Former Nigeria international Oladimeji Lawal has advised Nigerian Coaches to stop bemoaning their inability to get regular refreshment coaches on the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF).
Dimeji Lawal, the General Manager of Shooting Stars Sports Club spoke at the monthly Ex-University of Ibadan Footballers Association virtual interactive program, noting that the football authority should be absolved of the issues saying that it’s not supposed to be the priority or statutory agenda of the NFF.
According to him, “Whoever decides to be a Coach must seek opportunities to upgrade himself/herself as the job demands. There are so many avenues to do that these days and a lot of coaching courses are available at different levels. Any opportunity that is available through the football house should be seen as a plus not obligatory”.
It could be recalled that Nigerian Coaches have been clamoring for the NFF to organize the CAF Licensing Courses which was stopped 8 years ago.
In the same vein, the former Real Madrid player distinctively declared that the Super Eagles of Nigeria will be crowned the next AFCON champions next January in Cote d ‘Ivoire.
The former IICC Shooting Stars of Ibadan dazzling winger noted that Jose Peseiro has the players and the talent to win the next AFCON holding next January in Cote d Ivoire.
According to the former dazzling U-17 and U-20 World Cup silver medalist, “Nigeria will be the team to beat at the next CAF Nations Cup. I have no doubt about that.
“We have the generation of young African talents doing so well in various European top clubs. Not only that, they are young and have the opportunity to play with and against the best legs week in week out,” he said, beaming with total confidence about the talent depth at the disposal of the Coaching crew.
According to Lawal who was voted the man of the match when the Flying Eagles squared off against a Luis Figo inspired team at the group stage of the U20 World Cup at Saudi ’89, urge the technical crew to stop experimenting players, saying the time of trials should be over. We have had enough of testing and trials. Its time to build a formidable team with cohesion and understanding.
Dimeji Lawal, who currently serves as the General Manager of one of Nigeria’s oldest club sides, the Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) of Ibadan, said ‘I know the first eleven of Germany, England, Spain, Holland, and France, unless there are any unforeseen circumstances (injuries, sickness etc). Our coaching crew keeps searching for new half casts or European born players every day. That must stop now so that they can focus on team cohesion”.
The Nigerian national team has been drawn in Group A alongside hosts– Cote d’Ivoire, and fast-improving Equatorial Guinea and Guinea-Bissau, who have qualified for a fourth straight edition in next year’s African Cup of Nations (AFCON) scheduled to kick off on January 13 and end on February 11, with matches at six stadiums in five cities in Cote d Ivoire.
Cote d’Ivoire, seeking a third Cup of Nations title, will face Guinea-Bissau in the opening match on January 13 in Abidjan, while the Super Eagles, seeking its 4th title will square off against Equitorial guinea in its first match of the tournament.
Nigeria were last crowned Cup of Nations winners in 2013 in South Africa and the Ivory Coast succeeded the Eagles two years later in Equatorial Guinea.
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