Fashanu endorses Oliseh

A former international, John Fashanu, has backed newly appointed Super Eagles coach, Sunday Oliseh, to do an exceptional job with taking the national team back to the summit of the game. Although Fashanu conceded that Oliseh does not have requisite experience having not managed at the top level as yet, he however argued that given the global respect he commands in the game, he was likely to succeed. Aside from possessing the UEFA pro license, seen as the highest coaching badge in the world, Oliseh is also a member of FIFA’s Technical Study Group as well as a brilliant pundit.

“I have heard the argument about his lack of experience, that may be correct, but what he does have going for him is that he commands the respect of the players, officials and fans. “That is important for the success of a coach and Oliseh has demonstrable ability to rally the support of the various groups. I think he can equally achieve what Stephen Keshi (former coach) did in bringing together foreignbased players and the local ones in a dynamic mix to get results. I think he would do an exceptional job; all we need to do is get behind him so that he can get the Super Eagles back to the top,” Fashanu told our correspondent on the telephone.

He however counseled both the federation and the coach against the belief that it would be all smooth sailing in apparent reference to the oftencantankerous relationship between the NFF and its coaches in the past. Fashanu said: “Even at the highest level of the game in FIFA itself there is fragmentation.

If there is trouble at the top you will expect that the various affiliates will also sometimes have their problems. So both Oliseh and the federation should not have the belief that there won’t be areas of disagreements, but the important thing is to find a way round them and move on.”

The former Aston Villa and Wimbledon star however faulted Oliseh’s plans to call up only players featuring in top clubs to the national team, the only exception being those in the junior national categories. The coach had also said that Nigeria didn’t have top class players that were available during his time.

“His first task is to go out and find those exceptional players. He cannot restrict his selection pool to only those who play in the top clubs; I played for Wimbledon, one of the smallest clubs in England, yet I was one of the best strikers in the Premier League and also an international,” Fashanu noted.

“Some of the best players may not be in the top clubs, they are hidden in the nook and crannies of the country waiting to be discovered; so his assignment is to find them. I have been in football for over 20 years and I see excellent players everywhere, let Oliseh not shut the door on them. He shouldn’t believe that his players must only come from Real Madrid, Barcelona or Man United.”