Former international Idah Peterside has spoken against Samson Siasia’s intention to hire Dutchman Simon Kalika as his assistant for the Super Eagles job, and warned the new Super Eagles coach to be careful of the monster he may unleash on Nigerian football.

Both men have worked together since 2005 and built a successful partnership which saw Siasia’s teams reach the final of the Under_20 World Cup in 2005, and the Olympic football tournament three years later.

But Peterside, most recently the Super Eagles Media Officer insists that Siasia should go local.
“We have been fighting to have a local coach for the Super Eagles, and now that we have one, he wants to bring in a foreigner as his assistant when we have plenty of former players who need the exposure and opportunity,” Peterside said.

“What message are we sending across? If we get a foreign coach at some point in the future, how can we insist that he take local assistants?”

Even worse however, Peterside warned that Siasia may be setting the stage for what he considers to be an even worse scenario.
“If this goes on, dont be surprised that in a few years, Kalika will want to put himself up for the Super Eagles job, claiming that he was the brains behind Siasia’s success. Just like Jo Bonfrere did with Clemens Westerhof.”

Peterside was however quick to point out that he held no ill_feelings towards Kalika.
“I like him as a person. He is a very nice man. We have met and interacted on a number of occasions and he is a very likeable person. I just think that we don’t need a foreigner to assist our national coach at this time.”