Super Eagles captain, William Troost-Ekong, has voiced his support for the appointment of home-grown coaches for the senior national team, the Super Eagles job, Completesports.com reports.
Troost-Ekong spoke during a media parley at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, ahead of Friday’s Africa Cup of Nations Group D qualifier against the Mediterranean Knights of Libya in Uyo.
“Yeah, it’s a good development. No one can do it better for you than one of your own who knows the system,” stated the Al-Kholood Club of Saudi Arabia centre-back.
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“You see yourself working with your own brothers, even your children, and you are always more bonded together. It benefits the team, the country, and the players.
“The boss [Augustine Eguavoen] has passed through the ranks as a player, administrator, and, I think, for the fourth time now, has managed the team.
“With a backroom staff that includes the best coaches from the domestic league (Fidelis Ilechukwu and Daniel Ogunmodede), I think the team is good for it, the country is good for it, and the game here is also good for it.”
Eguavoen’s recent appointment as Super Eagles interim manager, following the resignation of Finidi George and the breakdown in negotiation talks with German coach Bruno Labbadia, marks his fourth spell in charge of the Super Eagles in various capacities. He is also the Head of the NFF Technical Department.
Also Read: Why I Struggle To Score, Assist In Super Eagles –Iwobi
Troost-Ekong, who has missed several Super Eagles engagements in recent times, says he feels good returning to the team once again.
“It feels good to be back with the senior national team. I’ve always been open to representing my country, and I’m happy to be with the team again,” he said.
Troost-Ekong is regarded as a strong leader both on and off the pitch.
By Sab Osuji in Uyo
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COMMENTS
NFF SHOULD EMPLOY A HIGHLY TECHNICAL FOREIGN COACH THAT KNOW ABOUT AFRICAN FOOTBALL & SUPER EAGLE PLAYERS.
THE REASON WHY SOME EX-PLAYERS AND SOME PRESENT SUPER EAGLE PLAYERS ARE IN SUPPORT OF INDIGENOUS COACH(especially Equaveon) IS BECAUSE THAT, IT WILL BE VERY EASY FOR THEM TO PENETRATE IN HIM, CONTROLLING HIM & DICTATING TO HIM WHEN IT COMES TO PLAYERS SELECTION, WHICH IT CANNOT BE POSSIBLE ON FOREIGN COACH. ALSO, IT WILL BE VERY EASY TO DO BUSINESS BY INTRODUCING PLAYERS TO INDIGENOUS COACH AFTER COLLECTING BRIBE FROM SUCH PLAYERS.
** NOTE: We should not be deceiving ourselves in this country because of the way things work for other countries (e.g. Democracy work well in America, S/Africa, Ghana but it doesn’t work well in Nigeria).
THE WAY THINGS WORK FOR COACH H. SHEHATA(EGYPT), COACH ALIOU CISSE(SENEGAL) BY WINNING AFCON FOR THEIR COUNTY (and also qualified for next AFCON easily) MAY NOT WORK IN NIGERIA DUE TO CORRUPTION, IMPROPER PLANNING, LACK OF STRUCTURES, BAD MANAGEMENT.
IN NIGERIA, WE ARE TOO RELIGIONISTIC, REGIONISTIC, TRIBALISTIC & SENTIMENTAL.
EVEN when Keshi won AFCON in 2013, he failed woefully to qualified for next AFCON due to bad management(Pinnick VS Giwa), sentiment, jealous, hatred towards some players (e.g. Yobo, I.K. uche, V.moses).
**** NFF SHOULD HAVE GO FOR THE BEST FOREIGN COACH.***
What matters most is to move our football forward & not celebrating FLUKE WINNING again. We struggle/manage to beat CIV by penalty in group stage. But E/guinea beat CIV 4-0 convincingly.
*** KESHI WON AFCON IN 2013, BUT WE CANNOT BOAST OF PLAYERS, THE TEAM FOR THE FUTURE (for instance: Sunday MBA, Uzoenyi, Oshaniwa, Agbim are nowhere to be found in future football). AND NIGERIA FAILED TO QUALIFIED FOR NEXT TWO CONSECUTIVE AFCON.
WHAT A SHAME!!!!
**** WESTERHOF WIN AFCON IN 1994, BUT NIGERIA CAN BOAST OF FUTURE FOOTBALL (for instance: Oliseh, Okocha, Amokachi, Amuneke shine for future football).
WHAT A BRIGHTER FUTURE!!!!!
### NFF SHOULD EMPLOY A GOOD DISCIPLINE, TACTICAL, HIGHLY RESPECTED COACH ###
GIVE US HERVE RENARD & SIASIA in August
Very true indeed. Look at Cyril Desser, Chuba Akpom and many others were overlooked for some unfit players because they didnot offer something to NFF and the coach
Every Nigerian wants Nigeria to thrive, excel and do well amongst the comity of nations, except our politicians.Troost Ekong is a thoroughbred and he loves this country more than some of us who have Nigeria as our sole nationality.However, from precedence, Local coaches have this penchant for inviting undeserving players to the national team.Eguavoen’s last call ups are a huge testament to this.Players like Awoniyi, Iheanoacho, Tanimu all getting call ups at the expense of regular performers at their clubs like Dessers, Akpom and Akpoguma.
I will love a Nigerian to be the Caoch of the national team but they should never be like our Politians who have enthroned mediocrity and nepotism above merit!