By Olisemeka Obeche
Sunday Ogochukwu Oliseh, ex-international has been unveiled as the new Super Eagles’ chief coach by the Nigeria Football Federal (NFF). NFF President, Amaju Pinnick during the presentation ceremony at the media centre of the National Stadium, Abuja, compared Oliseh to Bayern Munich gaffer, Pep Guardiola.
“We’re excited to get Oliseh…We’ve signed the Pep Guardiola of Africa,” Pinnick declared, while pledging full support of the football authority to the new technical crew of the Super Eagles.
Oliseh who signed the three years contract before journalists also pledged that “he is ready 150 per cent to serve his fatherland and give his best to uplift the team.”
“We have the talent to change our fortunes, to regain the respect we once had and match that with results. We have the potential to be the best in the world,” the former Super Eagles skipper said.
The former Ajax, Borussia Dortmund and Juventus midfielder also fired a warning shot to Nigerian players, insisting that only players featuring in top clubs would be given the call up to the national team. “If you are not playing first division football in Nigeria or anywhere in the world you can’t play for us,” he said.
Doubts had trailed the planned unveiling ceremony following reports that the National Sports Commission (NSC) earlier queried the procedure employed by the NFF in hiring Oliseh and his Belgian assistant last weekend. The NSC, it was rumoured, claimed the NFF did not follow the Procurement Act.
But the Nigeria Football Federation in a swift move pacified the Director General of the National Sports Commission, Al Hassan Yakmut and solicited support for the unveiling of the ex-international as the new coach of the Super Eagles.
Oliseh is expected to take over the Super Eagles’ preparations for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier away fixture against Tanzania in the first week of September, as well as an international friendly some days later from the interim coaching crew led by Shuaibu Amodu.
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