FORGET LOCAL COACHES IF KESHI FAILS - ONYE
One-time Rangers International FC of Enugu defender, Kingsley Onye, believes that no indigenous coach will succeed in Nigeria anymore if Stephen Keshi fails as Super Eagles' coach.
Speaking with Daily Sunsports from his base in London, the former Nigerian international remarked that after Samson Siasia, Keshi was the best indigenous coach Nigeria could boast of, stressing that there would be no need to employ another local coach if for any reason he failed to lead the senior national team to the Promised Land. 'It should be the end of the road for indigenous coaches if Keshi fails,' Onye began.
'We will have no choice than to go for a foreign coach. I see him (Keshi) and Siasia as Nigeria's best coaches and no other coach will make it if Keshi fails to succeed with the partnership of Sylvanus Okpala, who is one of the most intelligent and creative coaches I have ever met, and Daniel Amokachi, whose fighting spirit has rubbed off on the team.
'I pray and believe they will do well. Every other Nigerian ex-player or coach should equally support and pray for their success because there will be no point going for a local coach if the best we have cannot offer anything. There is no sentiment about it.' Onye opined that Nigeria must employ a foreign coach in the mould of Clemence Westerhof if the need be, even as he pointed out that he must get the support of the sports minister to succeed.
'We should not go for quack coaches anymore. The only time we had a quality coach was when Westerhof was there. We are rich enough to employ some of the best coaches in the world, but we just refused to do that. We also need tested football technocrats like Jim Nwobodo, who had gathered a lot of experience as chairman of Rangers before becoming the sports minister.
'I remember when the press was putting pressure on Westerhof to include Nduka Ugbade in the USA '94 squad in order for him to make history of playing at all FIFA-organised World Cups. Westerhof ignored the campaign and went ahead to pick Mike Emenalo, who was a more fantastic player than Ugbade. Westerhof was a no-nonsense coach. That was why he succeeded. Honestly, we need a coach like him again,' he said.