Adokie: Eagles’ Woes Beyond Siasia

Ex- international, Adokie Amiesimaka has said that the problem of the Super Eagles and indeed Nigerian football is beyond Samson Siasia who was sacked on Friday by the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, after failing to take the country to next year’s Africa Cup of Nations.

The former Green Eagles player expressed displeasure with the action of the NFF, saying that there are fundamental issues the authorities must address before football’s glory can be restored in the country.

According to Amiesimaka, who was part of the team that won the 1980 Nations Cup for Nigeria, said that if care is not taken Nigeria will keep sacking and sacking coaches as anybody who is employed to handle the Eagles will continue to fail.

The former Administrator of Sharks Football Club of Port Harcourt said the time had come for the NFF to go back to the drawing board if Nigeria is to qualify for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations and 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

“The woes of Nigerian football are not coaching problem rather than some fundamental issues that need urgent attention. Now, we are looking for another coach and I want to believe that whoever takes over from Siasia will definitely fail unless the system of doing things in Nigeria changes for the better,” he said.

Amiesimaka wants a comprehensive youth developmental programme for the country. He wants a focus on the local league, organisation of regular national youth football competitions where talents will be discovered. He added that “failure to do this will bring more woes upon Nigeria’s football,” he warned.

“Our non-qualification for next year’s Africa Cup of Nations has nothing to do with Siasia, rather the system that is not well structured. Let them go and bring Jose Mourinho or Alex Ferguson to coach Eagles, they will fail because the environment is not conducive for success,” he added.

Meanwhile, Eagles’ captain, Joseph Yobo said young players should be given the chance to play in the senior national team as a step to addressing the dwindling fortunes of the team.

He said a combination of experienced players and younger ones will make the Eagles great again.

—Sunday Akintoye