspended from the team or quietly be left out of matches lest he causes disaffection in the team.

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Ben 1 day ago