Former Super Eagles captain and coach, Sunday Oliseh, has voiced strong opposition to the appointment of a foreign manager to lead Nigeria’s senior national football team, emphasizing the availability of competent Nigerian coaches for the role.
Speaking on Channels Sports on Sunday, Oliseh stated,
“I am totally against having that role not being handed over to a Nigerian because we have qualified Nigerians who can do that job.”
His comments come in response to the Nigeria Football Federation’s (NFF) recent decision to appoint Eric Chelle, a French-born former Mali international, as head coach of the Super Eagles.
Chelle replaced Augustine Eguavoen, who had been serving in an interim capacity. Since his appointment, Chelle has managed five matches, recording three wins and two draws.
Oliseh, who previously coached the Super Eagles and was known for his tactical discipline, further highlighted his track record in discovering talents like Wilfred Ndidi, Alex Iwobi, and Kelechi Iheanacho, whom he handed their first international call-ups.
He expressed concern about the current team structure, particularly the appointment of captains who are not regular starters:
“You can’t have your captain sitting on the bench. In other words, you are saying it is an assistant that is leading the team. Super Eagles’ role is the most important in Nigerian football.”
Speaking on the critical role of the defensive midfielder, Oliseh pointed out:
“Wilfred Ndidi has the quality to do it. But if you are going to play that role, you have to be disciplined; secondly, you have to have clear-cut instructions that are laid out.”
He stressed the need for tactical clarity and leadership on the field:
“If you are going to play that role as a central defensive midfielder, for me, it’s one of the most important roles in football. You are the umbrella of the defenders.”
What you should know
Sunday Oliseh’s critique adds fuel to the ongoing debate over the suitability of foreign versus local coaches for the Super Eagles.
A former midfield general and tactician himself, Oliseh believes Nigerian coaches possess the technical capacity and cultural insight needed to lead the team successfully—highlighting a long-standing issue of confidence and trust in local football expertise.
