BY MONICA IHEAKAM
EX– international, Jonathan Akpoborie has warned that it would be counter productive for the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to settle again for an indigenous coach for the Super Eagles.
Akpoborie who had 13 international caps for the Eagles , argued that there is a wide margin in the standard of local coaches when compared to a foreign manager, insisting that the quality of indigenous coaches falls below the standard of the foreign based players in the senior national team.
The former VfB of Stuttgart striker who has been clamouring, for the hiring of an expatriate tactician, warned that it would be a great disservice to the Super Eagles players if the NFF succumbs to the pressure of hiring a local coach as the substantive handler for the three -time African Champions.
“The difference between a local coach and a foreign one is enormous, it is just too big.
“Nigerians players ,even the coaches who played abroad understand what I am talking about because the level is different.
“You are bringing the players from Europe where the standard is high and you are forcing on them coaches that actually need to learn more to be able to handle them, It is very wrong”. Akpoborie insisted.
It would be recalled that the NFF through the technical and developmental committee assured that the committee will initiate a process for the selection of a substantive technical crew for the Eagles with a Head Coach.
Sunday Oliseh quit the post in February for Samson Siasia to take temporary charge of the Eagles for the AFCON 2017 qualifiers against Egypt in March.
Former Kano Pillars and Enyimba coach Salisu Yusuf will be in interim charge for two friendlies against Mali on May 27 and Luxembourg on June 1.