The rejection by Frenchman, Paul LeGuen of an offer to manage the Super Eagles from the Nigeria Football Federation early this week was one of the biggest sports stories that came out of Nigeria. A lot of reactions have trailed what some have described as a show of shame.
Even the explanation by the NFF that the Frenchman was only a recommendation of the Technical and Development Committee, which was still subject to ratification by the Executive Committee after agreeing terms with the former Indomitable Lions of Cameroon manager did not meet the approval of many Nigerians.
The technical committee was carpeted for rushing to announce the Frenchman’s name when they were yet to conclude with him.
A former Director in the defunct National Sports Commission, Abba Yola was the first to slam the committee. He spoke with Patrick Omorodion of Sports Vanguard:
“If Barrister (Chris) Green doesn’t know the implications of going public on a half done job, how could Paul Bassey come short of short-changing Nigerians on an issue which the entire Nation is interested in. Why the hurry in making the announcement,” he queried.
Yola went a step further, “I think the Board should be excused on that (volte face) while the entire Technical Committee should be asked to resign honourably or be disbanded without further delay.”
In a bid to save its face, the Executive Committee quickly confirmed Salisu Yusuf’s appointment as Head Coach of the Super Eagles and instructed the technical committee to commence the search for a new foreign coach. The search should not last more than one week.
A former Nigeria manager and one time captain of the national team, Christian Chukwu has interpreted the entire scenario as panicky. He has advised the NFF not to panic in their quest to land a new foreign technical adviser.
“We still have time,” Chukwu told Saturday Sports Vanguard. “Our first match is still about three months time. The national team is not like a club because. Seriously speaking, even if you employ a coach today, he will still need time to consult his Nigerian colleagues on the players to invite and so forth.”
Chukwu said all the players will be coming from abroad. “And when the players are invited, their clubs will not release them earlier than three days to a match. The most they can allow is perhaps, one week to a match. So they still have enough time to plan and get a good coach for Nigeria.”
He said that with Salisu Yusuf and Imama Amapakabo on ground, the duo and Alloy Agu who is the goalkeepers’ trainer can start the ground work which the expected technical adviser would come and build on.
One of the reasons the NFF gave as responsible for the breakdown of talks with Le Guen was the fact that he insisted on bringing his assistants from Europe. In its 5-point communique, the Executive Committee of the NFF “disapproved of Mr. Le Guen’s desire to come to the job with two assistants, which would make Nigerian coaches redundant.”
How did Chukwu cope under Coach Clemens Westerhof who also hired Johannes Bonfrer and a goalkeepers’ trainer. “The presence of Bonfrer never made me redundant. Bonfrer was a trainer. We had one trainer, a Nigeria Airforce personnel called Steve.
“Westerhof said he was not doing enough, likewise the goalkeepers’ trainer so he brought in Bonfrer and a goalkeepers’ trainer. He paid them from his pocket. They were not in the employ of the Nigeria Football Association and we were still working in tandem, directing him and telling him the mentality of Nigerian players. In Tunisia when we were being awarded medals, Bonfrer and the new goalkeepers’ trainer were not recognised and were not part of the ceremony.”
Chukwu reasoned that Le Guen may have suggested the NFF should be responsible for the salaries of his assistants. He wanted NFF to incur more expenses than it budgeted for, so the talks collapsed.”
Source: Vanguard
No comments:
Post a Comment