Segun Odegbami Advocates for Indigenous Coach to Lead Super Eagles: NFF Urged to Consider Local Talent.
In the wake of Jose Peseiro’s departure, former Nigerian footballer Segun Odegbami has urged the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to prioritize hiring a homegrown coach for the Super Eagles.
Odegbami emphasized this point during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos, underlining the need to break away from a colonial mindset that suggests only foreign coaches can lead to success.
Following Peseiro’s farewell message expressing gratitude for the opportunity to serve, speculation has arisen regarding potential successors. Names like Emmanuel Amuneke, Sunday Oliseh, and Augustine Eguavoen have been circulated in connection with the vacant Super Eagles coaching position.
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Expressing his perspective on the matter, Odegbami stated,
“Unless we want to be enslaved forever, in our colonial mentality where we think that only the white can coach us to success.
“All around us, we hear about some Nigerians who are excelling in all fields of endeavours and they are leaving the country to go and help other countries.
“Football is not a rocket science, but a simple game, we have lots of Nigerians who have all the qualifications to take us to any level.
“For me, I won’t suffer from colonial mentality again and enough of foreign coaches, now, it’s time for a Nigerian Coach to handle our national team.”
He continued, “Peseiro did not resign as the story is being peddled, his contract ended and it was not renewed, end of story.”
Clarifying Peseiro’s departure, Odegbami remarked, “Contrary to rumors, Peseiro’s exit wasn’t a resignation but rather the natural conclusion of his contract, which was not renewed.”
By considering indigenous coaching talent, the NFF has an opportunity to harness local expertise and nurture a sense of national pride within the Super Eagles setup. This shift could signify a new chapter in Nigerian football, one driven by homegrown leadership and a commitment to fostering local talent.
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