Don’t distract Oliseh, Akanni warns NFF

Former Nigeria international, Waidi Akanni is worried over the dimension the employment of the new Super Eagles coach, Sunday Oliseh has taken even as he is yet to lead the team to their first match under him.

OLISEH

Akanni’s worry bothers on the terms of reference handed Oliseh by the NFF.

According to head of the NFF Technical Committee, Chief Felix Anyansi Agwu, “Oliseh is expected to come up with a five–year developmental plan to fashion a unique playing and coaching philosophy for all the National Teams, and will for this purpose, interface regularly with coaches of those teams.According to the NFF, Oliseh will, in addition to handling the national team, be involved in the developmental aspect of football in the country.

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Anyansi-Agwu added, “we are also looking at how he will periodically organize clinics and seminars for coaches of Clubs in the Nigeria Professional Football League, probably once in a month, so as to strengthen the playing philosophy across board. A robust youth development programme, elite player development strategy and performance programmes to drive higher standards, among other core sustainable development programmes, are also part of the proposal.”

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But Akanni faulted this and insisted that Oliseh’s contract was a clear overlapping of functions with those of the technical director’s. “I consider this too much for him. Oliseh should be left to handle the national team and not be bothered with what the NFF is trying to heap on his shoulders. That will be too much for him and counterproductive.

“Let him handle the national team. If he fails, then we can hold him responsible; not to overload him with training of coaches and seminars. Leave that for the technical director, in this case, Shaibu Amodu.”

But the NFF has cleared the air on this, insisting that the schedules of the technical director and that of the Super Eagles coach would not clash as they have taken time to spell out every detail to the officials concerned.

“I want to assure you that we would not allow friction between Amodu and Oliseh,” Ayansi Agwu said.