Oliseh Reveals Biggest Regret As Super Eagles Coach
By Saheed Afolabi
Former Super Eagles head coach, Sunday Oliseh has revealed that his biggest regret during his managerial career was failing to heed the advice of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) regarding the handling of senior players.
Oliseh, who managed Nigeria between 2015 and 2016, said the federation had advised him against inviting John Obi Mikel, Vincent Enyeama and Emmanuel Emenike to the national team, claiming their relationship with the football authorities had become problematic.
The former Nigeria captain, however, admitted that he ignored the advice, a decision he now considers one of his major regrets as a coach.
“I regret not having listened to the NFF. Because when I took over the job, the first thing NFF told me was to stop inviting three of them (Mikel, Enyeama and Emenike) because they were chaotic to the NFF,” Oliseh said.
He also recounted his efforts to convince former Chelsea midfielder Mikel to engage with him and discuss issues surrounding his involvement with the national team.
According to Oliseh, he travelled to the United Kingdom at his own expense and arranged a meeting in London with Mikel and Victor Moses, who was also invited to the discussion.
“With my own money, not the NFF money, I went to the UK, sent a message to the clubs, sent a message to him (Mikel), sent a message not only to him but also to Victor Moses, gave them an appointment at a bar that was accessible in the heart of London, with my assistant coach, for two of them to come and have meeting.”
However, while Moses honoured the invitation, Oliseh said Mikel neither attended the meeting nor responded to his WhatsApp message.
“Now, of the two of them, who did not come to the meeting? Obi Mikel did not come to the meeting. Victor Moses came. Obi Mikel did not even respond to the WhatsApp message.”
The former midfielder suggested that Mikel’s status at a major European club might have influenced his attitude towards the proposed meeting, insisting that players must respect the authority of the coach appointed to lead the national team.
“Maybe because he’ll say, ‘I play for this big club now,’ but you see, that’s why they say sometimes Sunday (Oliseh) is direct. Where did you play that I did not play? What did you play that I did not play?”
Oliseh, who enjoyed a distinguished playing career with Nigeria and several European clubs, said that a coach deserves respect regardless of his reputation as a former footballer or the stature of the players under his supervision.
“Even though the coach was not a footballer or not as big as you, the fact that they’ve given him that title ‘national team coach’ means you have to respect the position he’s holding.”
The former Super Eagles captain praised Moses for his willingness to engage in an open conversation during their London meeting.
He disclosed that the former Nigeria winger explained the concerns that were affecting his relationship with the national team, adding that some of the issues he raised were similar to those he experienced himself and that Moses honesty during the discussion earned his lasting respect.
“I still sat down, and Victor Moses had one of the best discussions with him. And the guy told me then and there what he felt was bothering him with the national team. And the funniest part of what the guy told me was things that I also experienced. So the man was really speaking the truth, and that’s why I respect Moses to the earth.”
