The controversies surrounding the appointment of football tactician, Eric Chelle, as head coach of the Super Eagles may be far from over, if latest declaration by legend Austin Jay Jay Okocha is anything to go by.
Okocha, who is one of the best footballers to come from Africa has not hidden his dislike for NFF decision to hand the Super Eagles to Chelle. Shortly after NFF announced Chelle, Okocha and some ex- ex-players, including Kanu Nwankwo, expressed their views about the Super Eagles’ failure to win any trophy in recent years. They blamed the situation on politics and the inconsistency in coaching personnel.
Okocha stated that the running of the country’s football administration by politicians and changing of coaches, have and would continue to ruin the country’s chances of winning trophies. He argued that Nigeria has the best players in the world but has been unable to win trophies, attributing it to poor administration and changing of coaches.
The Super Eagles may not win any trophy until the current NFF officials are dissolved or reformed,” he said. “Appoint new officials who know more about football, who have interest in football, who loves football, whose lifestyles represent football.
You can’t appoint politicians to manage football. They will turn it to politics and that’s what is happening today. We have the best players in the world, yet we have no trophy to lay our hands, not because of the players, absolutely not.
When you change a coach, you have changed a dream, a vision, and a mission, in short, you have changed a generation.
Changing of a coach isn’t just as it sounds to the ear. It’s harmful to the players, they will lose focus, except the players on their own demand for a better coach. Before you consider changing a coach, get some key players and interview them, seek their opinion because most of the players’ performance is based on the good relationship they share with their coach,” he stated.
Okocha insisted then that the NFF should be reformed, stressing that politics should be separated from the game. I am well convinced that my speech today may offend many people, because truth they say is bitter.
Okocha’s outburst did not go down well with some top officials of the NFF, including his former teammate Victor Ikpeba, who is a key figure in the Technical Committee that recommended Eric Chelle to the football body. Ikpeba tongue-lashed Okocha and Kanu for trying to rubbish the job of the Technical Committee.
However, latest report emerged yesterday with Okocha declaring that he owes the NFF no apology. “If their decision is taking me to the court, so be it. “We can’t continue to keep quiet while things continue to spoil.
I have received series of messages to apologise to NFF, and my question is, ‘for what? For demanding a better committee?’ No, I can’t apologise while I just made my own personal opinion. Don’t we have right for freedom of speech again in Nigeria?”
He continued: “Football is the only ties that keep Nigeria going as one. It is our only source of Joy. If you politicise it what will be our hope tomorrow? We must be free and allowed to express our minds.
