Former Super Eagles defender Ifeanyi Udeze has warned that new Super Eagles coach Finidi George should not be saddled with ambitious assistants who want his job.
Daniel Amokachi and Emmanuel Amuneke have been rumoured to be named to assist Finidi him on the top post.
However, Udeze said this will be counter-productive.
“I don’t want to see an ex-player who will come and give Finidi problems,” the 2002 World Cup star warned.
“The NFF must not give him assistants who will try to take the job from him.
“He should instead be given a free hand to bring his assistants.”
It has been alleged that Augustine Eguavoen did not function properly when Amuneke was imposed on him leading to the failure of Nigeria to qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
I sincerely hope that the 1980 legend, Odegbami doesn’t have ulterior motive for advocating vehemently for hiring of an indigenous coach. Iam expressing this fear because after the appointment of Finidi,Odegbami is now suggesting who he (Finidi) should select as his assistant. This is just one of the fears of hiring a Nigerian as the Super Eagles coach.These so-called ex -internationals particularly the noisy ones like Odegbami will be around to tell the coach who to invite based largely on tribal sentiment, nepotism and religion. Odegbami has become the talking head not minding the fact that he never experienced the world cup. Africans started to get recognition in football ( thanks to Cameron ‘s exploit in the 1990 world cup) from the 1990s upwards so, it is legend like Okocha, Kanu that ought to get involved in this discussion. Odegbami has branded those of us who advocate for the hiring of a foreign coach as having European inferiority complex. He is DEAD WRONG. We are trying to prevent those of you who are corrupt from poluting the Nigerian football and imposing on the coach your inlaws’s, son, your nephew, your village heads’ son, and so on and so forth. We will continue to watch every move of these so-called legends of the past who ought to do us a favour by remaining in the history’s Dustbin
It is comments like this that makes one wonder. So, simply because of the fear of tribalism and nepotism we must recycle third-rate journeymen Oyinbo coaches to the detriment of qualified Nigerians? What do many of those white coaches you love so much have over Finidi, Amuneke, Nsien, Egbo, Oliseh and others either in playing pedigree or coaching? Why must we spite our noses to defame our faces? It’s a distortion of history to insinuate that because Odegbami didn’t play in the World Cup he shouldn’t have an opinion. His legendary team was on its way to the World Cup but for an unfortunate own goal by Godwin Odiye. The man is clearly among everyone’s list of top 3 best Nigerian footballer all time. His opinion is valid. Inasmuch as we don’t bring foreigners to run the NFF, we should use our former players that have experienced top- level football abroad and received quality coaching credentials. Afterall, weve witnessed the vaunted Oyinbo coaches make questionable invitations based on influence from NFF members or other interests. At this time let’s all support Finidi for success.