FORMER NIGERIAN INTERNATIONAL, SYLVANUS OKPALA WARNS SIASIA
Siasia
Former Nigerian International, Sylvanus Okpala, has advised Super Eagles' Coach, Samson Siasia, to go for the best backroom staff to compliment his effort and that of his first assistant, Dutchman Simon Kalika.
According to Okpala, only competent coaches like Siasia and Kalika could make the Eagles' technical crew formidable. World-class coaches at both club and national teams depend strongly on their assistants for guidance, and in most cases, they come out better for it. However, poor working relationship between the head coach and his assistants had seen many head coaches suffering the brunt.
In view of this, Okpala has called on the Technical Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to give Siasia the people who would be faithful to him to enable him succeed with the senior national team.
Okpala, a one-time handler of Rangers International of Enugu, said that Siasia would need an experienced Nigerian coach as an assistant if his hopes to change the face of Eagles for the better. 'Quick Silver', as his admirers fondly call him, noted that he was of the view that Siasia should go for the best assistant because he knew that the success or failure of any coach directly depend on the choice of his assistant. He, therefore, urged football administrators in the country and Siasia to look very well before they leap in choosing Eagles' assistant coaches.
'Siasia has proved himself at various levels as a coach. He proved his onion when he handled the national Under-20 and Under-23 teams. He is focused and is always desirous of getting results. That was why he got the support of Nigerians to coach the Super Eagles,' Okpala stated. 'But apart from the support he enjoys from Nigerians and the NFF, he needs experienced good hands to assist him; not people picked on sentiments, but people picked purely on merit.
'Apart from Kalika, he needs an experienced Nigerian coach to also assist him. Kalika has been loyal to Siasia, no doubt. He has also proved his mettle, but he is a foreigner. He can abandon the country any day. His loyalty is like that of a mercenary. So, Siasia needs Nigerian coaches whose total loyalty lies with Nigeria; I mean Nigerians who could look straight into his eyes and tell him where he is going wrong. Such coaches must also understand the psychology of Nigerians very well.'
He pointed out that Siasia should have Nigerian coaches by his side, who need to learn from him for the sake of the future of Nigerian football. 'Siasia does not know it all and he cannot do everything by himself alone in the national team. He needs coaches who can assist him to bring out the best in the players. But no matter the level of assistance, the coaches must be loyal to Siasia, because he is the head coach.'
Okpala, who was a member of the 1980 Green Eagles squad that won the Africa Nations Cup for Nigeria for the first time, suggested that whoever that should assist Siasia, must be open-minded and should be able to argue his position logically for things to work out fine in the national team, if not, such a fellow would be a liability to the head coach.
'Siasia does not need coaches that will only be following him and agreeing with whatever he says. He should not have 'o yes' assistants, who are only after their salaries and match bonuses. Rather, he needs people, who can contribute to the overall wellbeing of the national team.' Okpala, who was the first Nigerian to play professional football in Portugal, said that Nigerians were anxious to seeing a new Super Eagles in action and that mediocrity should not be played up this time around in the national team if Siasia must succeed.
'The task ahead of Siasia is huge and as such, he needs to work very hard to make a difference. He does not need to work with coaches who are looking for their daily bread. 'People who see the national team as rehabilitation centre for retired players should not be allowed to get close to Siasia. Should wrong hands be employed to work with the head coach, our football will simply remain in ruins,' the member of 1988 Seoul Olympic squad concluded.