- For Nigerian football to grow, it must isolate itself from external
There are two kinds of football coaches, goes that cynical quip: those sacked and those waiting to be sacked! That means a coach is as good as his last result.
That is why the Amaju Pinnick-led Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) should not have reappointed Stephen Keshi as Super Eagles coach after he flunked qualification for the 2015 African Cup of Nations in Equatorial Guinea.
Against all odds, Keshi won the Nations Cup in 2013; won a bronze in the Championship of African Nations (CHAN) — for Africa-based football stars — in 2014 (both in South Africa); and made the second round in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
But failing to qualify to defend the title he won in South Africa should have nullified those previous glories. So, by reappointing Keshi, NFF only rewarded failure.
In fairness, NFF was not too keen on re-engaging Keshi. But the Goodluck Jonathan presidential court barely hid its preference for a Keshi encore. Even then, a disapproving NFF handed Keshi a renewed contract, with reduced salaries and reduced powers; subjugating him, in the selection of players, to the control of the body’s Technical Committee. Still, Keshi took the job, and in earnest won his first match, against Chad: a qualifier for 2017 Nations Cup in Gabon; perhaps hoping to ride the storm.
But then the sudden end: allegations of doubtful loyalty. Keshi just got a new contract with Nigeria. Yet, his name popped up in a list of coaches being head-hunted for the job by Cote d’Ivoire. That was the final straw. NFF screamed double-dealing. Keshi pleaded innocence, claiming an agent’s indiscretion. An NFF body to probe the matter ended with a seeming non-decision: probe was inconclusive. But out of the blue, the verdict: the Keshi era as Nigeria boss was history. Good riddance — and about time too!
But Keshi’s sack came at a delicate juncture, which could well plague the team with instability; and could well create an apologia for Nigeria’s non-qualification for Gabon, in a group that features six-time African champions, Egypt, Chad and Tanzania; only the winner of the group automatically qualifies.
Still, the lesson is clear: even if Nigeria fails to make it to Gabon, NFF would have learned the tough lesson never to subjugate its decisions to external influences — for such would always come back to haunt it. Many would say that is easier said than done, given the over-bearing influence of government in football in Nigeria. They won’t be incorrect. But for Nigerian football to make headway and optimise its potential, it is imperative for the powers-that-be to give NFF the operational independence to steer Nigerian football.
If, despite the present crunch, Nigeria makes it to Gabon, NFF’s hands would be more strengthened, other things being equal. But if Nigeria falters, NFF itself could be in jeopardy, with stakeholders calling for its head. That would herald another round of instability that can only further doom Nigerian football.
Meanwhile, after Keshi, NFF is reportedly lining up Sunday Oliseh, another former Super Eagles captain and strong character. Aside from a dearth of coaching experience (2008-2009 with Vervietois, a Belgian fourth division side), Oliseh belongs to the golden generation of Nigerian football: won Nations Cup in 1984, member of the first Eagles set to qualify for World Cup in USA 1994; and was in the Olympic team that won gold in Atlanta ’96 — the first African side to do so.
He played professional club football in Europe, is a member of FIFA Technical Study Group and runs a consultancy that regularly conducts periodic coaching clinics. He also works as pundit during big football championships.
But not unlike Keshi, he does not suffer fools gladly. Indeed, even as national team captain, he parted ways with the administration because of the constant cant coming from Nigeria’s House of Football.
So, after Keshi, can NFF cope with Oliseh? We sincerely hope so.
