Following the departure of Portuguese manager Jose Peseiro, who led the Super Eagles to a second-place finish at the 2023 African Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire, former Green Eagles forward and 1980 AFCON winner, Chief Segun Odegbami has called on the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF to appoint a capable indigenous coach to guide the national team.

In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria yesterday, Odegbami expressed his belief that it is time for Nigeria to break free from a colonial mindset that only foreign coaches can bring success.

“Unless we want to be enslaved forever, in our colonial mentality where we think that only the white can coach us to success.

“All around us, we hear about some Nigerians who are excelling in all fields of endeavours and they are leaving the country to go and help other countries.

“Football is not a rocket science, but a simple game. We have lots of Nigerians who have all the qualifications to take us to any level.

“For me, I won’t suffer from colonial mentality again and enough of foreign coaches. 

While emphasizing the importance of appointing a Nigerian coach who can lead the Super Eagles to victory, he expressed the nation’s weariness with coaches who fail to secure significant achievements, adding “It is time for Nigeria to embrace its own talent and strive for success under indigenous leadership”.