Tuesday, June 29, 2010
[size=14pt]Onigbinde wants new Super Eagles[/size]

Kazeem Busari


A former Nigeria coach, Adegboye Onigbinde, has said the Super Eagles must be rebuilt to make an impact at future tournaments.

[img]http://odili.net/news/source/2010/jun/29/punch/images/pix200703121024020[1].jpg[/img]
Adegboye Onigbinde


http://odili.net/news/source/2010/jun/29/830.html


Nigeria failed to progress to the next round of the ongoing World Cup in South Africa after a poor run in the group games. Onigbinde, who was in charge of the team at the Korea/Japan 2002 World Cup, told our correspondent on the telephone on Monday that the team failed because football development was not taken seriously in the country.

"The results Nigeria had in South Africa were painful for everyone but they could have been avoided if we had implemented developmental plans for our football," Onigbinde said.

"The way Nigeria prepared for the World Cup gave little room for the home-based players to be part of the team. Also, the players in the national youth teams have not had the opportunity to be part of the Eagles. These shows we have not developed our football at all.

"We have to start a process where players in the youth teams are nurtured to play roles in the Eagles. Ghana is doing this and it is succeeding."

Onigbinde, who admitted it was too early to blame coach Lars Lagerback for the team's failure in South Africa, said Nigeria could regain its lost glory if it started early preparations for future competitions.

He said, "There are Nations Cup qualifiers coming up and if want to avoid any disappointment we begin preparation right now."

"The failure we had in South Africa was not the fault of a particular person. We cannot blame it all on the coach but I think we should begin to give the indigenous coaches the opportunity to improve the team."

This old man should go and seat down jare.