‘Eagles’
worst captain ever’
By BEN MEMULETIWON
Tuesday,
March 14,
2006
 |
•Okocha
Photo: Sun News Publishing |
| |
Former Super Eagles’ captain, Austin Jay Jay Okocha
may have called it quit with the Super Eagles, but two bigwigs
of the new Nigeria Football Association (NFA) Board have described
his tenure as Nigeria’s football captain as the worst
in about two decades.
The FA members (names withheld), who spoke with Daily Sunsport
in Aba, Abia State recently, said it was largely because of
Okocha’s poor leadership quality that Nigeria failed
to pick a ticket to feature in the summer World Cup in Germany.
"Okocha’s reign as Nigeria’s captain was
a disaster," the FA member from the South South Zone
said.
"He may be a good player, but he has to be humble to
be a good leader.
"Okocha did not show commitment to our World Cup dream.
Honestly, Sunday Oliseh, Uche Okechukwu and Stephen Keshi
would have done better under the circumstance Okocha played
his role as Nigeria’s captain."
The board member stressed that the new NFA would pay special
attention on who steps into Okocha’s shoes as Eagles’
captain, adding that there might as well be a code of conduct
for the Eagles.
"It’s going to be a new dawn in Nigeria’s
soccer," he said. "The NFA will not take it kindly
with any player or players who will try to hold the nation
to ransom. Players must learn to show commitment and must
take Nigeria first.
"That’s why I must commend Austin Eguavoen for
what he is doing with the Super Eagles. It’s now apparent
that Nigeria have a team of today and tomorrow, what the NFA
should do is to encourage the young man as he builds his team
for the 2008 Nations Cup in Ghana and 2010 World Cup in South
Africa."
Another top member of the NFA, who was also in the last board,
condemned the Bolton Wanderers’ playmaker, saying he
was one of the major reasons the NFA had to sack Coach Christian
Chukwu.
"What Okocha did in London when we were preparing for
the match against Rwanda was to say the least, a betrayal
and lack of commitment, especially from a national team captain,"
the man said. "In fact, Chukwu was sacked because of
the lukewarm manner he handled the issue as a coach. I called
him (Chukwu) into my room in Kigali and asked him what he
would do about the captain, who claimed he missed his way
in London, and the coach told me that Okocha would not captain
the Super Eagles in the next match, which was against Angola.
"I was shocked, because for me, that punishment was too
mild for the kind of offence the captain committed. But I
did not want to interfere in his affairs; after all he was
the chief coach. But when we got to Kano, Okocha did not only
captain the team, he was highly instrumental to the players’
selection for the match.
"That was one weakness Chukwu had. He’s not a man
of himself in team selection. He failed largely because he
was not in good terms with Eguavoen when it comes to team
selection. He relied heavily on using the old players. That’s
why Eguavoen is doing well now.
"After the Kano match, it was apparent that Chukwu had
lost touch with the team. And we had no choice than to ask
him to go. We had no regrets sacking him, we even delayed
his sack. If we had sacked him after the Kigali draw with
Rwanda, we would probably have qualified for the 2006 World
Cup.
"Let me also tell you that we won the match against Gabon
in Port Harcourt because of Eguavoen’s input at the
11th hour. Chukwu did not consult with him when he made his
selection, and when it was just about 15 minutes to the end
of the match and there was no goal, he went to Eguavoen and
asked him what to do. But Eguavoen snubbed him. He did that
twice before I met Eguavoen and told him to do something to
salvage the situation. That was when he said that Kanu should
go in for Obafemi and play from the right wing.
"Kanu moved in and Nigeria scored two late goals. That
was the day we would have sacked Chukwu, but we had to show
restrain.
"What Eguavoen is doing now is to express himself and
confirm that he can do the job."
The bigwig also told Daily Sunsport that the FA had to stop
the former coach from coming to Abuja from Enugu boarding
night buses.
"We had to stop Chukwu from boarding night buses to Abuja,"
he said. "I personally told him that such action was
a national embarrassment. Not after receiving N800,000 every
month. I was visibly angry with him, warning him that in case
anything happens on the road, how would he want the FA to
explain it. That was why he stopped joining night buses to
Abuja," he said.
|
