Odobeatu applauds NFF on retaining Amodu
By MADUABUCHI KALU
Sunday, November 29, 2009

•Shaibu Amod Photo: Sun News Publishing

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The recent statement from the Glasshouse to retain Coach Shaibu Amodu as Super Eagles’ handler, has laid to rest the raging controversy on whether the coach should be sacked or be allowed to take the national team to both the Nations Cup in Angola and World Cup in South Africa next year despite the alleged unimpressive performance by the team during the qualifiers.

In agreement with the development, a sports enthusiast and entertainment guru, Mr Anayo Joseph Odobeatu, has come out to give the football house his backing, saying that their decision not to sack Amodu is a welcomed development.

He said the decision should be applauded since Amodu delivered on the mandate given to him by the Glasshouse and as well, considering the fact that he was sacked the previous time ahead of Korea/Japan 2002 World Cup, when he first qualified the nation for the World Cup. He prayed for an omen of another sack not to befall on the coach again.

While fielding questions from Sunday Sunsport during the week, Odobeatu said sacking Amodu after he has qualified the country for the World Cup would definitely demoralise our local coaches in taking national assignments since they would believe that no matter who hard they work for Nigeria, they might not be considered worthy for the best.

He, however, suggested that a good technical adviser should be employed to assist Amodu and his men to realise the country’s dream at the World Cup in South Africa next year.
"I want to express my gratitude to the NFF for their decision not to sack Coach Shaibu Amodu despite the clamour by many Nigerians to substitute him with a foreign coach . Their decision is a wise one," Odobeatu began. "If they had thought otherwise, I would have been disappointed, but they did the right thing.
"Amodu has really done well no matter what people may think. The bottom line is that we have qualified for the first World Cup in Africa. Now, we do not have enough time to start experimenting with a new coach because both the Nations Cup and the World Cup are at hand.

"Again, sacking Amodu would be a demoralising factor for our local coaches. They will believe that no matter what they do, they may not be allowed to take Nigeria to the World Cup at any time. Amodu already knows the boys and he knows the best way to handle them.

"However, the national team still need a foreign technical adviser, who ought to join hands with Amodu to build a formidable team for the country. Eagles need a foreigner in the mould of Russia’s coach, Guss Hiddink, to prepare well for the World Cup. Only a year contract to such a renowned coach would be of great benefit to Nigerian football. So, if you ask me, I believe that Hiddink should be contracted to partner with Amodu.

"If we want to make an appreciable impact at the World Cup in South Africa, we must prepare very well. And we need a sound technical adviser to get there. NFF should not be looking at the financial implications when thinking of going for a coach like Hiddink, but the result that we stand to gain by employing such a tactician. And I think the man would be approachable particularly now that Russia did not qualify for the 2010 World Cup. I count it lucky if we should go for Hiddink, who I think should be idle in the summer. With him, I believe we can surprise the World in South Africa."

The first vice president of Nigerian Swimming Federation (NSF) further advised that greater percentage of the current Super Eagles’ players should be shown the exit door to allow fresh legs to come into the team. He said that sentiment should not play any role in selecting players for the national team now that we are going for both the Nations Cup and the World Cup.
"We have young and talented players, who have motivation to excel. They should be injected into the national team. Many of them want to go to the World Cup. So, I suggest that the camp should be thrown open for players to really compete for shirts; that way, we can get the best legs out of the legion of players we have.

"No player should be allowed to see himself as a superstar. Sentiments should have no place in the selection of the national team players. The criteria should be based on current form of the player in question, his skill, youthfulness and the desire to hard work and excel.

"Some players may believe that because they played in the qualifiers, they therefore deserve automatic shirts in the Nations Cup and World Cup squads. No, it shouldn’t work like that. The point is that any player who really wants to go to the World Cup, should show how serious he is. Our team should look like that of Ghana and Ivory Coast, where you have serious-minded players. Little wonder both countries qualified for the World Cup with some matches to go.

"We have to get the best of our players into the national team, so that we will be able to make the desired impact at next year’s events. We are not just going to South Africa to make up the number, rather, we should go there and make impact. It is not out of place if we win the world trophy. It all depends on what you want and how you plan to achieve it," the chairman of O’Jez Entertainment concluded.

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