Sunday Oliseh - Wasting in Belgium!

I read in one newspaper this past week that Sunday Ogochukwu Oliseh, former captain of the Super Eagles, and one of the best defensive midfielders to have ever worn the Green and White of Nigeria's national team, is coaching a semi-professional football club, RCS Verviers (never heard of the club), in Belgium.





I ask, why Belgium? Why at such a low level? Why not a Nigerian clubside?

I read he remains in Belgium in order to be close to his family that lives there now. That's understandable, but how far can he go in a semi-professional club when he can become one of Nigeria's bright coaching team of the near future?

I've always had the gift of identifying a potentially good coach from the pool of international footballers during their playing days. I said it long before it happened that Stephen Keshi and Samson Siasia would make great coaches.

I always felt that Jay Jay Okocha would not take to coaching but that if he did he would make a damn good coach. Of the 1994 team, however, I always thought that Sunday Oliseh, with his solid intellectual background, his eloquence, and football experience, would become one of the great African coaches of the present era.

His one challenge would be how to play the politics of football administration and endear himself to those who ultimately control Nigerian football.

As a player he was taken as one of the 'rebels', too straight, too outspoken and too frank. And that's not an 'attractive' combination of credentials!

Sunday Oliseh, of course, is a University graduate, one of those that graduated before taking full time to the game.

That showed in how well he played in his time and his running battle with the establishment that has since refused to appreciate his other talent and give him a chance of getting either into coaching or administration in Nigeria, two areas where he would do very well indeed.

Nigeria and Sunday Oliseh need one another. He should not be shut him out and made to waste in some backyard club in Belgium.

The Williams Sisters Are Coming To Nigeria

My friend, Godwin Kienka, Director of The International Tennis Academy, called and gave me the good news last week - the Williams Sisters, Venus and Serena, are coming to Nigeria for some exhibition matches and clinics before the end of the year!

Wow! Since going into sports administration and business it has always been my great dream to be part of bringing sports celebrities to Nigeria.

Two years ago, as consultant to the Nigerian Heart Foundation, I tried to bring golfers Tiger Woods, Nick Faldo and Ernie Els to Nigeria. I only got as far as Tiger's website! Ernie responded but would not be able to visit at short notice due to his other booked engagements for years ahead. Nick, although retired, was also fully committed to other programmes and could not come, but sent an autographed photo to be auctioned to raise funds in support of the Nigeria Heart centre!

Aside from Tiger Woods, my other great dream was for the William Sisters to visit and become the catalyst of change for Nigerian female tennis.

My dream that one of Arsenal, Chelsea or Manchester United would come play in Nigeria has come to pass thanks to the silent work of Shehu and David and a few other Nigerians that refused to be deterred by the frustrating procrastination of corporate Nigeria when it comes to funding such events.

Manchester United have visited in the past few weeks. So, when Kienka told me about the Williams Sisters, I was over the moon. It is true! The formalities are being worked out. Funding is being sourced for. The Williams Sisters can inspire Nigeria's highly physically gifted girls to take to tennis. When that happens they would quickly burst into the world scene with their athleticism and power.

Tennis is a game genetically suited to Nigerians, like sprinting and the jumps! Although also highly technical, having such physical attributes provides a great advantage. The greatest incentive is the money available in the game for those that excel in it.

When the first African woman makes it, the world will witness a major shift in the dominance of the sport by Africans. I can't wait to see and possibly meet the Williams sisters on Nigerian soil!

From My Mailbag

By the time you are reading this the Beijing Olympics would have started in earnest. Nigeria's female football team have already lost their opening match against North Korea!

Even the BBC report of the match described the result as 'a big shock'. There is a general air of apprehension about the prospects of Nigerian teams.

Many are of the opinion that Nigeria did not do enough in terms of preparation (it takes a minimum of four years to prepare for every Games) to be hopeful of any kind of medals from the

Games.

Except, of course, 'Dream Team IV' coached by Samson Siasia that is brimming with confidence and great expectations. One of the mails I received this past week says it all and I publish! Please keep them short and coming.

Re- I want to take the federal government to court, by George, gtennispro@aol.com

It is very interesting to read what you guys went through playing for our dear country Nigeria. Unfortunately, your write up can be re-written by virtually every dept of our country.

You have said so much and I want you to know that something must be done about this. When I graduated from Ife in 1990, my thesis was on Student footballers.

There were just a few of you then that I used as case study, Owoblow, Eyo Martins, Adokie, and, of course, yourself. I remember how sad it was for Christian Madu, who gave his all to Rangers and was made a store keeper with the sports council.

Why am I telling you this; because it hurts and NOBODY seems to be talking about it. It made me not give my all to football.

Today, I am living well by God's grace because I depended more on my academics - which is what I fell back on. Now I am a pro Tennis coach in the US. I am coming home to start something. Odizor's been very excited and supportive.

What happened to your academy? That is the kind of place where players can be taught to make good choices. I hope you are still going on with it as you are a well of knowledge. You must empty yourself upon the blessed ones who will have the opportunity to work and learn under you.

May God continue to keep you. Anyhow I say the mathematician has done very very well for himself. See why you are awesome - you are still looking out for others.

George.


http://odili.net/news/source/2008/aug/9/12.html

We get enough coaches abeg. The likes of onigbinde no even get job and you wan add new ones. Make e dey there.

Aloy.Emeka:

We get enough coaches abeg. The likes of onigbinde no even get job and you wan add new ones. Make e dey there.

lol. . . . . . . Oliseh is a well respected pundit on the BBC. . . . . I don't think this club you mentioned is as bad as you make out. Tell us their weekly attendance, then we will know if it is a decent club or not.

Sunday Oliseh ke?

Let him acquire his UEFA and Pro license badges first, then we can take a look at his CV!

Ibime:

lol. . . . . . . Oliseh is a well respected pundit on the BBC. . . . . I don't think this club you mentioned is as bad as you make out. Tell us their weekly attendance, then we will know if it is a decent club or not.

Which pundit? cuz he featured during ACN, c'mon give me a break. Have you seen him again after the tourney?.

Poster
He must start from somewhere, if he performs well in the club others will come calling. Paul Ince started with a lower club but now hez coaching EPL side.

He does have a column on BBC SPorts: The Sunday Oliseh column

presido1:

Which pundit? because he featured during ACN, c'mon give me a break. Have you seen him again after the tourney?.

lol . . . . give the guy a break abeg. Did you see how Steven Keshi embarassed us at the ACN in 2006? At least, they respected Oliseh enough to retain him as a columnist for their website.

You have to realise that when you leave football, you have to begin at a lower level in coaching.

It is a much different world and you have to acquire all the coaching qualifications etc in order to get to a higher level.

He also is staying close to his family, maybe he's just coaching for the sheer love of the game and has other businesses he more focused on.

Come on give the guy a break!

didoflex:

You have to realise that when you leave football, you have to begin at a lower level in coaching.

I do not agree with that. Desailly would've got the Ghanaian job if he accepted the offer.

Thats will only happen in africa.

. . . and Roy Keane coaching Sunderland?


I guess that'll only happen in Britain too

Sunderland is a club side and not a national team. many ex players coach club side in Nigeria naw.
Can Roy Keane coach a national side in Europe immediately after quitting football

presido1:

Sunderland is a club side and not a national team. many ex players coach club side in Nigeria naw.
Can Roy Keane coach a national side in Europe immediately after quitting football

Steve Staunton, Mark Hughes, Slaven Bilic, Klinsmann, Donadoni, Van Basten, Stoichkov nko?

Steve Staunton prior to becoming Irish Coach he was assistant manager for walsall
Slaven Bilic, assistant to Aljosa Asanovic for crotian under-21 team before taking over the national team.
Klinsmann, have you forgotten that he was involved with MLS before 2004 when he succeeded Voller.
Van Basten was assistant to John Vat with Ajax second team besides he went for a managerial course.
Stoichkov not sure he has coached a national team. If he has let me know the country and the date but remember he coached one of the MLS.

double post

didoflex:

You have to realise that when you leave football, you have to begin at a lower level in coachin[/b]g.

presido1:

Sunderland is a club side and not a national team. many ex players coach club side in Nigeria naw.
Can Roy Keane coach a national side in Europe immediately after quitting football

Is the premiership also a lower level?

We were talking about Oliseh coaching a[b] clubside before you diverted

Sunday Oliseh is not wasting in Belgium. He is working in Belgium, and not complaining.

presido1:


Stoichkov not sure he has coached a national team. If he has let me know the country and the date but remember he coached one of the MLS.

In the 2003-04 season, Stoichkov started a coaching career, serving as a forwards coach at Barça. After Bulgarian national team coach Plamen Markov resigned in the wake of the team's first-round exit from Euro 2004, the Bulgarian Football Union named him as the new national team coach on 15 July.

What of Donadoni? Rijkaard nko? And Mark Hughes?

Desailly is no different.

As for Klinsmann, nobody said what he was doing at LA Galaxy. Bobos was just lounging in the Californian sun, probably turning up to LA Galaxy once a month whilst running his media sports company.

Never despise small beginnings! its in the Bible and besides he is still young and has age on his side the only way for him is up

This is the major reason we have plenty unemployed people here. A lot of people think a job is demeaning when all they have to do is to start from somewhere.

Oliseh has started from somewhere my man, you can only say he is wasting away if he is just lazing about doing nothing. Doing something, no matter how little, isn't wasting away

Sunday Oliseh ke?

Let him acquire his UEFA and Pro license badges first, then we can take a look at his CV!

The article is only suggesting he comes home to coach a clubside like Julius Berger, Enyimba etc like Amodu them before rising to the national team hopefully. Are you saying that all the clubside coaches in Nigeria has UEFA licences? Even those that coach Naija big clubs like Enyimba?

DeepZone:

The article is only suggesting he comes home to coach a clubside like Julius Berger, Enyimba etc like Amodu them before rising to the national team hopefully. Are you saying that all the clubside coaches in Nigeria has UEFA licences? Even those that coach Naija big clubs like Enyimba?

after Kadiri Ikhana complained of corruption. .

Oliseh, is a No nonsense guy that may not want to compromise any stand he takes and I am not sure any of our administrators want such a 'heady' fellow So let him stay in an environment where he is best suited.

When last did I see bola's post?

Oliseh, is a No nonsense guy that may not want to compromise any stand he takes and I am not sure any of our administrators want such a 'heady' fellow Huh So let him stay in an environment where he is best suited

Good point.

bolaoni:

Oliseh, is a No nonsense guy that may not want to compromise any stand he takes and I am not sure any of our administrators want such a 'heady' fellow So let him stay in an environment where he is best suited.

Stupid stand

Disrespect to Elders. Nonsense!

@Mustay,

No mind me jare.

@ Akola,

Which elders? Elders we no sabi anything? Elders that are there to move things backward and not forward?
Elders that chased Kojo Williams out of the Glass House all because of what they want to chop?

Oga, bone that elders stuff jare.

We should have people who can call the bluffs of the so called "Elders" jare. What respect do they even have sef

bolaoni:

We should have people who can call the bluffs of the so called "Elders" jare. What respect do they even have sef

Those who respect not themselves.

Give and it shall be given onto you.

Those who want respect must first respect themselves and accord others respect.

Oliseh is nt wastin time in belgium. He's buildin a solid career. See d likes of morinho n others. They started smwhere n they even want 2 get more beta. They didnt take up jobs in their country. Reasons best knw 2 dem. But will luv 2 coach their countrys sumday accordin 2 dem. Ferguson went smwhere 2 b big. Lets let oliseh be. One day, he wil b big. N probably, coach nigeria. He wont do wel now in naija based on reason best knwn 2 us all.