Former Super Eagles captain and coach, Sunday Oliseh, has denied applying for the vacant coaching position in the Super Eagles, and faults the application process for the job.
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) declared the position of the Super Eagles head coach vacant a couple of weeks ago, following the expiration of the contract of former coach, Jose Peseiro after the AFCON in Ivory Coast.
In an advertisement on its website, the NFF called for applications with a March 13 deadline. The football governing body stated that the prospective Eagles coach “must have proven experience at the elite level of football.” According to report, over 50 coaches have been reportedly shortlisted for the job by the NFF.
“I did not apply for the Eagles job, reports that stated so are false,” Oliseh said in an interview with Punch Newspaper.
“I only stated that if Nigeria needed my help as a coach I would be willing to help if the conditions are right. I’m open to helping Nigeria but I did not apply for the job.”
Oliseh, who succeeded the late Stephen Keshi as Eagles coach in 2015, faulted the application process for the vacant Eagles job.
“Let’s look at it this way, when Jurgen Klopp came out last month to announce that he was leaving his position as coach of Liverpool, did you hear or read anywhere that the club announced that coaches should apply for the job? The only thing they (Liverpool) are doing currently is that they are in search of a coach that fits their philosophy and style.
“If we (Nigeria) cannot offer our indigenous coaches opportunities to help the country’s football, then who else will?”
“Everyone knows I’m an advocate of an indigenous coach to lead the Eagles, those two (Amuneke and Finidi) are good for the job. Anybody who really understands football will know that the Eagles don’t need a foreign coach, but the indigenous coach must have a great personality.
“I’m against foreign coach for our national team. It was a local coach that won the AFCON for Ivory Coast and the previous one for Senegal.”
