The Nigeria Football Federation has concluded plans to employ a foreign assistant coach to work alongside ex-international, Sunday Oliseh, who is being considered to head the consortium of coaches to manage the Super Eagles following the sacking of former coach, Stephen Keshi. Oliseh, 40, won the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations with the Super Eagles as well as an Olympic gold medal in 1996. A former captain of the Eagles, Oliseh played at two World Cups, in 1994 and 1998, and played at various clubs in Europe, including RSC Liege, Regianna, Cologne, Ajax, Juventus, and Borussia Dortmund.
New Telegraph can report that NFF president, Amaju Pinnick, met with Oliseh in London on Wednesday to discuss the modalities of working with a foreign technical assistant and other Nigerian coaches, including the technical director of the NFF, Shaibu Amodu. The official site of the NFF also confirmed that the body was in talks with Oliseh with chairman of the NFF Technical and Development Committee, Felix Anyansi-Agwu, stating that an offer has been tabled before the former midfielder.
“An offer has been made, and there is understanding, but we have to work out the final details of the agreement in a few days,” said the Enyimba boss. “Of course, the Executive Board has to give approval for his appointment based on the final terms to be agreed.” The website also stated that Oliseh’s foreign assistant will have the task of developing programmes, and will work with youth teams and certified academies across the country with the aim of developing the game from the grassroots.
The identity of the foreign assistant however remains unknown but it won’t be the first time Super Eagles coaches will be arriving in the company of foreign assistants as Keshi and his predecessor, Samson Siasia, did with Valere Houandinou and Simon Kalika respectively. On the choice of Oliseh, Pinnick said: “Sunday Oliseh has vast experience and immense knowledge of the game, and will certainly add value to what we are doing. He has bought into our vision and objectives towards the development of Nigeria football. He will command the respect of the players and we trust he has the temperament to work harmoniously with the Technical and Development Committee, the Technical Directorate and the Technical Study Group.
“On our part at the NFF, we will give him all the support to succeed as we have been giving to all our coaches. Subject to the approval of the NFF Executive Committee, we will conclude negotiations by weekend and he will be unveiled next week.” Oliseh retired from the national team at the age of 27, after being dropped from the squad to the 2002 World Cup for disciplinary issues; with many in the Nigerian FA back then vowing never to work with him again, as he is said to be difficult.
However, he has not had any top flight job in coaching, except handling Belgian third division side Vervietois between 2008 and 2009. Capped 63 times, Oliseh is one of three former players from his generation in the national team to hold the acclaimed UEFA Pro License. The others are Mutiu Adepoju and Emmanuel Amuneke. He has been working as a TV pundit and was a member of the FIFA Technical Study Group for the 2013 U-17 World Cup as well as the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.
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