Former coach of the Super Eagles and FIFA technical committee member, Chief Festus Onigbinde, has stated categorically that the recent burst-up between Super Eagles’ head coach, Sunday Oliseh and the team’s former skipper, Vincent Enyeama, two days ago, which resulted in Enyeama’s decision to call time on national duty could have been better handled by the coach.
Onignidne blamed Olishe’s “level of experience” for the level of “unnecessary exposure” which most happenings in the team get, when they should be handled as discreetly as possible.
Speaking to LEADERSHIP Friday Sports yesterday, Onigbinde wondered how the coach could have let “such a simple issue to degenerate to a brawl in the media”.
He said: “Enyeama is no longer a bab and must have good reasons for whatever he is doing, so I don’t think anyone would have told him what to do.”
Onigbinde refused to hold back on his opinion of the coach’s actions.
“Well, Sunday Oliseh is who he is, but I think the whole affair should have been handled quietly, because all these noise may have some negative effect on the team, seeing as football is a team game.
If I were Oliseh, I would have let everything rest, then benched for Thursday and Sunday’s game and, who would have blamed him if he had given the excuse that he wanted the his skipper to be in the ‘right frame of mind,’ given all he had gone through? No one.
“I’m sorry, but I have to say that I advised on his experience in player-handling before he (Sunday Oliseh) was employed, but if I had spoken out, everyone would have said I was holding forte for the likes of Siasia and Keshi.
“On two occasions, he has run afoul of the relationship with the players. Before the game against Tanzania, the players had complained about the rigour which came with training under Oliseh; they should have not been so burnt out before the game. That was inexperience showing. And now, this. When I pointed it out, I was seen as an enemy,” Onigbinde said.
The Modakeke high chief counseled the NFF to look into the issue as discreetly as it can and be gentle in executing its action and, though, he lamented that the nation has lost the service of Enyeama, he wished the former skipper and the coach the best of luck.
The now-retired skipper, was given his first taste of action back in 2002 by Onigbinde, after the then first-choice goalie, Ike Shorunmu was injured and could not star for the nation anymore.
Leave a Reply