Caution must be applied in appointing ex-Eagles as coaches – Lumumba
Super Eagles are billed to take on Madagascar in a must win 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier. Are you one of these Nigerians who are already quaking? Why are we always in that position? For every qualification series, whether World Cup or Nations Cup, we struggle. Even in a group that has what we […]
Super Eagles are billed to take on Madagascar in a must win 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier. Are you one of these Nigerians who are already quaking?
Why are we always in that position? For every qualification series, whether World Cup or Nations Cup, we struggle. Even in a group that has what we normally call minnows, we still struggle. Whether you agree or not, the name Nigeria is a very big name which is enough to win you certain matches or give you advantage against others but why do we always struggle? Something is certainly wrong. We must change our approach and attitude. And one of the ways is to concentrate more on development. We are too desperate about competitions. It’s unfortunate that God has endowed in us both material and human resources yet we are not getting it right. The talents we have in this county are enough for us not to struggle against any country in Africa. But look at our rating. Some would say don’t take FIFA rating serious or it matter a little. But no, it counts. In some instances, especially when you have to make draws, they use it. It counts when it comes to seeding.
The question remains, do you see Supaer Eagles qualifying for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations?
I must confess it is dependent on the players and the team managers. I would as a patriotic Nigerian like us to qualify more out of patriotic zeal than a realistic wish based on what we have put in. If others would go and work hard and we come and say we want to win because we are Nigeria, then we are pervading justice and fairness. But because I am a Nigerian, I want the country’s flag to be hoisted at the next Nations Cup.
What is your assessment of the Super Eagles team Coach Siasia is rebuilding?
In fairness to Siasia, not minding how he got that position, I would say it’s too early in the day to condemn him because one, he has been there for just a short while, two, he has promised to build a new team and you don’t expect a new team to be a world beater in so short a time. Our previous experiences have shown that those who succeeded with the Super Eagles took more than two to three years before we started seeing tangible results. If we are to be fair to him, let us give him sometime after which we would now see the fruits of the effort of building a new team. At the moment, I know he is trying new players and other options. Let’s just hope that he would get it right.
Do you support the idea of appointing ex-internationals as national team coaches? We have Siasia, Eguavoen, Iroha, Agu, Shorunmu, and most recently Amunike and Ugbade handling some of the national teams.
I have to express my fear here because it has become a style to appoint ex-internationals as national team coaches not minding their coaching pedigree. I am afraid we are doing it not in a manner that is encouraging. Caution must be applied in appointing ex-internationals as national team coaches. I don’t know the basis or what makes the FA feels that only ex internationals can make good coaches. There a lot of experienced coaches in Nigeria. Even if it is said they are not in tune with modern trends, you have to update them, you cannot throw away their experience. They are still valuable. So this penchant for getting young ex-internationals to lead national teams without any experience may back fire. I don’t think this should be encouraged. Let older coaches come out and claim their right. They have a stake. They cannot be thrown away. Let anybody who is an ex-international who wants to coach the national team go to the local clubs and let’s see his performance. It is the clubs that generate the players for these age group teams. Most of the players in the national U-17, U-20 come from the local league. So let them go and try their skills or professional abilities there before they can be given national assignments.
The Nigeria Premier League board has up to September 5 to organize fresh elections into the positions of Chairman and chairman of chairmen. Do you see this as the solution to the crisis in the league body?
Well, we are operating on a system that is fluid. Anybody can capitalize on any lacuna, any loophole and seem to be right. Unless the Nigerian football is framed legally and properly structured, these problems would continue. Look at the illegality that led to that election, the illegality that is leading to this decision, you cannot build anything on nothing. So we would continue in circles like that. That is why I am even afraid for the sports minister. He may lose focus one day, one because the first thing that confronted him was crisis in Nigerian football. He was pushed into taking certain decisions and making comments that can be very misleading and if he continues to toe that line, he may lose focus and in the end he may not be able to achieve anything.
By implication are you saying nothing tangible would come out of the Football Reform Committee set up by the minister of sports?
Of course even the committee members know that it is just a jamboree. There is nothing new. These same members were there before. They sat in similar committees. We all know where the problem is. Let us face it squarely if we are genuinely interested in developing the football sector. I assure you nothing tangible would come out of it, nothing, absolutely nothing. It is not because they are not competent, not that they do not have ideas. It’s because there is no political commitment.-