…Okpala, Amunike, Finidi on line

…FIFA ban delays Siasia

By Jacob Ajom

The Nigerian Football Federation faces the task of finding a new head coach after Jose Peseiro opted against extending his contract, following the Super Eagles’ 2023 AFCON silver medal outing.

With the overwhelming call for an indigenous coach to succeed the Portuguese tactician, Sports Vanguard is taking a look at the common local options open to the NFF.

These coaches possess diverse styles and experience, each offering unique potential for the Super Eagles.

Leading the call for indigenous coach to take over the team, former Nigeria international and a 1980 AFCON winner, Chief Segun Odegbami told the media recently, “Unless we want to be enslaved forever, in our colonial mentality where we think that only foreigners 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 many Nigerians who have all the qualifications to take us to any level.

“For me, enough of foreign coaches. Now, it’s time for a Nigerian coach to handle our national team.”

He added that “Some of these foreign coaches do not have opportunities to see local players play and watch their progression.

“We have good coaches in Nigeria; there is no doubt about that. We have the likes of Nduka Ugbade, Emmanuel Amunike, Austin Eguavoen.”

Buttressing his position, Odegbema recalled, “Look at the AFCON, an indigenous coach won it for the host country after a foreign coach was asked to leave.

Odegbami got support from Edo State where the state FA Chairman Fred Newton Erhunmeunsee who said indigenous coaches know local players better than the foreign coaches. He also applauded the coach of Ivory Coast national team who beat Jose Peseiro to the AFCON trophy. “He changed the narrative and their mentality of playing. Today, they are known and crowned as African champions. I will always support an indigenous coach. We have them right here in Africa, ” he said.

Samson Siasia

His first foray with Nigeria as a coach was in 2005, when Samson Siasia coached the under 20 team (Flying Eagles), to the finals of both the 2005 Under-20 World Cup and the U-20 African Youth Championship. He won the African Youth Championship and advanced all the way to the World Cup final – before losing to a Lionel Messi-inspired Argentina 2–1. He also assisted Augustine Eguavoen in coaching the national team.

Siasia was appointed national U-23 coach in January 2007. In 2008, he led the Nigerian Under-23 Olympic squad to the final against Argentina. In a superbly played series of matches, Nigeria’s team earned the Olympic Silver medal. In 2016, he again led Nigeria to another Olympic Bronze medal in Rio.

On 26 February 2016, he was named by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) as the interim Coach of the Nigeria national team, the Super Eagles, to be assisted by Salisu Yusuf, Emmanuel Amunike and Alloysius Agu after the resignation of Sunday Oliseh from the position.

With his rich resume, the Bayelsa state born former Nigeria international stands tall among his peers.

Siasia was banned from all football activities for life in August 2019 by the world football body FIFA and fined $50,000 for allegedly agreeing to ‘the manipulation of matches’ for betting purposes.

According to FIFA, Siasia’s ban emanated from an extensive investigation into matches that Wilson Perumal attempted to fix.

But in 2021, after an appeal, his ban was reduced to five years by the Court of Arbitration for Sports. The ban ends in August 2024. Although the former Nigeria forward has expressed his desire to return to football, he will have to wait until the end of the ban which is a few months away. With AFCON 2025 and the 2026 World Cup qualifiers around the corner and his ban still in force, Siasia is automatically out of contention for the Super Eagles job. However, should he be given any consideration, that would be after the FIFA ban. He was a victim of circumstance as he never committed the offence for which he was banned. There was evidence Perumal tried to sell an idea to him but the act was never committed and he paid for knowing the match fixer. FIFA probably took action after he ignored their emails for a long time.

Sylvanus Okpala

This is one man whose record as player and coach speaks volumes. Okpala was a forerunner among Nigerian professional football players who took their trade to Europe in search of the Golden Fleece. After playing for Enugu Rangers he moved to Portugal where he played for C.S. Marítimo and C.D. Nacional in the Portuguese Liga. Okpala played for the Nigeria national football team and was part of the AFCON winning squad in 1980 and also featured in 1988 Summer Olympics with the Green Eagles as the national team was known then.

After his playing career, Okpala went into coaching. He has handled his childhood club, Rangers and was also part of the late Stephen Keshi led technical crew that won the AFCON for the second time, this time as a coach in 2013 in South Africa. It was also Nigeria’s second continental trophy.

Insiders attributed the depth and technical superiority of Keshi’s squad to Okpala’s technical savvy.

One of his remarkable contributions to the team’s make up was his insistence on having home-based players in the squad. The players from the Nigerian league were goalkeeper Chigozie Agbim, defenders Azubuike Egwueke, Godfey Oboabona, midfielder Reuben Gabriel and forwards Ejike Uzoenyi and Sunday Mba. Their contributions to the overall performance of the team were immeasurable. Mbah, who was generally considered as Okpala’s boy, was on target against Burkina Faso in Eagles’ only goal in the final.

After the 2013 success story, the NFF under Alhaji Aminu Maigari fell out with Okpala. He even won a case against the NFF at the Court of Arbitration for Sports(CAS).

His departure from the national team coincided with the team’s decline in performance. Despite Keshi’s plea with the NFF that Okpala be brought back to the fold, the NFF leadership stood its ground and kept him away. The Super Eagles went to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, got to the second round before they were knocked out by a Paul Pogba-inspired France. The Super Eagles failed to defend their 2013 title as they failed to qualify for the next AFCON. Eagles started posting poor results and Keshi strongly appealed that Okpala be reinstated. NFF did not and Nigeria failed to even qualify for the next AFCON.

Sylvanus Okpala, popularly called Quick Silver is perhaps the best candidate for the job as he insists on players’ discipline and is armed enough technically to manage the team.. But can the NFF look in his direction? Only time will tell.

Emmanuel Amunike

Like Finidi and Samson Siasia, Emmanuel Amunike belongs to the golden generation of Nigeria football. After a glowing playing career in Africa and Europe, the former Nigeria international has carved a niche for himself as a coach. In 2013 he assisted Manu Garba to win the FIFA U-17 World Cup in UAE. Two years later, Amunike successfully defended the trophy for Nigeria as he led the likes of Victor Osimhen, Samuel Chukwueze, Kelechi Nwakali, among others to retain the trophy in Chile.

Apart from making a name with the Nigerian U-17 team, Amunike was appointed head coach of the Tanzania senior national team in 2018. He qualified Tanzania for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations. That was the first time in 30 years the country played in the continental fiesta. However, he resigned from training the team after losing all three games at the 2019 AFCON.in Egypt.

Amunike was drafted to assist Austin Eguavoen in a two match stint with the national team, after the departure of Gernot Rohr ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Nigeria lost the ticket to Ghana when the Black Stars held the Super Eagles to a score draw in Abuja.

He is still without a regular job but very active as he was a member of the CAF Technical Group during the 2022 and 2023 Africa Cup of Nations. He plays a similar role for FIFA too.

It is believed that Amunike is one man who can take the Super Eagles to the next level given his experience, technical know-how and knack for grooming and producing young talents. Is he the right man for the job? Only the NFF has the final say.

Finidi George

A former Nigeria international and member of Nigeria’s golden age. Finidi was a member of the Algiers ’94 AFCON-winning squad. He possesses a UEFA A Licence In his active days as a football player, Finidi won the Champions League with Ajax Amsterdam. He also played in Spain and England. He was part of the technical crew to the 2023 AFCON squad that won a silver medal in Ivory Coast. Finidi managed Enyimba to the 2022/23 NPFL title. He was Peseiro’s assistant and is in a strong position to succeed his former boss in the dugout.

What is going for him in this search for a new helmsman for the national team, some have argued, is the urge to have a seamless transition, which, as part of the crew headed by Peseiro, will ensure continuity in tactics, playing personnel and smooth relationship with the football house.

It all depends on the Nigeria Football Federation to choose who succeeds Peseiro.

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