National Teams
Taiwo Oloyede advocates for Indigenous coaches for Super Eagles
By Saheed Afolabi
Former Nigerian international Taiwo Oloyede has called for indigenous coaches to be given the reins of the national teams, emphasizing the need for equal treatment compared to their foreign counterparts.
The Super Eagles are currently without a head coach following Finidi George’s resignation, reportedly due to the Nigeria Football Federation’s (NFF) plans to hire a foreign coach.
Oloyede expressed his preference for a home-based coach to lead the team, criticizing the NFF’s handling of coaching appointments and their interference in team management.
“I would still recommend home-based coaches. The foreign coaches are great, no doubt, but the home-based coaches should be given a fair chance too,” Oloyede told Sportsboom.
He highlighted the challenges faced by Nigerian coaches, particularly the lack of autonomy in managing the team.
“The bane of indigenous Nigerian coaches has been the lack of a free hand to take total control of the management of the team. The agents and selected NFF officials are the major culprits. They want their players in the national camp and will go to any lengths to make it happen, often using the national team camps as a platform to secure foreign deals abroad.”
Oloyede argued that the proper path to the national team should be through strong performances in the home league, not through manipulation and influence.
“But it shouldn’t be like that. The proper route is to market themselves from the home league first with strong performances at their clubs. Then they can dream about a call-up, not the other way around.”
Oloyede’s remarks come amid ongoing debates about the best approach to coaching and managing the Super Eagles, with many advocating for a more transparent and merit-based system.
