HOME > NEWS > LE ROY TOPS NIGERIAS WISH LIST

Le Roy tops Nigeria's wish-list

Le Roy tops Nigeria's wish-list

Posted: 2009-11-30 18:36

Former Ghana and Cameroon coach, Claude Le Roy, is top of a list of foreign coaches being considered to lead World Cup-bound Nigeria, Goal.com has gathered.

A top official revealed to Goal.com, "Claude Le Roy perfectly fits the bill of what Nigeria needs for the World Cup and beyond.

"He understands the mentality of the African player, he's affordable and will be ready to work in Nigeria, unlike Berti Vogts, who preferred to stay back in Germany."

The Frenchman, who is currently in charge of Oman, has worked for a total of 10 years in Africa as coach of Cameroon, Senegal, DR Congo and most recently, Ghana.

He enjoyed his most successful stint on the continent when he guided the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon to win the 1988 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, ironically at the expense of Nigeria. That was two years after he had come a match short with the same team at the tournament hosted and won by Egypt.

He was also in charge of the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon at the 1998 World Cup in France.

Earlier this year, he led Oman to win the 19th Gulf Cup of Nations in Muscat.

Last week, the Nigeria football Federation (NFF) unanimously endorsed local man Shuaibu Amodu to lead the Super Eagles to next year's nations Cup in Angola and thereafter the World Cup in South Africa.

However, top government officials have disclosed that the presidency desires a foreign coach to lead the country in next year's World Cup.

Several top European coaches including Dutchmen Guus Hiddink and Ruud Gullit as well as Giovanni Trapattoni have already been speculated as being among the targets for the top Nigeria coaching job.

Former Nigeria coach, Philippe Troussier, has already thrown his hat into the ring, saying it would be a great honour for him to return to his former post after he qualified Nigeria for the 1998 World Cup.



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Emeka: 2009-11-30 19:39

Nothing will help Satans people.

raymond: 2009-11-30 19:41

If Claude Le Roy is NNF's choice, then dis punch of individuals are not serious @ all.

kenten: 2009-11-30 19:45

The battle rages on!!But for how long will we continue with the uncertainties? It will be in the interest of Nigerian football if the PTF - NSC and the NFF harmonize their positions concerning the technical crew of the SE.

shaun: 2009-11-30 19:46

NFA or Federal government should becareful with these applicants... but why now? why not b4 they qualified for the world cup? Most of these guys are just looking for good things to update for their profiles. Na food wen don ready na im dem wan chop,they want to go and reap where they did not sow. Abeg Naija becareful or egungun becareful.

Shobo: 2009-11-30 20:21

A SIMPLE & COMMONSENCE REASONING
Why is both Cameroon and Ghana not retaining the said prefered coach for longer?
It is a pity NIGERIA is big by name only, but simple reasoning is easily left out in all our areas of life.
A couch who is our own NIGERIAN son can not be given a space to complete his talented mission. WHY! WHY!! a foreign couch. Couching what?

jeff: 2009-11-30 20:27

ROFL at the comment above me....'talented mission' indeed...

Akpos: 2009-11-30 20:32

If is not hiddink then lets forget about it Amodu should take the boys to the world cup and nations Cup shame on NFF now they are looking for a new coach why haven't they done that since before qualifier mumu people .....

wale: 2009-11-30 20:33

NFF, if you want to eat lizard, eat one that has egg. Why Leroy? what does he know that Amodu doesnt know? I think even an Indian coach will now come for eagles job. Please stop embarassing Nigerians. We're talking Hiddinks, Ancelloti, Trapatoni, some PTF are saying Leroy. Please stop toying with us. Leroy is not better than Amodu.

terry : 2009-11-30 20:33

with only a month to kickoff the ACON this people are still contemplating.what type of thing is this.this should have been done earlier.any way i dont think they are serious over it.amodu have gotten the ticket.let him leed se to where ever they can go.all we need is to bring the players together on time and see what will happen.
no coach in this world will ever please we nigeria expecially at this dying minut.no way amodu is better that this man Claude Le Roy.lets forget about this coach thing and move ahead.
blues for life

terry : 2009-11-30 20:39

@wale @akpos @shobo you people are good nigerian and i like you own view.it is just simply there is no time for this now.is time to support amodu and stop critisizing him.

@steve you are an idiot for saying that what did you know about Claude Le Roy,he should have been in cameroun or ghana.even togo rejected him and you are recommending him for se job.that is senceless.so hold it there

lurdmanny : 2009-11-30 20:42

alot of things is wrong, and i want us to reason well.
get a foreign coach that will be sacked at the end of world cup?? the rumour about a new coach keeps going on do you think this will help the moral of the players in the dressing room? i think if we are going to get one we should and stop all this nonsense( THOUGH I INSIST AMODU REMAINS)all that matters most is we help the moral of the players all this nonsense wont do a favour and let me tell you this if any other coach comes in i will tell you to just wait for the worst again i rest my case let the NFP and PTF do whatever they wants when other country are prepring for the world cup we are still here debating about a coach so bad

SANCHEZ: 2009-11-30 21:08

Look, Amodu will not lead the super eagles to the world cup. one of this two things are likely to happen, (1) Amodu will be sacked by his friends at the nff after a disastrous outing at the nations cup or (2)he will be forced to resign in shame when we are humiliated in Angola. So calling for him to go to the world cup when he still got to prove himself at the nations cup is a bit daft. lets see how many of you guys will be screaming for him after the nations cup. The man is not good enough, simple.

kent: 2009-11-30 21:09

Those who were old enough to watch football in the 80´s, know that Le Roy was the best Coach in Africa then. The man maybe to old for a job like this now, and African football is in a higher level today. He is better than Amodu for sure, but not good enough for us.

Toluwase: 2009-11-30 21:10

Who is this ugly man for God sake? NFF, se ori yin pe sa? Amodu better stay then.

sly1: 2009-11-30 21:20

YEYE PEOPLE!!! Shame on you PTF. Of all the coaches in this world na this fake Ghana and Cameroun reject na him una see. I am so pissed off.

Listen assholes, we dont want affordable. Just get the best. If the best refuses to coach us, get Keshi and Siasia to help Amodu. There is no way this has been can coach us when FRANK RIJKAARD is alive. NFF have you asked him. Rijkaard will do this job well and make us proud!

Please leave Amodu to continue to ruin our football than get this guy. This is like Togo in 2006, getting Pfister to replace Keshi. We all know how that turned out. Shame on you PTF.

kent: 2009-11-30 21:28

@Terry. How can you call someone an idiot, because he is not in line with your views? The man could be the "good Nigeria" you think the others are.Please, be mature in your comments.

nelson: 2009-11-30 21:52

silent is the best answer.




nelson4u.

Blessing: 2009-11-30 22:43

If nigeria must go for an emergency foreign coach, we need a coach that can turn things around within a short space of time. The only coach who can do that is Guus Hiddink if only he would accept Nigeria because NFF don,t have good record with foreign coaches. GH has good records to show eventhough he did not qualified Russia for wC. Though I am in support of retaining Amodu but I am afraid that some are in the NFF and PTF who would work against him to fail in the Angola so that they would exploit the chance to their own advantage of rushing to hire a foreign coach that would dance to their tune. I fore see it(nigeria factor). So the earlier they go for a foreign TA with high pedigree that Amodu will accept to work with the better for us all. Ruud Gullit is not a lucky coach. He has not be successful in all his appointment as a coach in club level.

collins: 2009-11-30 22:49

why not the top official that reavealed secret to newspaper all the times failed to reveal himself to public,or he belong to a cultism?what a distraction, good excuse for amodu after the competition.

Noel: 2009-11-30 23:19

why do we keep going for coaches who recycle themselves in africa? let's be ambitious and pick a guus hiddink/ruud gullitt et al who will change our mentality both in organisation and football mentality. because le roy knows african mentality means he will accept our crass way of dealing with things.

jp world: 2009-11-30 23:23

If Amodu qualify nigeria for 2010 WC, let him handle the team in both WC and NC, enough of this stupid and useless decision, the same thing happen to Amodu, after qualifying Nigeria for 2002 WC old man Onigbinde was drafted in to take over, what did the old man did? nothing and useless job, I believe in continuity, remember Amodu never loose a single match during the WC and NC qualify. Amodu Remains! NFF should just place much friendly matches..

joe: 2009-11-30 23:24

@ steve,you are either too young or you became a football follower just recently,definitely u dont know what u are saying
anyway, very soon, those that wish Amodu sacked will get what they want....Leroy, Trouser, Bora bora,mozambique coach, tunisia coach (sacked)... and the list goes on, hahaha

Polly: 2009-11-30 23:47

Those forumites here who always use abusive language on others that have opposing views are just frustrated people. A hungry man ia an angry man. No need to mention names because you know yourselves.

Every genuine Nigerian soccer fan knows that Amodu does not have it. But honestly, I think if these so-call government officials are really serious, they should have effected the change by now instead of reeling out names upon names of European coaches everyday. The next thing you will here is that they have sent "three wise men" to Europe to scout for coaches and at the end of the day they will come up with five names shortlisted for interview. In other countries, if they need a coach, it just takes a phone call.

I think it might be too late now to effect a change before the nations cup so Amodu should be left for the Nations cup. If by God's Grace, we win the cup in Angola, then he should be allowed to lead us to the World cup and damn the consequences. If he does not deliver in Angola, we would still have time to effect a change for the world cup. I think that arrangement should satisfy both the pro-Amodu and Anti-Amodu camps.

NO MORE OVER-AGE.

Ese: 2009-11-30 23:58

This what Nigerians wanted (count me out) & this is what they get LOL,Nigeria what did you think you where going to get?This guy will come chop the $millions achieve nothing & leave just like Bora,Africa is just a great footballing experiment thanks to the mentality of its people & poor planing!

Blessing: 2009-12-01 00:07

@steve.... Is it a crime to write or oppose someone without using foul words? We all love Nigeria and SE... Pls don't go too far and do not take it personal. One thing u should know, Amodu qualified Nigeria for South Africa and that was the assignment given to him which he did and making it twice ...Is a record for him which no other coach has done with Nigeria. Take it or not. The road may have been rough for him but at the end he got what he want.... (the end justify the means). Note he never had any competitive defeat so far. He is also having the luck going through a difficult situation which Christian Chukwu don't have. A team may be strong but mother luck can also work against them.... e.g Spain in WC 1998, Argentina 2002. etc

Diallo: 2009-12-01 00:48

Wetin dey be dis one,nff no see Guus Hiddink and Ruud Gullit hire.Amodu better that leroy and french coaches never favours us.

kenten: 2009-12-01 00:50

Still on the TA issue - a greater percentage of Nigerians are convinced that the technical crew as constituted presently will offer very little to cheer in the AFCON and world cup.The sports authorities are not helping matters by allowing pride, sentiment and selfish agenda supritend over objective facts.I urge all those concerned to act fast and save us from this endless speculations.If we are having fears that some of these 'mercenaries' might not be able to add sufficient value to the team to justify their appointment considering the short time left for preparations for both competitions; why not go for the very best we can boast of from our country?A trident consisting of Keshi and Siasia along side Amodu could do the magic and give our bench the technical sophistication we all crave for.This option should be on the card especially if we might not be prepared for coaches in the Guus Hiddink/ Trapatoni cadre.

Diallo: 2009-12-01 00:52

Wetin dey be dis one,nff no see Guus Hiddink and Ruud Gullit hire.Amodu better that leroy and french coaches never favours us.

stdennis: 2009-12-01 01:02

ABOMINATION!!! I can never believe this news source. Na lie. NSC or PTF can never think of hiring him. Trust Naija media houses @dis time, they ll speculate all dick and harry. Though, Amodu must go but not for coaches like Le Roy. We should go and get Bosso or even Chukwu instead. Am sure PTF ll get a world class coach like Hiddink, Trapattoni or Rijkard if they re to get one. So, tell Sam Audu of kick off to keep his fake story.

stdennis: 2009-12-01 01:02

ABOMINATION!!! I can never believe this news source. Na lie. NSC or PTF can never think of hiring him. Trust Naija media houses @dis time, they ll speculate all dick and harry. Though, Amodu must go but not for coaches like Le Roy. We should go and get Bosso or even Chukwu instead. Am sure PTF ll get a world class coach like Hiddink, Trapattoni or Rijkard if they re to get one. So, tell Sam Audu of kick off to keep his fake story.

stdennis: 2009-12-01 01:03

ABOMINATION!!! I can never believe this news source. Na lie. NSC or PTF can never think of hiring him. Trust Naija media houses @dis time, they ll speculate all dick and harry. Though, Amodu must go but not for coaches like Le Roy. We should go and get Bosso or even Chukwu instead. Am sure PTF ll get a world class coach like Hiddink, Trapattoni or Rijkard if they re to get one. So, tell Sam Audu of kick off to keep his fake story.

stdennis: 2009-12-01 01:04

ABOMINATION!!! I can never believe this news source. Na lie. NSC or PTF can never think of hiring him. Trust Naija media houses @dis time, they ll speculate all dick and harry. Though, Amodu must go but not for coaches like Le Roy. We should go and get Bosso or even Chukwu instead. Am sure PTF ll get a world class coach like Hiddink, Trapattoni or Rijkard if they re to get one. So, tell Sam Audu of kick off to keep his fake story.

stdennis: 2009-12-01 01:05

ABOMINATION!!! I can never believe this news source. Na lie. NSC or PTF can never think of hiring him. Trust Naija media houses @dis time, they ll speculate all dick and harry. Though, Amodu must go but not for coaches like Le Roy. We should go and get Bosso or even Chukwu instead. Am sure PTF ll get a world class coach like Hiddink, Trapattoni or Rijkard if they re to get one. So, tell Sam Audu of kick off to keep his fake story.

stdennis: 2009-12-01 01:05

ABOMINATION!!! I can never believe this news source. Na lie. NSC or PTF can never think of hiring him. Trust Naija media houses @dis time, they ll speculate all dick and harry. Though, Amodu must go but not for coaches like Le Roy. We should go and get Bosso or even Chukwu instead. Am sure PTF ll get a world class coach like Hiddink, Trapattoni or Rijkard if they re to get one. So, tell Sam Audu of kick off to keep his fake story.

stdennis: 2009-12-01 01:53

ABOMINATION!!! I can never believe this news source. Na lie. NSC or PTF can never think of hiring him. Trust Naija media houses @dis time, they ll speculate all dick and harry. Though, Amodu must go but not for coaches like Le Roy. We should go and get Bosso or even Chukwu instead. Am sure PTF ll get a world class coach like Hiddink, Trapattoni, Gullit or Rijkard if they re to get one. So, tell Sam Audu of kick off to keep his fake story.

elzo: 2009-12-01 02:02

IF THIS NEWS IS TRUE: NIGERIA WONDER! NO MORE AMERICA WONDER. "Those who do not remember the past are already condemned to repeat it." What a shame...

ifem: 2009-12-01 02:45

will amodu introduce any other pattern of play? or do we want to disgrace ourselves in angola?
or are we waitting for God to speak from heaven before we understand the type of danger amodu poses to nigeria football?.

UD: 2009-12-01 04:31

Le Roy cannot fit in SE. it doesn't matter how many yeas he has been in africa. he is not the type of quality we are looking for and Amudo is better than him

UD: 2009-12-01 04:47

Now is the time NFF can do the right thing by appointing the right people in the right position.

not tomorrow NFF will blame Amodu. we all knows that Amodu is going to fail there is no doubt about that. this is an accident waiting to happen in Angola and south africa.

NFF should appoint a sound technical crews now and sould not waste tax payers money on this current SE and Amodu.

ken gadaffi: 2009-12-01 05:37

@shobo, you are right, its a pity mr. pity fell inside a pit and no one to pity him, because pity cannot pity pity under a pitiable condition.
I am afraid, we are going to blow the our nations cup and world cup chances apart soon with all this distractions.

@Sanchez, even if AMODU fails at the nations cup or World cup we will still thank him for a job weldone than for us to employ a foreign Coach now who we are not sure will provide the desired success. Remember BORA and BABA ONIGBINDE?
NFF and PTF, leave AMODU to complete the mission. You can start looking for a new coach or TA after the world cup. And I think the press should hang up there propanganda as its surely not helping us, SOme of this speculations are simply from the media and its uncalled for.



THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH

ken gadaffi: 2009-12-01 05:48

@kenten, like many others I am one of those who still dont subscribe to the need for a foreign TA at this point in time. I have always had faith in Amodu and the SE even when thigs were rough for them and my optimism remains that they will do well in Angola then we look forward to the world cup.

TO be candid, If I were to offer suggestions to the NFF, the best option now is not in employing a foreign TA rather it is better to work with what we have and for me, Siasia, can be brought in to work with the rest as assistants and with Amodu let them prosecute the Nations Cup in Angola.

The NFF can then go on to bring in Keshi after the Nations Cup since his contract with Mali will end then.

After the Nations Cup, let them elevate Amodu to technical Adviser and bring in Keshi.

The SE no doubt needs a strong team manager. If Keshi is in the team when we are preparing for the World Cup i tell you after drilling the players in three weeks or more, you will see the remarkable difference in the team combined with Siasia's inputs.

Apart from their abilities, taking Keshi and Amodu to go to the World Cup will be another way to make up for injustice Nigeria meted to them that haunted us for long. And if SIASIA will lower his ego to work with them for the benefit of NIGERIA, i tell you, pay them what would have been given to any world class foreign coach and you will see their impact in the World cup.

Like @Johnson has advocated for personality in the coaching crew, I think Keshi and Siasia's personalities will make up for Amodu's short comings in that area.


THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH

P.D.P na Wayo: 2009-12-01 06:06

Le Roy is good for African Football but im not sure of World Cup ...
Besides, this man has punished SE a lot... We used to be his CUSTOMER

Billion: 2009-12-01 06:22

The Guardian newspaper, Tuesday, December 01, 2009

Still on Amodu and the Super Eagles

SIR: Opinion, they say is free and we are all entitled to one. I am not pro-Amodu neither am I a die-hard critic of his but the truth is that it is on record that Amodu was in charge when Nigeria made it to South Africa 2010 whether with Mozambique's help or Tunisia's carelessness.

We have passed through this road before but sometimes we are not good students of history. Bora in 1998 and Onigbinde in 2002 were brought in within a few months to the World Cup but did they perform any miracle? This time around, I am of the opinion that we should maintain the status quo as stability in the coaching crew often plays a significant role as regards posting a commendable performance at a tournament.

Amodu must be supported by all and sundry whether or not he performs creditably at the Nations Cup. The hallmark of a great team is (1) a team that is difficult to beat even when they are at their worst and (2) A team that achieves results whether or not they are playing well, etc. The Super Eagles already possess these characteristics. I agree they can be better but we must embrace patience as a virtue!

Ayodele Oloyede,

Lagos.

ken gadaffi: 2009-12-01 07:50

@Billion, i hope they will listen but like the saying goes, "an hunting dog that is about to get lost never hears the whistle of its master". As far as i know the NFF has made their stand to stick with AMODU for the AFCON and WC and so shall it be.
Anything contrary, then the PTF are going to be on their own.

THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH

lurdmanny : 2009-12-01 07:51

billion my man i dey always feel you.

to the rest anything wey you like make una do
when other tems are busy preparing we are still not sure on our coaching crew
EXAMPLES IS MARADONA BETTER THAN AMODU????
with all the stars argentina has they struggle to qualify and we are not hearing any noise about the coaching crew
GOD HELP US

lurdmanny : 2009-12-01 07:52

billion my man i dey always feel you.

to the rest anything wey you like make una do
when other tems are busy preparing we are still not sure on our coaching crew
EXAMPLES IS MARADONA BETTER THAN AMODU????
with all the stars argentina has they struggle to qualify and we are not hearing any noise about the coaching crew
GOD HELP US

lurdmanny : 2009-12-01 08:18

billion my man i dey always feel you.

to the rest anything wey you like make una do
when other tems are busy preparing we are still not sure on our coaching crew
EXAMPLES IS MARADONA BETTER THAN AMODU????
with all the stars argentina has they struggle to qualify and we are not hearing any noise about the coaching crew
GOD HELP US

Garvey: 2009-12-01 08:41

Although I am not a fan of Amodu but I believe if we can not hire a world class TA we should try as much as possible to get help for Amodu by utilizing what we have at home. I am beginning to fall in love with Ken gadaffi's suggestion of convincing Siasia to work with Amodu during Nation cup (that is if Amodu is ready to accomodate Siasia and if it will not lead to a division among the coaching crew) and also bringing in Keshi after the Nation cup.

Garvey: 2009-12-01 09:15

just as ugly as you are jjokocha.

ken gadaffi: 2009-12-01 09:36

@garvey, honestly, for me that is the best option for now,because wetin we dey find go sokoto dey inside our sokoto.
AMODU/KESHI/SIASIA/RUFAI combination will be marvelous. Not only will they inspire the players going by their past exploits, their combination will surely instill some confidence on the fans.

Who says they cant mellow down to work with each other? this is a call to national service and i dont think any of them will turn it down if the NFF really want to bring them together.

THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH

Dayveed: 2009-12-01 09:40

My honest choice for a TA would not be Leroy neither would it be Hiddink. Cmon guys we just cannot afford him. Lets go for Jean Tigana or the turk Fatih Terim. these guys we can afford and they are good enough.

Anthony: 2009-12-01 10:09

I still have my doubts as regards the authenticity of this story and considering the calibre of people that constitute the PTF, it'll come as a surprise if Claude Le Roy is all they can come up with.

Anyways it's quite encouraging to know that what Nigerians are clamouring for (going by the overall reaction to the topic) is a sound techincal adviser irrespective of his origin and not a "white coach" as speculated by some forumites.

My suggestions?? Frank Rijkaard.

Why??: Our best showings in major tournaments have come under coaches who adopted the dutch style of football(referred to as "total football") - talking about Westerhof in 1994 and Bonfrere Jo in 1996 (emphasis here is on their style and not country of origin).

It is easy to argue that these coaches spent a significant amount of time with the team to achieve such successes but the fact still remains that they had a playing philosophy which is the fundamental ingredient lacking in the team currently.

Amodu has no playing style and so it'll be difficult to find a basis for comparing him with a Rijkaard or Hiddink or even a Westerhof. By bringing in a Frank Rijkaard we will be injecting a playing pattern that will not be totally alien to the players and so I think that settles the issue of duration.

A BRIEF INSIGHT INTO "TOTAL FOOTBALL" (as curled from wikepedia).
In Total Football, a player who moves out of his position is replaced by another from his team, thus retaining the team's intended organizational structure. In this fluid system, no player is fixed in his nominal role; anyone can be successively an attacker, a midfielder and a defender.

Total Football's tactical success depends largely on the adaptability of each footballer within the team, in particular his ability to quickly change positions depending on the situation. The theory requires players to be comfortable in multiple positions; hence, it puts high technical and physical demands on them. Today, Total Football is utilized by several teams, such as Barcelona, Galatasaray, ****nal, Doncaster Rovers and Ajax.

kenten: 2009-12-01 10:13

@Ken Ghadaffi,I agree with your proposed reconstituted technical crew with the inclusion of Rufia - no doubt it will give us all alot of psychological satisfaction which I feel the players and the fans need at this time,coupled with a potentially improved playing philosophy.I pray those in authority could act fast now rather than wait till when its a bit too late.

Remy Martins : 2009-12-01 10:16

I'm much in support for Nigeria to look for a technical adviser,but it definitely will not be Le Roy.I think Amodu and Le Roy are the same,what the SE needed is a good tactician,not just anybody because he's white.

ken gadaffi: 2009-12-01 10:35

Le Roy has past his buy date. He will best serve as a youth academy coach than as a Super Eagles coach. NFF please dont trail that track.

THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH

Garvey: 2009-12-01 10:56

@Anthony - To play the kind of system you are suggesting you need to have the players who can fit into that kind of system. The question is, Do we have the kind of players?

babafemi: 2009-12-01 11:36

monsieur phillipe troussier and amodu sure have something in common. They both qualified us for the world cup and didn't lead us to the competition proper. Don't you think they will form a perfect combo.And on the otherhand, claude leroy sure understands african football and he is very sound,he's been in and around africa for over two decades.

Segun : 2009-12-01 11:43

this is a joke! Set of incomptetent football administrators. Monkey dey work baboon dey chop. Why cant we as Nigerians be objective. Onyibo is not the answer and we need to stop having an inferiority complex. Regardless of what we think amodu qualified us for the world cup where other foreign coaches failed. He rescued us in 2002 only to be replaced and we qualified this time albeit with some luck from Mozambique. Why should someone else reap where they did not sow. Give the man a chance. He has not lost a competitive game. 10 games without defeat at any level is commendable. How many coaches can say that?

Polly: 2009-12-01 11:50

@ken gadaffi, I thank you for your maturity in acknowledging that Amodu does not have the technical/managerial competence to handle us in the world cup unlike other pro-Amodu forumites who see nothing wrong in the guy and has taken the matter as a do or die affair. Your suggestion that Siasia and Keshi should be drafted in to assist Amodu is a welcome idea only if Amodu would be under any of them. From past experiences, it has been discovered that Amodu is too arrogant and would not welcome any advice from any quarters. Remember that in 2002 that was what cost him the coaching job to the world cup after getting the ticket for us. I think that if the government can not get us a quality coach before the end of this week, they should leave the guy to handle us in the Nations Cup. Who knows what will happen there.

NO MORE OVER-AGE.

Niyi Tomi Manuel: 2009-12-01 12:05

Fellow forumite this is the time to face the truth as nobody pray that he should work and someoneelse ripe is labour.We are not condernm honourable highly respected Coach Amodu for the great work he has done so far.But all we are saying was that Nigeria SE should be tactically inprove let this our useless National failure Fools NFF Do something now to safe SE eagle`s bad outing both for the N C and WC to come. Its not yet too late.Call for Samson and his partner to Assit our team forget about any foreign coach to come and work again in Nigeria,Just give this wonderful gifted proud of Africa chance to work with Nigeria football I believe God will revive Nigerian football back to life again through him.And restore back our soccer to where it belong.

And for this our useless,and fruitless government that calling for foreign coach simply because
of our local coach perform below expectation.Fine. But the most respectable Senion coach Sir Amodu Shaibu can pointout to is achievement for the few years he manage SE.What is your achevement ever since you occupy that post Mr president.Please let National failure Fools NFF be government should not dictate for them because they are independent on their own even though they are blind people.

And for you again National failure Fools NFF very soon God will remove you from that post if you are not ready to change and do the right thing intime.

As they always say that Just shall live by faith But me I say Just shall live by idea.
Like National failure Fools NFF.

Thank You God for bless Nigeria.

peter: 2009-12-01 12:22

My people I am not happy that we continue to trash each other on this forum. It is unnecessary. We can always share our opinions without being rude or abusive. My own opinion is this: Amodu was a good coach back in 1998 but not now. An observation of his team during the qualifiers showed a team with no tactics or strategy. He used to be better than that. I wish we can get someone with good track record to take us to the world cup. why? because amodus'contract was to prosecute the qualifiers. He has done his job. And the world cup is a different ball game.People here saying Leroy is not good, sure do not know the guy. Look into his records with the other african teams he coached in the past. However that does not mean he is good for us at this time. Someone has said here that we need a TA with quick turnaround history. I will recommend Hiddink for having that record. But we might not be able to afford him even if he is willing to ignore our lack of organisation. Meanwhile the suggestion to prosecute te nations cup and wc with Amodu, sisia, keshi and Rufai seemed to me to be our best option, except that i am not sure if personal ego will not be a problem among these people. If we can get them to work together then Nigeria will have good success in the afc and wc. If we are unable to do this due to factors that we do not envisage, I suggest that we go to afc and wc with our current crew and appoint a new above average coach for the SE for a long term as we did with Westeroff from 1989 to 1994. We do not need a world class coach but a coach that understands our mentality and our players, a coach willing to discover new players and build confidence into them. I remember one thing westerhoff said after the 1990 nations cup; "No team in Africa will be able to beat Nigeria anymore" It came to pass, as the Super Eagles became the most respected team in Africa by 1994. We can still do it.

JOHNSON: 2009-12-01 13:00

@Lurdmanny

Go and see the kind of people asisting maradona,people who are sound technically.

U tink d argentines are dumb,they brought in maradona for an inspirational purpose.They did a proper ****ysis of their national team before hiring him,and watch them out at d worldcup.u will eat ur words.

@Ken,d 3 people u are talking about are thick headed.2 of them for d right reasons,and one of them for no reason at all.

I wud have also loved that combo,without Keshi,but with Kalika.With a mandate by the NFF dat Amodu must work with Siasia,u knw d idiagbon Buhari combo,or d swedish 2002 model.That is if they cant get any better coach to handle d team,considering the politics and lack of focus of d football body.

Emmychiboy: 2009-12-01 13:57

Well it is no longer news that Nigeria is going for the world cup in south Africa, what Nigerians want to hear now is, what preparation are we making for the eagles to have a successful outing for the world cup. We have been reading news about getting a TA to help Amudu prepare the eagles for the forth comming mondial and first ever to be hosted in African soil. Dear NFF and the presidential task force or any one who is in the possition of passing the decree, you have to be fast about it cos there is know tommorow without today and tomorrow never finishes, moreso that post need the best person to occupy it and anything short of the best please let us leave Amudu to continue with the preparation.

Go eagles

Frank: 2009-12-01 16:25

LeRoy? What are his achievements for crying out loud? Well, I hope they employ Cameroon and Ghana's reject since we lack innovation and keep recycling coaches without taking cognizance of his abilities. This Le Roy has not achieved anything out of the ordinary.

Original

chukyy: 2009-12-01 18:37

My people, all over the world, coaches get hired and fired. If Nigeria “INDEED HAVE NEED FOR A FOREIGN COACH“, then let it be. I am in support of a foreign coach if that will make SE achieve result and at the same time play sweet footbal. But that should only be after the WC. Let a local or foreign coach start from the scratch and prove him self. Or better still, if we must bring in a coach now, then there must be a sure quarantee that Nigeria will will both NC and WC.
Why do we always believe in the worse case scenario? Amodu will fail, he won the ticket. Nigeria will be trashed by France during the friendly match Nigeria won and the same players that doesn´t play ***y football out played France, Irland and Austria. Does it not seems that the level of opposition determine the level of play? My proplem is with the players attitude and not a coach. Take a look at Drogba or Essen irrespective of the opposition the play as if their life depend on it.
If ***y Football determines the Quality of a coach then C. Ancelotti is a bad coach for winning 3 – 0 and not playing beautiful while A. wenger is a better coach for playing ***y and losing 3 – 0. (people will say luck, yes that is exactly what we need.
When has PTF turned NFF? I want to believe their function is to help the NFF and not to hijack NFF function. The President of Nigeria with due respect should be concerned more about the state of the nation, because the nations as a whole is not doing better that the NFF.

Acho: 2009-12-01 19:01

I don't know the time the Nigerian fa will understand that the only fun we enjoy as Nigerian are when we play well in football win or lose.When will they stop playing with us.Amodu have kill us with all the bad football our team play.Please NFF do some before we lose more soccer loving Nigerians.God have give NFF the another chance to correct thing but the little money they collect from Amodu will over the ride the interest of soccer loving Nigerians,Gos will punish all of you there.

lekan: 2009-12-01 20:36

TB Joshua will make a good coach!

Victor: 2009-12-02 00:31

The foreign coach distraction
By Dele Akinola

DESERT Warriors, Algeria 5; Green Eagles, Nigeria 1! That was the comprehensively humiliating result of the opening match of the l990 African Nations Cup in Algiers. The Nigerian team, under the tutelage of Dutchman, Clemens Westerhof, was thoroughly outplayed, comprehensively outclassed and decisively outscored. That was one of the "high" points of this foreign coach whose much-talked-about achievements - winning the 1994 Nations Cup, qualifying for and posting an impressive performance at same year's World Cup - came only in the "injury time" of his five-year reign as commander-in-chief of the Nigerian national team.

If that disgraceful show had been put up with an indigenous coach in charge, under whatever excuse, he probably would have had to immediately seek asylum in or around the desert nation. But the self-styled Dutch-gerian who too often had been assessed in comparison with Nigerian coaches on a grossly non-level playing field, not only survived but actually reigned for another four years. In fact, he was canonized until he felt compelled to sack himself

Over a period of about three decades that I have been following Nigerian football with a nose for informed, even if Eagletic ****ysis, a number of indigenous coaches have at one time or another, handled the national team. They include, among others, Paul Hamilton, Adegboye Onigbinde, Christian Chukwu, Austin Eguavoen and the incumbent, Shuaibu Amodu. Never, within the period, did the Eagles, under any of these coaches, post a calamitous result of the Algiers '90 magnitude in a competitive match of significance.

The Dutchman won the Nations Cup for Nigeria only on his third consecutive attempt. No Nigerian coach has had the luxury of more than one attempt. On Westerhof's second attempt at Senegal '92, he won a bronze medal; he had red carpet laid for him at Aso Rock, given national honour and, wait for it, his failed Green Eagles team was rechristened "Super." Then Vice President, Augustus Aikhomu even lampooned the Nigerian press for being so "unpatriotic" to find fault with Westerhof. Amodu, Chukwu and Eguavoen all won the same bronze medal on only their first attempts; they were cursed, abused and humiliated.

Eguavoen, in his full charge of the Super Eagles, accomplished an intimidating competitive match record of eight wins, one draw and only one loss to the star-studded, world-class Ivorien team at CAN 2006, yet he was humiliated. He lost a mere friendly match against Ghana in London and all hell was let loose. Serbian Bora Milutinovic's Eagles team, on the way to France '98, was scandalously beaten 5-1 by the Netherlands and 3-0 by the disintegrating Yugoslavia in friendly matches, yet he remained a hero. The white man can never be wrong; the local coach can never be right! Imagine the shame of a nation.

It seems convincing beyond all reasonable and unreasonable doubts, therefore, that only the colour of the skin of the local coach constitutes his own cross of crucifixion at Golgotha. That is why the avoidable distraction, occasioned by the recent curious and amusing outbreak of foreign-coach-mania in our football discourse, even in high places, could find the fertile ground to foul the atmosphere when all hands should be on deck towards consolidating our gains so far.

The prevailing problem with Nigerian football, manifesting in dwindling performance and results, had its genesis in 2002 when Amodu and his team were unjustly but characteristically, disgraced just because they failed to win that year's Nations Cup. By practically preventing them from going on to correct their mistakes en-route the World Cup, for which they had laboured to qualify in spite of Westerhof's compatriot, Bonfrere Jo, the continuity was broken. And, not surprisingly, we posted our worst performance ever at the global show.

In our quest to excel at the 2010 continental and global shows, this definitely is not the time to lose concentration by means of any such avoidable distraction. The foreign coach rub-a-dub music is one big distraction capable of rubbing blinding pepper in our eyes only for them to open after we have again returned to square zero. The 1992 Nations Cup in Senegal was won by Cote d'Ivoire with a set of average but committed players under one "ordinary, ******" local coach called Yeo Marshial. There were at least half a dozen "hot" foreign coaches, including Nigeria's Westerhof, in that competition.

Let Guus Hiddink, Trapatoni, van Gaal, Maurinho, Ferguson, Ancelloti, Terim and co stay back at their bases. If all stakeholders here - administrators, coaches, the media, ****ysts, supporters and especially the players get possessed of the right attitude and accord national interest the position of primacy, we can very well do without those "messiahs." Berti Vogts, world and European champion as player and as coach, was here!

* Akinola lives in Lagos.

elzo: 2009-12-02 09:45

Fine posting @ Victor.
Dele Akinola has said it all. The truth is so plain to see. But will they, the powers that be, those vultures in the glasshouse, ever open their ears to the music of truth? Let Amodu be!

peter: 2009-12-02 10:35

@victor, Trying to rubish westerhof's achievements is not fair to the man. Alas in the match that u referred to in Algier's 90, an unbiased observer saw an young eagles team that lost concentration in an opening match of a afc to the home team playing before a mamoth croud. Well, I will use the same Algier's 90 to attest to the fact that esterhof was a good TA. The same team that lost badly ended playing in the final against the same home team but this time they lost to a lone strike that came against the run of play. Also remmber that westerhof took over the team in december of '89 and instantly instilled discipline. Again be reminded that he took a home based team to that competition and he has only been in the country for three months. He added just two pros, yekini playing in ivory coast and another guy i cant remember. These are the achievement of westerhof: He discovered and introduced new home based players to the national team. He helped them to get good clubs in europe, He created a SE team that is feard in the hole of Africa. Nigerians were proud of their SE during westerhof reign. You noted rightly that our bronze win at the AFC was celebrated, well we saw a team that was unlucky against Ghana in senegal 1992.We ere never outplayed either in algier's 90 as you claimed. It is not the fault of westerhof that he was given five years in the saddle. But you cannot deny the fact that his days were the best in hour soccer history in terms of football development and achivement. thank you.

Basil: 2009-12-02 11:02

Amodu is not bold, does not take risks, these are his major deficiencies. Let him play friendlies and loose, friendlies are for testing players, i don't undersstand what's about keeping a record that he played 10 matches or 100 matches and won or drew all (lost no match), yet the eagles struggled to qualify for SA 2010. Amodu must make changes, rotate players and try as many players as possible, no big names, no sentiments and favours, we have hungry players, unfortuanely Amodu does not listen to anyone, every Nigerian sings this on the media even the Pillar of Sport in Africa, Former Governor Kalu, but he won't listen.

ken gadaffi: 2009-12-02 13:55

@victor, thanks for bringing up such a wonderful epilogue, its a complete master piece and so insightful.

THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH

sleek: 2009-12-02 19:32

I am waiting for Philippe Troussier to come here again and want to coach super eagles. We will arrange to stone him and take him to the Creek in the ND hehehehe. Where was he when...? But to be honest, Amodu deserve to be in the coaching crew, at least to learn from a more confident and technically sound coach.

sleek: 2009-12-02 19:33

I am waiting for Philippe Troussier to come here again and want to coach super eagles. We will arrange to stone him and take him to the Creek in the ND hehehehe. Where was he when...? But to be honest, Amodu deserve to be in the coaching crew, at least to learn from a more confident and technically sound coach.