₦airaland Forum

[b][size=14pt]
Nigeria: Coach Sunday Oliseh - Our 'Guardiola' Abandons Ship
[/size]
By Is'haq Modibbo Kawu

When the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) appointed ex-International, Sunday Oliseh, as National Coach of the Super Eagles, to replace Stephen Keshi, in July 2015, an effusive Amaju Pinnick, the NFF Chairman, described the new coach, as the "Guardiola" of Nigeria. Oliseh was going to do to Nigerian football, what Pep Guardiola had done to Barcelona FC.


Oliseh's relationship with the football authorities was always loaded with controversy, dating back to when he captained the national team. Oliseh had a very arrogant and impatient streak that was likely to be a source of tension with the senior players in the national team.


The most capped Nigerian player, skipper and goalkeeper, Victor Enyeama ran into a headwind with the new coach. He retired from the national team, as well as striker Emmanuel Emenike. Things did not go as people had hoped, with the coach.


He took Nigeria's home-based players to the CHAN tournament in Rwanda, and could not get out of the preliminary rounds. Nigerians were shocked! And in response, Sunday Oliseh posted an online response, in which he described his critics as "insane". Just a few months down the line from his much-publicised appointment, things seemed headed for the rocks.


Unhealthy backdrop
The NFF was scandalised by Oliseh's rude online statement they seemed to have made up their mind to fire him, but the sports minister stopped the NFF from carrying out the sack. There is an important game coming up against Egypt, which might determine Nigeria's participation in the next African Cup of Nations tournament. We had failed to qualify for the last tournament.


And the rocky relationship with the coach was certainly an unhealthy backdrop against which to prepare for the game. The NFF wanted the coach to present his plan to the Technical Committee, but the coach would not. There was a directive sacking Tijani Babangida from the technical team around coach Oliseh, which he disagreed with.


And as usual, there were arguments about salaries owed the coach and members of his technical team. Stories surfaced that Oliseh's Belgian assistant was even begging for a backlog of payments in order for to take care of an ailment. Sunday Oliseh was also refusing to return home arguing that he wanted to stay abroad to monitor players.


It was within this whirlwind of controversies, that Sunday Oliseh announced his resignation at the weekend. He was barely eight months in the job. A short but very controversial tenure ended in an acrimonious divorce between the coach and the NFF. Nigeria's football is the worse for it!


Reports emerged this week, that the NFF accused Oliseh "tricking (it) into paying his salaries only to jump ship with less than a month to the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier with Egypt in Kaduna"! That must be one of the most incredible statements I have read in recent times, but it just went to underscore the depth of rot in our football.


There was no indication that the NFF leadership had met to analyze Oliseh's appointment in the first place; nor learnt critical lessons for the future. Lunacy has long been defined as doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. The administration of Nigerian football has remained mired in controversy and sustained accusations of corruption and the institution of an oligarchic system controlled by individuals who see football as the "Milch Cow", extorted for their own personal ends.


Those who genuinely love the sports, and have played for the country, and who can make a positive turnaround, like Segun Odegbami and Adokie Amasieamaka, are not allowed to get the opportunity of leadership. The spoils system central to the corruption, ineptitude and the gradual bastardization of the beautiful game in our country, continues to reign. This is actually the system that must be uprooted before we can take football back to where it should truly belong in Nigeria.


When Sunday Oliseh, the much-vaunted "Pep Guardiola" of Nigeria, abandoned the leaky ship of Nigerian football, as the National Coach over the weekend, he exposed frontally, the depth of crack that they have been papering over for years. It was more than a pinprick for Pinnick (no pun intended!). If a root and branch reformation is not carried out in the administration of Nigerian football, the game will continue to lurch from crisis to crisis. That is the naked truth.

[b][size=14pt]
Nigeria: Foreign Coach - NFF Makes U-Turn, Dangles Eagles Job At Siasia
[/size]
By Tony Ubani

Super Eagles interim coach, Samson Siasia has a chance of becoming the chief coach of the team if he leads Nigeria to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations ahead of the Pharaohs of Egypt who lead a qualifying pool that also has Tanzania and Chad with six points from two matches, two points ahead of Nigeria.


This cheery news was confirmed yesterday by the chairman of the Technical and Development Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation, Barrister Chris Green who said that the elevation would put paid to the news that Nigeria would no longer employ indigenous coaches for the senior national team.


"Yes, it is true. We have no choice than to elevate him to the position of chief coach of the Eagles", Barrister Green who, together with Barrister Seyi Akinwunmi launched "Operation beat Egypt" on Tuesday said.


"We need total concentration and support to the coaching crew and the players to make this Operation successful", Green noted.


Stories earlier credited to President Amaju Pinnick that Nigeria had come to the end of employing indigenous coaches for the Eagles has attracted total condemnation and this U-turn may be in line to steady the ship and bring peace to reign in the football house after the sudden resignation of Sunday Oliseh.


And to show how titanic the battle of Kaduna would be, Egypt also threatened to sack Argentine coach of the Pharaohs, Hector Cuper, if he fails to beat Nigeria in the double header and qualify Egypt.


"Cuper has been given a two-match ultimatum by the Egyptian Football Association. He has been told to beat Nigeria and ensure Egypt qualify for Gabon 2017 or face dismissal," a source said Tuesday.


Coach Samson Siasia is expected to announce his list of players invited for the match against Egypt today after submitting it to the Technical and Development Committee of the NFF.

[b][size=14pt]
Nigeria: Siasia Gives Up On Enyeama, Emenike
[/size]
https://allafrica.com/download/pic/main/main/csiid/00320779:9dbdf085d37b3d45be9791fa29a64ee9:arc614x376:w285:us1.png
Former Super Eagles' goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama and striker Emmanuel Emenike.

Coach Samson Siasia might have given up on goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama and striker Emmanuel Emenike who have ruled out their return to the team ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations tie against Egypt.


Both players were forced into early retirement from the national team during coach Sunday Oliseh's brief tenure. But Siasia who replaced Oliseh last week was hopeful of convincing Enyeama and Emenike to change their minds, but he said yesterday their decision may have to be respected.


"You can't force them to rescind their decision and we have to respect that." Siasia told BBC Sport.


"I felt they left under a cloudy circumstance. It was only an opportunity for them to reconsider their stance but it appears they've both decided to stick by their retirement.


"Nigeria is blessed with talented footballers and we need to work with those players. We have to live away from the past and focus on a promising future."


Siasia and his assistants Salisu Yusuf and Emmanuel Amunike are expected to finalise and name the country's squad for the game against the seven-time African champions today.


However, he added that no player will be ruled out.


"We can't rule out anyone at the moment. The games against Egypt are crucial matches and we are keeping our focus. We need the support of everyone to succeed.


"This is a big task for us and we want to give our best like those players who are prepared to give 120 percent on the field for their country."

[b][size=14pt]
Build Super Eagles around Ighalo, Akpoborie tells Siasia
Taiwo Adelu
[/size]
https://www.pmnewsnigeria.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Ighalo-504x336.jpg
Odion Ighalo celebrates after scoring for Watford against Newcastle

Former Nigerian international, Jonathan Akpoborie has advised the interim chief coach of the Super Eagles, Samson Siasia not to bother himself recalling retired Emmanuel Emenike to the team, but to see how best he can use the services of Watford of England star Odion Ighalo to strengthen the striking force of the senior national team.


Effort by Siasia to recall West Ham’s Emenike from retirement since he took over as coach of the Super Eagles few days ago has met a brick wall with the player who was loaned from Fenerbahçe in Turkey to the English Premier League club rebuffing the call to play for Nigeria again.


“I think Ighalo is the right player that can be of help to the team now. I want Siasia to build his team around Ighalo who has proved himself to be a dependable striker.


“We have seen how Ighalo has been scoring goals for his English club. He has been doing this with proven professionalism.


“This is a player who scores conveniently outside 18 yard box. He is going to add value to the Eagles now,” said Akpoborie, who spent the majority of his playing career in Germany.

[b][size=14pt]
Nigeria: Coaches Want Siasia, Amuneke, Others Out of Eagles Job
[/size]
By Gowon Akpodonor

The Nigeria Football Coaches Association (NFCA), the umbrella body of coaches in Nigeria, says it would direct their colleagues in various national teams to withdraw their services in protest of recent declaration by the President of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) that the nation's coaches would no longer be entrusted to handle the Super Eagles.


The NFF president allegedly made the declaration last weekend when he attended this year's Africa Business Conference of the Harvard Business School, in Boston, USA.


Though NFF Vice President, Seyi Akinwunmi said on Tuesday that Pinnick's statement was misunderstood, the coaches' body (NFCA), insisted yesterday that Pinnick must apologise immediately or see the 'other side' of Nigerian coaches.


In a statement signed by its general secretary, Coach Solomon Ogbeide, after its emergency executive council meeting yesterday, the NFCA decried Pinnick's statement saying that the NFF boss had demonstrated his inability to manage coaches.


The NFCA wondered where the NFF would get money to pay for a foreign coach when it's clear the federation is cash trapped and can't pay coaches under its bill, stressing that Amaju and his team are clearly chasing a wild goose chase.


"What is Amaju's contribution to the development of football and coaches in the country? We all know how he managed Warri Wolves and left with huge debts. The turn over of coaches in Warri Wolves under his watch was unimaginable and the present managers of the team are battling to settle the debts," the statement said.


According to the NFCA, Nigerian coaches have proved to be some of the best, not only in Africa but the world at large. It further said that for Amaju to issue a blanket statement discrediting them is a disservice to football development in the country.


"We have seen Nigerian coaches qualified the Super Eagles for the World Cup more than once. We have won the FIFA U-17 World Cup with Nigerian coaches five times. We have won African titles with Nigerian coaches and other heart-warming results. To ban them from the national team is unacceptable," NFCA said.


And to protest the ban, the NFCA said: "We may have to ask our colleagues like Samson Siasia and others to step down because if they eventually qualify the Super Eagles, they wouldn't be given the job.


"Amaju should bring his foreign coach now to prosecute the two-legged matches with Egypt and not use Siasia and others as spare before carrying out his plan."

[b][size=14pt]
Nigeria: Pinnick Too Harsh On Nigerian Coaches - Lumumba
[/size]
By David Ngobua

Former NFF presidential aspirant, Hon. Lumumba Dah Adeh has disagreed with NFF president Amaju Pinnick who is reported to have shut the door in the face of Nigerian coaches as far as coaching the Super Eagles is concerned.


After the sudden resignation of Sunday Oliseh, a frustrated Pinnick was quoted as saying he had seen enough of Nigerian coaches.


However, in a chat with Daily Trust, the proprietor of defunct Jos City Raiders FC, Adeh said the NFF president was too harsh on the indigenous coaches as he said they also have the potentials to be among the best in the world.


He said: "That is too brash. Nothing stops a Nigerian coach from being the best tomorrow. It is just a matter of improvement and opportunity.


"If a Nigerian finds himself in a position to develop himself and be ranked among the best in the world he should be considered.


"The potentials are there. Not that they are not good. It is just a matter of opportunity. So, I do not agree or subscribe to the blanket condemnation".


Lumumba therefore said Nigeria should go for the best coach but the choice should not be based on colour, nationality or place of residence.

[b][size=14pt]
Nigeria: Oliseh - a Sane Man in an Insane Country
[/size]
By Idang Alibi

Former coach of Nigeria's senior soccer side the Super Eagles, Sunday Oliseh, once described Nigerian soccer followers who criticised him for failing to satisfy the expectations of Nigerians as "insane". I think the failed coach is right to some extent.


This is because it is only in an insane soccer-crazy country like Nigeria that the football authorities will hire a man whose greatest coaching credential lies in his being a pundit or arm- chair coach on the football channel Super sport to coach a very important team as the Super Eagles.


Perhaps, if someone like a humble me who have been an ardent soccer follower for decades have had the kind of opportunity which Oliseh had to be a commentator on a major sports channel, my punditry would have so impressed the NFF that they would have gone for me even ahead of Oliseh.


Until he was made coach of the Super Eagles, Oliseh had not coached any team of note anywhere in the world. Yet our people relied on his ability to analyse matches to make him the number soccer team manager in Nigeria.


Oliseh has not only proved to be the only sane man in this insane country, he has also demonstrated that he is one of the smartest living Nigerians. After coolly collecting an impressive percentage of his accumulated salaries and allowances owed him by the NFF, Oliseh threw in the towel.


I feel that the smart guy has the ability to see tomorrow. He has foreseen that given his inadequate expertise; the lack of support by the NFF technical committee and the lack of prayers and solidarity he enjoys from millions of Nigerians following that 'insanity' incident, he is not likely to overcome the threat the Pharaohs of Egypt pose to his qualifying the Super Eagles for AFCON 2017.


He knew that if he falls to Egypt, nothing on earth would have stopped his sacking so better to take the more honourable path by resigning and cutting short his losses. That is how one moment of his sanity saved him from sure sack.


For me, the lesson this insane country should learn from the Oliseh saga is that we as a people must learn to change our recruitment criteria by placing emphasis on aptitude and demonstrable abilities. So far, we tend to favour people who can talk; people who have what we Nigerians call swagger rather than those who are quiet but have the sagacity to get things done and done very well.


In almost all sectors of our national life, we tend to go for men and women who are fast talkers, smooth talkers, loud talkers and boastful talkers; those who immodestly boast about their knowledge, competence and ability and those who look impressive in fine clothes and accessories. People who are like that easily get noticed and are often given some of the most prominent positions in society way beyond their actual competencies.


If Deng Xiaoping, the man who was the real architect of China's rise to world dominance today were a Nigerian, he would not have 'smelled' that position. You know Deng was only about 4 feet tall.


In Nigeria a man of such spare status is likely to be overlooked for leadership positions. You need to look tall, strong and handsome to be a presidential or gubernatorial 'material' in Nigeria. It is not what you have upstairs and the patriotism in your heart that count in our dear country; it is your impressive looks and your ability to talk and act big that make impression on those who do leadership recruitment here.


Oliseh was just an analyst, a commentator, a man who tells you what has been done or what ought to be done but cannot do it to get positive results if you give him the chance.


But Oliseh cannot possibly be a lone sane man in an insane country. The insanity of his compatriots will surely rub off on him. And it did. Immediately Oliseh took over the team, I watched what educationists call a teacher's entry point behavior in order to make an assessment as to whether or not he will be a good coach of the Super Eagles. And what was his first entry point behavior? He had the wisdom to sack Vincent Enyeama as captain and goal keeper for apparently no sane reason other than to send a message that he was now in charge.


How could any sane coach do what Oliseh did? Sack Enyeama who is a living legend of the team and who at that time was, and still is, one of the best goal-keepers in the French Division One league and in the world as a whole? What point was he seeking to make? It is the type of point we students of my generation used to call pointless point. I just told a soccer lover friend of mine that this man will not be a successful coach of the Super Eagles and that he will not last long on the job. I have been proved right.


The reason he later gave for dealing with Enyeama in such an unfair and unjust manner was that he wanted younger players in the team and a younger person as captain. If that is what he wanted, must he have his way by treating Enyeama in such a shabby manner? Would he have liked it if he was treated like that when he was captain of the Super Eagles in his time?


If Oliseh were a sane man he would also have known that soccer is so dear to Nigerians and that a man who is privileged to be named the coach of their senior side will do everything to carry stakeholders along with him or else he will fail miserably as he has eventually done.


Nigerians are too passionate about the beautiful game and will make a hero of anyone who succeeds with the Super Eagles or a villain of one who fails to manage the team to great successes. Soccer is the only thing that seems to drive away the many sorrows of Nigerians. One of my respected pastors once told me that soccer is one of the inventions of Satan to distract people. I told him that incidentally soccer is the only thing of Satan that I personally like and enjoy! He was shocked and told me, "even you?"
Nigeria

NLban:
[b][size=14pt]
NFF technical committee a bully - ex-NFF chiefs
[/size]
https://africanfootball.com//bp_images/2016/03/Samm_28_Sept_3_580x473.jpg
Keshi - NFF technical committee made sure they pushed out 'Big Boss'

by Samm Audu

The technical committee of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has been described as “a source of destabilization” in the country’s football and they have only succeeded in bullying and sacking national team coaches.


Former top NFF officials Charles Ojugbana and Austin Mgbolu raised serious concerns over the technical committee headed by Chris Green, saying the committee is one of the problems facing football in Nigeria.


“This group of people (technical committee) has hijacked football in the country. They have bullied and even sacked coaches who have gone against them,” said former NFF spokesman Mgbolu on a television discussion programme this week.


“They made sure they pushed out Stephen Keshi and now it is Oliseh.


“They have had overbearing influence and have shown they are a source of destabilization.


“This is a committee that should be dominated by technical experts with proven track record, not just somebody who will analyse the match between Arsenal and Manchester United.”


Ojugbana, who rose to be deputy general secretary of the NFF, also echoed a similar position, while arguing that the NFF have totally mismanaged the appointment and subsequent resignation of Super Eagles coach Sunday Oliseh.


“Oliseh was hailed as ‘Pep Guardiola of Africa’ when he was appointed. But his resume did not back such a claim and his appointment was mismanaged,” he said.
http://africanfootball.com/news/616210/NFF-technical-committee-a-bully-ex-NFF-chiefs
[/b]
cc: Icon4s, Joseph1013, TheSuperNerd, Bascovanveli, Forgiveness, Terzurum5, Tbaba1234, Krattos, Blackalbino6, Orkpekyandega, TheGoodJoe, Enomakos, and all other stakeholders not mentioned. Help me see the bomb dropped by an Ex NFF member.....

[b][size=14pt]
Nigeria: Who should Siasia start to calm stormy waters?
[/size]
https://images.performgroup.com/di/library/Goal_Nigeria/5/15/samson-siasia_1g928d9s1vf691q6o6xb9s4ufw.jpg?t=1312223913&w=620&h=430
Samson Siasia

The ex-Dream Team coach has been called in to solve the mess left by Sunday Oliseh; who will he pick to play against Egypt?
GOAL COMMENT By Dami Ugbane

Nigerians woke up to the shocking news of the resignation of Sunday Oliseh as the Super Eagles coach on Friday morning.


The technical committee of the Nigerian Football Federation swiftly named an interim four-man coaching crew led by Samson Siasia ahead of this month's Cup of Nations qualification double header against Egypt. Siasia's second coming makes him the third coach to handle the Eagles in three Afcon qualifying matches during this campaign.


Siasia is no stranger to this job, one he held between December 2010 and October 2011. His scorecard from that period is decent; 13 matches including the 2011 WAFU cup, eight wins, three draws and two losses. That represents a win percentage of 61.5, with the team scoring 29 goals, conceding 13.


Siasia has been brought in on a rescue mission for two matches, and he certainly has the ability and capacity to deliver. The above statistics demonstrate that Siasia is an attack-minded coach, while defensively, his record is less appealing.


The new man is coming into this assignment fresh from winning the Caf U-23 championships in Senegal last year, thereby securing Nigeria an Olympic ticket. He will bring experience, an attacking brand of football that will keep fans cheering for 90 minutes and beyond, and he is familiar with many of the players.
https://static.goal.com/di/5257B16D3CF861D241172D967A6BE46C.jpg
Nigerians will hope that during these two games, we do not witness a repeat of the fallouts he had with senior members of the team five years ago, as this ugly scenario also played out under his predecessor. The coach knows what it is to work with the leadership of the NFF, as he has done so on and off since his first engagement in 2004.


Prior to his 2015 Caf triumph in Senegal, the conditions for preparations were not ideal, with the majority of the coach’s intended squad not being released due to club commitments. However, he still managed to grind out the necessary results that led Nigeria to the finals and, eventually, to the trophy itself.


But how will Siasia organise his current options with the senior side and what kind of formation will he use to get the best of Nigeria's current players?


For majority of his coaching career, Siasia had always favoured the 4-4-2, although he recently switched to a 4-2-3-1 with the present Dream Team. Perhaps he might revert to his tried and tested 4-4-2 upon his return to the Super Eagles.
https://static.goal.com/di/330E55315E3E38A278075CF0B6231196.jpg
Will Siasia turn to Ighalo to lead the line?


Odion Ighalo has struggled to replicate his Watford form with the Eagles, as he so often has looked isolated in attack. It surely will be worth starting him with a strike partner, with the forward thriving at his club alongside Troy Deeney. However, are there any preeminent options to feature alongside the Hornets hitman against Egypt?


The Eagles have struggled to field a decent playmaker in recent years, hence why they tend to struggle with the 4-3-3.


Assessing the midfield, what reasonable options do Nigeria have available? Considering Ogenyi Onazi is suspended for the first game in Kaduna, who pairs John Obi Mikel?


You need a player with a high work rate, and astute box-to-box midfield play.


Three names readily come to mind; African Nations Championship stars Ifeanyi Matthew, Usman Mohammed and Turkey-based Raheem Lawal.
https://static.goal.com/di/A44D8D6A078D5A5BA6CDF0DF4D9FC5BC.jpg
Could Lawal be the answer in the heart of the midfield?


If Vincent Enyeama is willing to stage a comeback to the Eagles, his experience and leadership, and the confidence he gives to the team will be invaluable, although that ship looks to have sailed.


The right-back position also needs competition.


Matthew Etim was not one of the star Eagles players at the CHAN, but he did a decent job, and therefore deserves to slug it out with the big boys for a shirt.


Victor Moses is one name fans have missed seeing in the green and white since June 2014 and he deserves a recall. Kelechi Iheanacho has played less than 1000 minutes of football this season for Manchester City, yet he has a healthy return of nine goals in all competitions and has a League Cup-winner’s medal to boot!
https://static.goal.com/di/CF8706CB54CAC77AB76F155B9146AEF6.jpg
Surely Iheanacho has a key role to play in the new Nigeria?


He should surely be pushing for a starting shirt on current form.


Recently crowned Greek champion, Brown Ideye has been in the international wilderness for three years, but Nigeria have missed his hustle and bustle up front and occasional goal contribution.


Egypt are definitely beatable home and away, and Nigeria can realistically be targeting four points from both games despite the upheaval.


Siasia has been called in as a fire fighter, and he certainly has the players to help calm the waters after Oliseh’s exit.

forgiveness:
Well, my opinion is this, Oliseh was not fit to coach the Super Eagles in the first place but due to one reason or the other which i am not ready to disclose now, NFF appointed Oliseh.

The thing about Nigerian coaches which i don't like is that they select players based on sentiment and nepotism only.

Foreign coach is long over due but if only Siasia and Garba are considered then i will raise no eyewbrow against local coaches.

justiz5:
You always seem to favour every thing foreign, Sir if I may ask, 'What have these so called foreign Coaches and players achieved for Nigeria?'

forgiveness:
Well, my opinion is this, Oliseh was not fit to coach the Super Eagles in the first place but due to one reason or the other which i am not ready to disclose now, NFF appointed Oliseh.

The thing about Nigerian coaches which i don't like is that they select players based on sentiment and nepotism only.

Foreign coach is long over due but if only Siasia and Garba are considered then i will raise no eyewbrow against local coaches.

TheGoodJoe:

I do not think Coach Keshi was as sentimental as people think. People especially the media were short sighted of the brilliant work of Coach Keshi.

For instance, look at the reviews coming from CSKA about Aaron Samuel or Raja about Michael Babatunde. It was clear Coach Keshi was worked towards a goal but the bullies in the media and NFF kept on painting the man as sentimental and tactically inept.

Not every selection pays off immediately but patience will go a long way.

Since Coach Keshi's revival of the Super Eagles, we only had Coach Oliseh heading the Super Eagles. I do not think that is enough to write off indigenous coaches.

forgiveness:
Those two players you mentioned were brought in after Keshi perceived that his defender and protector was already a gunner before the election hence the need to start bringing other players from other part he conspicuouly ignored for a very long long time.

However, selection should be based on current form and and sentiment. As at time, can you boldly say those players were the most informed on ground?

forgiveness:
Those two players you mentioned were brought in after Keshi perceived that his defender and protector was already a gunner before the election hence the need to start bringing other players from other part he conspicuouly ignored for a very long long time.

However, selection should be based on current form and and sentiment. As at time, can you boldly say those players were the most informed on ground?

forgiveness:
Well, my opinion is this, Oliseh was not fit to coach the Super Eagles in the first place but due to one reason or the other which i am not ready to disclose now, NFF appointed Oliseh.

The thing about Nigerian coaches which i don't like is that they select players based on sentiment and nepotism only.

Foreign coach is long over due but if only Siasia and Garba are considered then i will raise no eyewbrow against local coaches.

TheGoodJoe:

That is why Coach Keshi is a genious. I did not even know the name Aaron Samuel, he saw a star and the boy delivered. I did not know Mba was good, Coach Keshi saw an AFCON hero. I thought Omeruo was too young for the Super Eagles, Coach Keshi saw an AFCON defending hero.

So when Coach Keshi is working, people missed his genius work and called it sentiments.

AIG07:
"Well, my opinion is this, Oliseh was not fit to coach the Super Eagles in the first place but due to one reason or the other which i am not ready to disclose now, NFF appointed Oliseh."
hmmm... Sir. Forgiveness.
It's either you 're working at d glass house, you got friend there, your p. man or relative is there. Cos t seems you know what we n d media don't know.
E don tey i don de follow u on this thread. Whenever t comes to some sensitive issues like this u tend to reserve your comment with phrase like 'when d right time comes', 'i'm not ready to disclose now' blablabla...
Abeg tell us anything hidden the media ain't saying... Enough of this moonlight play!

As we all await d list of players to prosecute d double legged AFCON matches against d pharaohs of Egypt, d biggest suprise n shocker will be d inclusion of Dominic Solanke*winks*
or don't u think he deserves a call up at least to get him play for our u-23 team just as we did with Iwobi?
*bigger smiles*
*runs outta thread*

wayodude:
Stephen Keshi became a victim of his own apparent myth after winning the 2013 AFCON. How dare he take only 4 (FOUR!!!!) 'real' midfielders to a world cup, out of which only 3 were fit?! Gabriel Ruben was still recuperating after several months of being inactive and he got in the squad. He also left out several players who would have been key in giving the team the depth required to compete at the highest level. As a result when Onazi went off injured against France we all saw what happened, it was one way traffic through our midfield, 2 qoals and we were out. Thanks Keshi!

http://www.goal.com/en-ng/news/4093/nigerian-football/2014/06/02/4855587/nigeria-announce-23-man-world-cup-squad


Along with all the good things he achieved, he would always be remembered as the coach who never really got a grasp of what he was doing. For example, he stumbled upon the idea to play Omeruo as a Centre Back beside Oboabona, only due to Yobo's injury.

Then he had the audacity to name the non league player Gabriel Okechukwu as no. 10 for the game against Chad?! wtf and then was too scared to play him, leaving him on the bench for the entire game! Madness

I'll stop there not to waste my time listing everything but Keshi had the ruggedity to take on Nigerian football politics and was a decent coach. But he was a poor tactician (as the vast majority of local coaches have shown up to be) and a gambler who eventually hit a long losing run. finish

TheGoodJoe:

That is why Coach Keshi is a genious. I did not even know the name Aaron Samuel, he saw a star and the boy delivered. I did not know Mba was good, Coach Keshi saw an AFCON hero. I thought Omeruo was too young for the Super Eagles, Coach Keshi saw an AFCON defending hero.

So when Coach Keshi is working, people missed his genius work and called it sentiments.

forgiveness:
Where are the players you mentioned today?


Genius! The guy even took injured players to the Nations cup and World Cup.

Keshi helped killed Nigerian football with his selection of mediocre players.

forgiveness:
Where are the players you mentioned today?


Genius! The guy even took injured players to the Nations cup and World Cup.

Keshi helped killed Nigerian football with his selection of mediocre players.