'NFF stopped me from Atlanta'96 because my dad was coach'

So many thoughts went through his mind when it dawned on him that he couldn’t continue.

Baldwin Bazuaye returned to the domestic league to play for Sunshine Stars after his two-year contract with  Libyan side  Al-Ahly ended in 2002.  He had hoped to make his return to the spotlight – the pacy left-winger was one of the domestic league’s celebrities when he donned the colours of JIB Rocks, Udoji United,  Bendel Insurance and  Shooting Stars at various times.

But after his first season at Sunshine Stars, Baldwin was forced to admit that age had caught up with  him and decided to hang up his boots. He was 35 when he retired from the game.

The China ’85  FIFA Under-17 World Cup winner thought of starting up a business – and he weighed several options. He also thought of becoming a football agent or a player’s manager.

However, the retired attacking midfielder  did not give any serious consideration to becoming a club coach.

His ailing  father – Willy Bazuaye – is one of the most decorated Nigerian coaches. Bazuaye senior made history as the first coach to win the WAFU Cup back-to-back (1983-1984) with New Nigeria Bank, Benin. He assisted Dutchman Bonfrere  Jo when the Under-23 national team won Africa’s first ever Olympic   gold in football – at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, United States.

Baldwin says he has always  looked  towards his father, who played as a right-winger for the Super Eagles and the police  team,  for inspiration to excel in his career.

Bazuaye senior, who won trophies with  the majority of the clubs he had  managed in the domestic league in the 80s and 90s, is currently struggling to recover from a stroke in his Benin home.

“It’s great to follow in the footsteps of my father,” Algiers ’90 Africa Cup of Nations silver medallist  Baldwin told our correspondent on the telephone during the week.

“I was told that he was a great (right) winger in his heyday. There’s no doubt that he’s a good coach. His coaching records are there.

“I never thought of becoming a coach during my playing career. In fact, I didn’t give it any serious consideration because of what my father went through in his career.

“In spite of his achievements for the country, he has not been properly recognised and I’m not happy about this.

“But I decided to get into coaching as I realised that my father was getting old, and I feared he would be completely forgotten after calling it quits with coaching.

“There are many great coaches and players who have been forgotten by the country and I didn’t want the name Bazuaye to be forgotten.

“Even though many Nigerians have forgotten my father since he  took ill, some  will remember the name once they read in the newspapers that his son is a coach.

“I’m happy I took the decision to take my coaching badges – I’m a trained coach.

“My target is to coach the senior national team  but I want to start from somewhere – maybe with one of the junior teams in the future.”

Baldwin, who won the 1994 CAF Confederation Cup with Bendel Insurance, says he’s proud of his achievements in the game, although he expressed his regret over the circumstances that led to his omission from the USA ’94 World Cup and the Atlanta ’96 Olympic Games squads.

But the 45-year-old says he has no regrets over the decision of  Dutchman Clemens Westerhof to drop  him from the squad for the 1992 Africa Cup of Nations in Senegal where the Eagles won bronze.

Baldwin’s decision to leave camp for a professional career with Greek outfit Ethnikos Piraeus a few weeks before Senegal ’92 angered  Westerhof who invited another player to take his place in the squad.

After the tournament, Westerhof decided to give Emmanuel Amuneke a chance to prove his worth.

With Friday Elaho out injured,  Victor Ikpeba unable to deliver a  convincing performance on a big stage  and Baldwin fallen out of favour with him,  Westerhof was forced to invite  Amuneke, who had been knocking on the door following his  consistent performances  at  Egyptian giants Zamalek, for the Tunisia ’94 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.  Amuneke had  helped  Zamalek, who signed him from Lagos outfit Julius Berger  following his great performance  in the 1991 All  Africa Games in Cairo, win  the 1993 CAF Champions League and there was a clamour for his invitation to the Eagles.

Amuneke justified his invitation  by  scoring  a goal against Sudan in one  of the tournament’s qualifiers.

He went ahead to score a brace in the final of Tunisia ’94 to help Nigeria win the title for the second time following their 2-1 defeat of Zambia.

Baldwin, who joined a Gabonese side after his contract with his Greek Club expired in 1993, finally got a chance  to force his way into the USA ’94 World Cup squad after Westerhof reconsidered his position on the attacker.

But he was dropped a few days before the Eagles departed for the World Cup.

Baldwin said, “I was not happy with my omission from the World Cup squad. I believe I deserved a place in the squad because I was in top form and one of the best in the country then. I proved myself in training and in friendly matches and I don’t know why I was excluded from the final squad.

“I don’t know if the coach took the decision because I was not playing in Europe. Westerhof didn’t explain to me why he dropped me.

“I didn’t ask him because it’s unprofessional. When you are a good player, you don’t ask your coach why he has refused to select you for a match or a tournament.

“I won’t accept that as a coach. I will no longer pick any player who asks me why he was not picked for a match or a competition.

“I accepted  my World Cup omission and returned to Gabon to resume club activities. The omission didn’t affect my career.

“I was  proud watching  my colleagues play in our first World Cup. I still see  myself as a part  of the World Cup team because the majority of the players were my teammates.”

When his father involved him in the Atlanta ’96 Olympic Games qualifiers Baldwin was excited. It was another chance to showcase his talents.

After distinguishing  himself in the early stages of the qualifiers,  the forward was sidelined after  the NFF secured the services of former Westerhof’s assistant in the Eagles Bonfrere Jo to boss his father – with two qualifying games to go.

With a squad bubbling over with some of the Tunisia ’94 Africa Cup of Nations winners,  Nigeria beat Kenya 3-0 in their return leg Olympic qualifer in Nairobi. Under Bazuaye, the Kenyans pulled off a shock 2-2 draw with Nigeria at the National Stadium in Lagos in the first leg.

Ikpeba scored the equalising    goal in Cairo to help Nigeria seal their Atlanta ’96 berth after playing out a 1-1 draw with Egypt.

The Olympic team’s plane took off to the United States for their camping  ahead of the Games with Baldwin, who had just won the WAFU Cup with Bendel Insurance,  nowhere near the  Lagos airport.  He watched the competition on television back home like many Nigerians.

He said, “Before Bonfrere came there was a campaign against my presence in the team. I was one of the three overage players in the squad (FIFA allows three overage players to play in the Olympic tournament).

“Some officials of the NFF said there was no way a father and son would make the Olympic squad.

“Sani Toro (the then Secretary-General of the NFF) intervened and explained that it didn’t matter provided I was good enough for the competition.

“But he was alone as those  against my exclusion from the squad were  in the majority.  I was sent away.

“It’s painful because I would have been a member of the victorious squad. The victory would have boosted my career.

“I’m glad I had the opportunity to play a role in my country’s qualification for the 1996  Olympics.

“However, I celebrated when we won the competition and I’m  happy for my colleagues for the achievement.”

Baldwin was sent packing as  coach of  Bendel Insurance before the kick-off of the season and the ex-international is not happy that the Edo State Government, who owns the club, has yet to pay him his  salary for 16 months.

“I expected them to pay me and my colleagues off but nothing has been done,” he said.

“When Sharks and Heartland decided to dispense with the services of their coaching staff, they paid them off.

“We are not against our removal but the right thing must be done. When coaches are sacked, they should be paid their entitlements.

“I’m happy that the state government is interested in the club again, but they must realise  that some people saved the team from relegation without being paid. We had to beg the players to play when there was no money.

“I pray for the team to gain promotion back to the Premier League. Despite not being part of the new set-up, I’m still in love with the team.

“I have refused to take any action that will make some people think I’m working against the interest of the team I love so much.

“They should know that we have families to cater for and they should make us better fathers.  My son is in the university and I’m finding it difficult  paying his school fees.

“We have parents, extended family members and younger ones looking up to us and we shouldn’t be treated like this. This is not the way ex-internationals are treated in other countries.

“I deserve some respect for my achievements for the country.”

On the summer’s World Cup in Brazil, Baldwin tipped the Eagles  to “go far” in the tournament.

He said, “I believe in my former Eagles teammate Stephen Keshi. He is a good coach and we must support him. I also believe in his assistants Daniel Amokachi and Ike Shorunmu. They were also my teammates. They are technically sound.”

He commended Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola for rendering financial  assistance to his ailing father.