Former Super Eagles player Thompson Oliha is happy with the combination of coaches chosen by the Nigerian Football Federation, NFF  to coach the Under-17 team but said  among the trio of Garba Manu, Emmanuel Amuneke and Nduka Ugbade chosen by the NFF, Ugbade should be made the head coach of the team following his wealth of experience in the game.

According to Oliha , “I want to say that the combination is not bad, but if I were the NFF, I would have allowed the former coaches in the  team  to continue. Changing coaches is not the  best for our football, it will affect the players because they will try to get used to the pattern of the new coach or coaches instead of focusing on their game.

All the same, I love the idea of bringing  ex-internationals to coach the team, which is very good for our football. Jobs like this  pave a way for opportunities especially for ex-players who have nothing doing.  For those chosen, I wish them the best,” he said.

However, report has it that the NFF has settled  for Manu Garba as the head coach of the team but  Oliha said that “Ugbade should have been made head of the team because he is the senior amongst the trio . The reason is that he has played the Under-17 World  Cup, he was the first player in history to lift the FIFA U-17 World Cup and so he is my first choice.

I think they should look between Emmanuel  Amuneke and Ugbade  because they are experienced in the game. Both have World Cup experience than Garba Manu. My advice to NFF is to endeavour to choose coaches by merit and not by sentiment,” he concluded.