National Teams
“They are under their feet in Nigeria” – Okpala wants Nigerian coach for Eagles
By Monsurah Olatunji
Former Nigeria assistant coach, Sylvanus Okpala, has urged the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to focus on homegrown solutions to the challenges facing the national team.
The Super Eagles have been without a permanent coach since Finidi George’s resignation in June.
Despite this, Okpala believed that there is still a chance for the nation to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, emphasising the importance of the Super Eagles securing qualification.
The former player criticised the NFF’s pursuit of foreign coaches, arguing that the country possesses the necessary coaching talent domestically.
“Nigeria are going to Mount Kilimanjaro looking for a coach. They are going to Mount Everest looking for the coach, but the coaches that will solve Nigerian football problem for now are under their feet here in Nigeria,” he told Punch.
“If they ask me today, I will select myself including four other coaches, and we will give Nigeria what they want here in Nigeria.
“We still have a chance to qualify for the World Cup. There’s no doubt about that one. Anybody that takes over and doesn’t qualify for the World Cup has failed because we need to go to the next World Cup and I tell you if we don’t go to the next World Cup, there will be a lot of crisis in Nigerian football.”
