Former Super Eagles coach, Sunday Oliseh, is prepared to meet the Nigeria Football Federation in court over what they termed breach of contract.
The Football house is reportedly threatening to sue Oliseh for quitting his post as coach without prior notice, but the 42 year old gaffer is optimistic the court will vindicate him on the false allegations levelled against him.
“They said I was paid for three months (December 2015, January 2016 and February 2016) and half-year rent for July-December 2015. But we will see who is telling lies,” Oliseh said.
“Since they are prepared to expose themselves, I will help them further. My lawyers are studying the reports, and when we meet, we shall know who breached our contractual agreements.”
Oliseh further claims his eight months on the job was a lesson for him, that only a wholistic change is needed in Nigerian football void of favouritism and nepotism.
“My time there was a big lesson and unless a wholistic change is made in the administrative level, it will be difficult.”
NIGERIAN football followers woke up yesterday to the news that Super Eagles Chief Coach, Sunday Oliseh, has quit his job.
Sunday Oliseh, new super eagles coach
The Eagles’ Manager, who recently had a run in with his employers, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), following his ‘unsavoury’ comments in his twitter account, quit his job through the same medium in the early hours of yesterday.
The former Super Eagles’ captain, who took over from Stephen Keshi eight months ago, hinged his decision to quit the job on “contract violations, lack of support, unpaid wages, benefits to my players, assistant coaches and myself.”
He wrote: “I feel fortunate, blessed and eternally grateful for having had the honour to play, captain and coach this great nation of ours, Nigeria.”
Before the sudden turn of events, Oliseh had declined to meet with the NFF Technical Committee on Thursday in Abuja as scheduled, saying he wanted to use the time to travel to England to meet some of the players that would likely feature for Nigeria against Egypt in the 2017 AFCON’s qualifiers in March.
According to sources at the NFF, Oliseh was paid his salary arrears and other entitlements of N20 million a few hours before he resigned.
Speaking on the development, a member of the NFF technical committee, Paul Bassey, said Oliseh decided to run away because he knew he would not be able to beat Egypt in the forthcoming African Nations Cup qualifiers next month.
“This is my personal view. As a young man, Oliseh must have seen the handwriting on the wall. There is no way he would have won the two games against Egypt because the build up is very poor.
“It is like he saw failure and so decided to take a walk instead of waiting for Nigerians to call for his head. As I said, it is my personal view.”
Also reacting to the situation, former Super Eagles’ Manager, Adegboye Onigbinde, described the development as very unfortunate.
“Sunday Oliseh’s resignation is very unfortunate. I hope the NFF will do something about it as quickly as possible,” he said.
Onigbinde called on the NFF to engage a consortium of coaches in the interim to prepare the team for next month’s matches against Egypt.
He said: “I was really shocked with the news of Oliseh’s resignation but not totally shocked because of the unfortunate trends between the employee and employer in recent weeks may be we were merely waiting for the accident to happen.
“The contents of his resignation letter are between him and the NFF though the nation’s fate and core interest are at stake.
“It is unfortunate we waited helplessly to see it happened as the hand writing has been clearly on the wall.
“Before Oliseh was employed I expressed my deep reservation though I was called names because of his antecedent.
“We should not waste further time ruing the rights and wrongs of his resignation but move fast to cover the vacuum because of the fast approaching AFCON double header against Egypt in Nigeria and Cairo.
“What I’m suggesting is to build a consortium of coaches around a tested and experienced coach who will command the respect of the players as well as the assisting coaches. I am totally against the recruitment of a foreign coach for the job, which I know some people will want to do.”
Also shocked by Oliseh’s decision to quit his job, Super Eagles’ former midfielder, Sani Kaita, said the development at this time when the country should be preparing for the AFCON qualifiers against Egypt on March 25 and 29 does not augur well for Nigeria.
“We have just a few weeks to the games against Egypt and having a new coach will make it difficult for the team,” he said.
However, Kaita advised the NFF to draft in Shuaibu Amodu to take charge of the Super Eagles, saying the federation’s current technical director has the “experience” to salvage the situation.
“Honestly they should bring in Shuaibu Amodu to lead the team because he has the experience and I am sure he will link up well with the players,” he said.
There were insinuations in some quarters yesterday that Oliseh may have throw in the towel to save his life.
After contracting a virus in one of his official assignments, Oliseh was said to have alleged that some people within ‘the system’ were using occult means to manipulate his life.
At a point, the outspoken coach was said to have confronted his staff and warned them that there were many witches and wizards who were trying to undermine the success of the Eagles.
“He warned those fond of putting their hands in their pockets before shaking him to desist or keep their handshakes as he feared they touch objects concealed in their pockets before offering to shake him”, a source said.
Also, the coach alleged that many of the people surrounding him do not believe in the success of the team as he claimed that they don’t rejoice when the Eagles score goals. “He is always scared in camp and suspicious of even members of his back room staff,” the source said.
The Nigeria Football Federation has responded to the sudden resignation of Super Eagles coach, Sunday Oliseh, describing the development as ‘good riddance to bad rubbish’.
Sunday Oliseh, new super eagles coach
The spokesperson for the Federation, Ademola Olajire, said with Oliseh’s departure, the country would have to immediately empanel a new set of technical leadership for the national team.
“Oliseh is gone and we have to move forward,” Olajire said in an interview in Abuja with the Nigeria Television Authority. “As far as we are concerned, it is good riddance to bad rubbish. He is not the kind of person we though he was.
“He went on YouTube to abuse Nigerians. The Minister pleaded with the federation to allow him to remain in place for our next two matches. As you can see, he did not even wait for those matches.”
Olajire said the NFF only heard of the resignation in the media as the coach was yet to send in any letter to that effect.
The NFF spokesperson said he was in touch with the President of the NFF, Amaju Pinnick, and other top officials of the Federation, who are currently in Zurich for FIFA special congress.
“I cannot tell you what exactly they will do, but I can tell you that we will empanel a new set of technical hands for the team. And whatever Oliseh has mishandled in his few months in charge, they will have to right.”
Olajire faulted Oliseh’s claim that the NFF violated the terms of his contract, challenging the coach to publish details of those aspects of his contract that were breached.
Coach Oliseh resigned on Friday, just over seven months after he was appointed.
Oliseh, who announced his resignation on Twitter, said he took the decision due to the inability of the NFF to honour the terms of his contract.
“Due to contract violations, lack of support, unpaid wages, benefits to my players, assistant coaches and myself, I resign as Super Eagles Chief Coach,” he tweeted.
In a preceding tweet before announcing his resignation, Oliseh thanked Nigerians for the opportunity to serve as coach of the national team
“I feel fortunate, blessed and eternally grateful for having the honour to play, captain and coach this great nation of ours, Nigeria.”
Oliseh, whose appointment was made with much fanfare by the NFF, soon started having problems with the executives of the federation over remuneration, match tactics and results.
His complaint about being owed was not well received by the NFF, which rather threatened to sanction him.
He also had challenges managing the players. An altercation between the coach and the team’s former captain and the country’s most capped goalkeeper, Vincent Enyeama, led to the goalie’s premature resignation from the team last October.
Apparently, the last straw for Oliseh was the woeful outing of the Super Eagles at the CHAN competition in Rwanda, where the team was eliminated in the first round.
Following widespread criticisms that greeted the team’s elimination, a Youtube video soon surfaced in which Oliseh lambasted his critics, referring to them as “insane”.
On Thursday, the NFF directed Oliseh to henceforth report to former coach and the federation’s technical director, Amodu Shuaibu.
Super Eagles coach, Sunday Oliseh has revealed he is financially handicapped in his preparations for the crucial Africa Cup of Nations qualification tie against Egypt on March 25 in Kaduna.
Oliseh, disclosed on a Brila FM sports programe that his team list is being delayed because it is hard for him to move around Europe to meet the players he intends to invite for the tie.
He said: “I am struggling financially, waiting for approvals to move around Europe, so it has been quiet. It has to do with transport, accommodation and other expenses while moving out. “I need to spend 15, 20 minutes on the phone to speak to each player before he is invited,” said the under-fire coach.
He disclosed that he intends to open camp in mid March with players from the local league ahead of the must win encounter with the Pharaohs of Egypt.
Oliseh said seven or eight players from the African Championship team will be in the Super Eagles that will face the Egyptians who are playing Burkina Faso in a friendly to boost their preparations.
As the zero hour approaches for the must win double header AFCON qualifier against the Pharaohs of Egypt on March 23, Sports Vanguard can reveal the real reasons why coach Sunday Oliseh may continue to tinker the Eagles from his base in Belgium.
Sunday Oliseh, new super eagles coach
After contracting a virus in one of his official assignments, camp sources informed that the former Juventus player has alleged occultic manipulations by his enemies on his life and has vowed to flee far from the country to where they could not fly to attack him.
“He is always scared in camp and suspicious of even members of his back room staff”, a close source to the team informed.
The source said that the outspoken coach allegedly confronted his staff and warned them that there were many witches and wizards who were trying to undermine the success of the Eagles.
“He warned those fond of putting their hands in their pockets before shaking him to desist or keep their handshakes as he feared they touch objects concealed in their pockets before offering to shake him”, the source said. Also, the coach alleged that many of the people surrounding him do not believe in the success of the team as he claimed that they don’t rejoice when the Eagles score goals.
Beyond the trivial accusations of witches and wizards, Sports Vanguard also gathered that the coach had written to the federation to pay his outstanding N10 million accommodation fee as agreed in his contract(N5 million for 2015 and another N5 million for 2016) if they want him to reside in Nigeria as he said he would not stay in the hotels when the Super Eagles are not in camp.
Super Eagles coach Sunday Oliseh has declared that he won’t quit his position despite speculations that the coach was on his way out of the team.
Sunday Oliseh, new super eagles coach
Oliseh, who spoke online with The PUNCH on Monday, denied that he had indicated to the Nigeria Football Federation his desire to move on.
“I am not quitting,” Oliseh said.
The coach and his players of the home-based Eagles have come under criticism after failing to qualify from the group stages of the 2016 African Nations Championship in Rwanda. The former Eagles captain has stoutly defended their performance in the East African country as he insists that a lot of off-field issues affected them.
Some European coaches have already been linked with the Eagles’ job, which Oliseh has yet to declare vacant. An associate of the Eagles coach, who later spoke with our correspondent on Monday said even though Oliseh would remain on his post, a lot of things have to be discussed and changed for the Eagles to make any meaningful impact in the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
He said, “A lot of things have to change and these are what will be ironed out before another competition starts. The money crisis was a huge one. The players were doing well at the start but their attitude and form dipped when it became very evident that they would not get their cash until after the tournament.
“But if the NFF didn’t have the cash, they could have supported the team in many other ways. They were left alone in a very small two-star hotel in Rwanda. Most of the times the players could not eat what was served by the hotel and Oliseh had to supplement with cash to enable the players eat outside. The coach also assisted many who could not really get quality boot and this was a drain to his pocket.
“In the Abuja camp, there was little or no visit from the NFF team. When you owe players, you should stay close enough to make them believe that they will truly get their money later.”
Last week Oliseh told The PUNCH that the players based abroad were continuously calling him to be sure of the finances of the team. Our correspondent confirmed that the players have not been paid their allowances for the match they played against Swaziland in November. There’s fear that they may become reluctant to show for the March qualifier against Egypt.
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on Saturday in Abuja said Head Coach Sunday Oliseh has named the Super Eagles B squad for the 2016 African Nations Championship (CHAN) in Rwanda.
Sunday Oliseh, new super eagles coach
The Federation, in a statement by its Assistant Director (Communications), Ademola Olajire, said the coach released the team’s final list of 23 players for the championship.
It said the list has goalkeeper Ikechukwu Ezenwa, defenders Austin Oboroakpo and Chima Akas, 2016 Olympic team midfielders Usman Mohammed and Yaro Bature, and forward Chisom Chikatara, among others.
“The list also has Enyimba International FC’s winger Ezekiel Bassey, former junior international Ifeanyi Mathew and Sunshine Stars’ trio of Paul Onobi, Prince Aggrey and Tunde Adeniji.
“Former junior international goalkeeper Femi Thomas, Shooting Stars’ central defender Jamiu Alimi and former Supersand Eagles’ ace Bartholomew Ibenegbu have also been included,’’ the statement said.
It further said the Eagles B team, alongside technical and backroom staff, left the country on Saturday afternoon for Cape Town in South Africa.
“There, the squad will stage a 10-day pre-Championship training camp, and play two friendly games against Angola and Cote d’Ivoire, who are also CHAN-bound on Jan. 6 and Jan. 11 respectively,’’ the statement said.
The Federation said further in the statement that coach Oliseh had arrived in South Africa ahead of the delegation.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Nigeria’s Super Eagles B had finished third at the third edition of the African Nations Championship held in South Africa in 2014.
The Eagles will campaign in Group C of this year’s championship alongside 2011 winners Tunisia, Niger Republic and Guinea, with matches to be played at the Stade Regional Nyamirambo, Kigali.
The championship holds from Jan. 16 to Feb. 7.
The Full List:
Goalkeepers: Ikechukwu Ezenwa (Sunshine Stars); Olufemi Thomas (Enyimba International FC); Okiemute Odah (Warri Wolves)
Super Eagles Head Coach, Sunday Oliseh says nobody is irreplaceable as long as he remains the team’s handler.
Oliseh, who was reacting to the exit of Emmanuel Emenike from the team on Tuesday in Abuja, noted that only Nigeria was irreplaceable.
Sunday Oliseh, new super eagles coach
“Emenike served Nigeria well and I think he gave it a lot of thought before he decided to retire; we wish him all the best, but nobody is irreplaceable, only Nigeria is irreplaceable.“I think Nigeria produced great players Africa has ever seen, but they retired and Nigeria did not die, however, we should thank him (Emenike) for what he did for Nigeria,’’ Oliseh said.
He said that in spite of his health challenges, the Super Eagles 2018 World Cup qualifying match against Swaziland scheduled to take place in Lobamba, Swaziland on Nov. 13 was his major focus at present.Oliseh, who described the Swaziland encounter as `very crucial,’ said that his ambition was to see the country play at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
“I want to get my country to the pool stage and eventually to the World Cup and that is what our ambition is.“We always have the reason to entertain fear against any opponent, because if we don’t respect them, we will be kicked out and this is a World Cup qualifier.
“Swaziland is a difficult team; the team shocked Guinea and it is not going to be easy playing them, especially on an artificial turf in their home. “So, we know what is waiting for us because we have had our wake-up call with Tanzania; the boys are in good spirit, so, I am optimistic,’’ he said.
Oliseh said that some of his players were yet to arrive the team’s camp due to flight problem caused by the strike by the crew of Lufthansa airline. He, however, assured that the football house had made alternative arrangements to enable the players join their colleagues in good time for the match.
The former Super Eagles captain, who assured that everybody would be given an opportunity to play, said that where each player plied his trade would not matter to him, so long as he got the needed results. “Everybody has a chance of playing; we didn’t invite anybody here for holiday.
“As far as I am concerned, where one play doesn’t matter; if a home player proves to be better in form, he will start the game,’’ he said. The 20 players trained under the watchful eyes of the Super Eagles coaching crew led by Oliseh. Striker Obafemi Martins, midfielder Ogenyi Onazi and Portugal-based defender, Abdullahi Shehu, are yet to join the team following flight problem.
The team which is expected to depart Abuja for Swaziland on a chartered Arik airline would fly direct to Port Harcourt after the encounter for the return-leg match scheduled for Nov. 17.
Lille goalkeeper, Vincent Enyeama, has quit international football after a meeting with top official of the Nigeria Football Federation in Belgium Thursday.
Super Eagles goalkeeper, Vincent Enyeama | credits: liveofofo.com
Enyeama’s decision did not come as a surprise after a major falling out with Super Eagles coach, Sunday Oliseh, on Tuesday night following the announcement of Ahmed Musa as new captain, africanFootball.com reports.
Earlier, on Thursday, the ex- Enyimba shot stopper, who has been Eagles’ skipper since Joseph Yobo quit international football last year, vowed “not to walk out on Nigeria.”
But he later said on Instagram: “I have fought a good fight for more than 13 years. I have finished my course. I have kept the faith and sang the anthem with passion.
“Henceforth, there is laid for me a crown which only GOD can reward me for my 13 years of national service.
Lille goalkeeper, Vincent Enyeama, has quit international football after a meeting with top official of the Nigeria Football Federation in Belgium Thursday.
Enyeama’s decision did not come as a surprise after a major falling out with Super Eagles coach, Sunday Oliseh, on Tuesday night following the announcement of Ahmed Musa as new captain, africanFootball.com reports.
Earlier, on Thursday, the ex- Enyimba shot stopper, who has been Eagles’ skipper since Joseph Yobo quit international football last year, vowed “not to walk out on Nigeria.”
But he later said on Instagram: “I have fought a good fight for more than 13 years. I have finished my course. I have kept the faith and sang the anthem with passion.
“Henceforth, there is laid for me a crown which only GOD can reward me for my 13 years of national service.
The dramatis personae in what has become known as the show of shame of Belgium have been speaking on their actions even as they put aside their differences to confront Congo in a friendly match today in Belgium.
Sunday Oliseh, new super eagles coach
Gaffer Sunday Oliseh who described the altercation as a normal disagreement in a family, however, has explained his actions of stripping first choice goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama of the Eagles captain’s band and handing it over to CSKA Moscow forward Ahmed Musa.
Speaking on Brila radio, Oliseh said that the storm was over but insisted that Musa, the man who takes over as captain of Eagles have all the qualities of a good captain.
‘’I want a captain who is disciplined. A leader who can motivate other players. A player who comes to camp early. I want a young player not a retiring player as captain. And Ahmed Musa is that player. He is my captain’’, Oliseh said.
When you have a new government like our honourable president just came in, he’s picked his ministers. And you have your philosophy and you have your way of working.
“As a coach I have looked at the team and I have looked at Nigeria going forward. We need a captain who will think of staying with Nigeria for several years to come, who is regularly in the front. And Ahmed Musa did a great job for us in Tanzania under very difficult circumstance. He is a very responsible player and he is the captain of the team. So he is the captain of the team, there is no question of a tussle.
“The fact that I would like to have somebody (as captain) who is thinking of playing now and not somebody who is preparing for retirement or thinking of life after-football. And I think it’s time we had peace and quiet around the Super Eagles. That is why I am glad that most of the players here are finding ways to work as a team because I get the feeling now that they are aware that they are representing 170 million people’’, Oliseh said on Brila. He explained that the camp was in good mood ahead of today’s match. ‘’The players have shown their desire and we are working on stringing them together. It is unfortunate that the home-based players are yet to be given visas but we are hopeful that they will be here for the second match against Cameroon on Sunday’’
Coach Sunday Oliseh will be having his first taste of competitive football action this afternoon, when he leads the Super Eagles to battle Tanzania in a 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Dar es Salaam National Stadium.
Sunday Oliseh, new super eagles coach
The former Eagles captain will be attempting to hit the ground running against the Tafia Stars and possibly upstage Egypt at the top of the group as both sides currently have three points, with the record African champions ahead on goals difference. They play Chad this weekend.
For Oliseh, who has 17 foreign based players ad six home-based available for the must-win match, it is his first big test as a coach, having had prior stints working with third division Belgian side Royal Cercle Sportif Verviétois between 2008 and 2009 and working as the sports director at Königliche Allgemeine Sportvereinigung Eupen, a Belgian second division side.
Despite holding a UEFA Pro Licence, these were Oliseh’s greatest achievements as a coach and the true worth of his coaching acumen would be proven today when he side confront a relatively weak Tafia Stars.
Oliseh comes across as a sound technical person when analysing football on television and working as a member of the FIFA Technical Study Group during tournaments but Nigerians will have a bird’s eye view of the former Julius Berger midfielder, who has his work cut out for him as tries to justify the confidence that the Amaju Pinnick-led NFF Executive reposed on him when they named him Eagles coach after Stephen Keshi’s sack.
And the NFF will be hoping things work in their favour today as they seek to return the country to the continental fiesta after the failure of the previous board led by Aminu Maigari to qualify the country for the 2015 edition in Equatorial Guinea.
The game is also going to be the first cap of most of the players selected by Coach Oliseh after he left out some of the known players like Mikel Obi and Victor Moses from his list.
The coast seems a little bit hazy for the Eagles with the late withdrawal of team captain and first choice goalkeeper, Vincent Enyeama who within the week informed the football authorities of his desire to be excused from the encounter.
But one curious issue with the Enyeama withdrawal is the seeming lack of cordial relationship between him and he coach. This is because our investigation revealed that the Lille of France keeper was said to have called and informed his assistant captain, Ahmed Musa of his desire to stay away from Tanzania following the death of his mother.
But on his on the other hand, Oliaseh had told journalists in Abuja last Wednesday that he did not know why his captain withdrew from the important fixture.
“Enyeama asked to be withdrawn from this game and it has put me in a very tight situation because I must confess that the task ahead of us is a very difficult one and I didn’t need this extra burden. We’re practically starting this team from the scratch, it’s not very pleasant but that’s life,” Oliseh had lamented.
The absence of Enyeama will surely leave Oliseh with no better choice but to field related unknown Wolverhampton of England goalkeeper, Carl Ikeme who incidentally is coming to the national team for the very first time.
Apart from Enyeama, another high profile withdrawal is Italy based midfielder, Joel Obi who according to Oliseh is out due to an injury.
Many analysts have expressed reservations concerning the players invited for the match; apart from the fact that some notable players like the duo of Chelsea of England players, Mikel Obi and Victor Moses were left out, Oliseh also ignored inform Watford of England striker, Odion Ighalo for some near spent forces who are even finding it difficult to hold down a starting shirt even in some lesser leagues.
Importantly, judging from the training of the team as monitored in Abuja, it is very obvious that most of the players invited were a little bit heavy and flat footed a development most analysts say may not augur well for the team.
But according to Oliseh, the team is still in the building process even as he must realize that while we are building Nigeria must keep an eye on Egypt, who after missing out from the last two editions of AFCON are doing every possible to snatch the group’s ticket for the fiesta.
Tanzania from all indications are taking the game seriously hence they sent their team on a training tour of Turkey to prepare for the Nigerians.
All their star players including Elias Maguli and Thomas Ulimwengu will be in action.
Eagles must therefore endeavour to win the match if they must keep a tab on the Egyptians who are topping the group G after defeating Tanzania 3-0 in Cairo.
