At lengthy, lengthy final, the Nigeria Soccer Federation (NFF) has given the nation’s soccer household a New 12 months reward. He’s Eric Sekou Chelle, who’s now the Head Coach of the Tremendous Eagles. Chelle, born of a French father and Malian mom, was unveiled alongside along with his sidekicks on Monday on the MKO Abiola Nationwide Stadium, Abuja. His engagement has ended the angst over the vacuum created by the exit of Jose Peseiro, briefly crammed by Finidi George. Head Coach George’s (tempestuous) reign lasted for 30 days, and can go down in historical past because the shortest within the coach-ship of the Tremendous Eagles. Chelle thus turns into the 42nd gaffer to guide the senior nationwide soccer workforce and the primary of African descent, regardless that his father is of French nationality.
Allow me to tug you down the reminiscence lane and for the advantage of the brand new helmsman. The Nigerian soccer evolution has been overseen by no fewer than 41 coaches previously seven many years, slicing throughout totally different continents, akin to Europe, Latin America and even the Center East. Amongst them had been: Jack Finch (England and ex-Fulham, 1949) who led the Purple Devils (so-called due to their pink prime shirts) to overcome Sierra Leone 2 – 0 on October 8, 1949, earlier than then, they had been often called the UK Vacationers); Dan Anyiam turned the primary native gaffer to deal with the nationwide squad between 1954 and 1956.
One other English coach, Les Courtier, took over from 1956 to 1960. Then, got here Moshe “Jerry” Beit Levi from Israel of all nations (1960 – 1961) when the workforce was renamed the Inexperienced Eagles. The George Vardar from Hungary stepped in because the handler between 1961 and 1963. Nigeria turned to England once more and picked Joey Blackwell (1963 – 1964). Dan Anyiam resurfaced between 1964 and 1965. One other Hungarian, Jozsef Ember, was picked to guide the workforce from 1965 to 1968. Between 1968 and 1969, Sabino Barinaga dealt with the workforce. Teslim Thunder Balogun turned the second homeboy to teach the nationwide squad, main them to the 1968 Olympics the place they had been compelled to a 3 -3 draw by the almighty Brazil, full with Pele, after being three objectives up within the first half. Peter ‘Eto’ Amaechina turned the third indigenous gaffer to deal with the workforce between 1969 and 1970.
Nigeria turned to Germany for Karl-Heinz Marotzke who had a two-year stint – 1970 to 1971. Jorge Penna (1972 – 1973) turned the primary coach from Brazil to guide the workforce, once more renamed the Golden Eagles by Gen. Yakubu Gowon for profitable the soccer gold medal on the 2nd All-Africa Video games hosted by Nigeria in 1973. Marotzke got here again briefly in 1974 to re-coach the workforce. However there was no gentle on the finish of the tunnel till the emergence of Jelisavcic Tiki in 1974. Fondly known as “Father Tiko”, the tactician from the outdated Yugoslavia, was saddled with the tinkering of the Inexperienced Eagles with an eye fixed on the 1976 Africa Cup of Nations.
Tiko had dealt with the Australian nationwide workforce earlier than coming to Nigeria. A dyed-in-the-wool apostle of 4-3-3, he spent two years grooming the workforce becoming them with the traits of eagles – sturdy within the wings, sharp claws (midfield) and lethal in assault (the beaks). Among the many native skills he assembled had been Christian Chukwu (skipper), ‘keepers Joe Erico and Emma Okala, Godwin Odiye, Sam Ojebode, Muda Lawal, Alloysius “Blockbuster” Atuegbu, Sam Ojebode, Baba Otu Mohammed, Kunle Awesu, Kelechi “Caterpillar” Emetiole, Ogidi Ibeabuchi and Thompson Usiyan. Tiko’s main activity was to qualify the Eagles for the 1976 AFCON Match staged in Ethiopia.
Barely two years within the saddle, Tiko didn’t solely ship on his mandate but in addition return with a bronze medal that was adored as gold again residence. The Inexperienced Eagles lived as much as its traits on the event, consequently producing Kunle Awesu (left) and Baba Otu Mohammed (proper), who had been voted as one of the best wingers on the event. The philosophy was sustained by Tiko’s successor, Prof. Otto Gloria from Brazil, who produced right-winger Segun “Mathematical” Odegbami and left-winger Adokiye “Justice” Amiesimaka that had been instrumental to our profitable the first-ever AFCON diadem in 1980.
After Tiko and Otto Gloria had laid the muse for the Inexperienced Eagles, a mixture of indigenous and international handlers bestrode the nation’s soccer area at numerous occasions. Some returned good outcomes; others carried out terribly. Names like Sebastian Broderick Imasuen, Chris Udemezue, Paul Hamilton, Patrick Ekeji, Festus Adegboye Onigbinde, Gentlema Carl O’dwyer, Willy Bazuaye, surfaced among the many native coaches. On the flip of the 90s, when the Inexperienced Eagles had metamorphosed to Tremendous Eagles due to their silver profitable accomplishment on the 1988 AFCON event in Morocco, Dutchman Clemence Westerhof surfaced alongside along with his assistant, Johaness Bonfrere. Westerhof keyed into the philosophy of Father Tiko and Otto Gloria whereas assembling his workforce drawn from our native leagues. For 4 stable years, he quietly constructed a formidable squad round extremely gifted younger boys like Stephen Keshi, Finidi George, Emmanuel Amuneke, Victor Ikpeba, Samson Siasia, Dan “the Bull” Amokachi, Sunday Oliseh, Austin Jay Jay Okocha, Augustine Eguavoen, Ben Iroha, Peter Rufai, Victor Ikpeba, amongst others that blossomed by 1994. They had been all nearly unknown past the shores of the land till Tunisia ’94 AFCON which they received. That squad was to take the whole soccer world by storm on the USA ‘94.
After the wonderful Westerhof period, we had some international coaches that discovered his sneakers too massive for his or her ft. Though we certified for the subsequent World Cup Finals in France (1998) with Philippe Troussier, often known as White Witchdoctor in cost, the then Nigeria Soccer Affiliation discovered him not adequate to guide the workforce to France. One other handler named Bora Milutinovic was hurriedly introduced in as a alternative.
The Tremendous Eagles failed to copy the exploits of USA ’94 and had been summarily dismissed on the knockout stage. Out of disgrace, Bora bolted away from France; he by no means returned to Nigeria. We additionally made it to the Japan/Korea 2002 FIFA World Cup Finals. And historical past repeated itself. Shuaibu Amodu secured the ticket for Nigeria however was shoved apart and Festus Onigbinde was employed to deal with the squad. Like Bora, Onigbinde and his younger lads had been thrown out within the very first spherical. We had been conspicuously lacking on the 2006 World Cup Finals staged in Germany. Then, we noticed the emergence of Berti Vogt recruited from Germany. Vogt was in cost on the 2008 AFCON however Nigeria did not impress. The German was an absentee coach. He would solely present up a few weeks forward of any engagements and disappear instantly after.
Vogt was promptly fired to set the stage for maybe, essentially the most controversial recruitment of a international coach within the annals of Nigeria’s soccer. Among the many coaches shortlisted for an interview had been England’s ex-international, Glenn Hoddles, and Lars Lagerback from Sweden. The Englishman accused the interviewing panel of corruption. He alleged that they needed to mark up his pay illegally. He turned down the deal. However Lagerback ultimately received the job. It was argued that he dealt with the Swedish nationwide workforce that defeated the Tremendous Eagles on the group stage of the Japan/Korea World Cup Finals. The feat swayed his employers to his aspect.
The Swede was to take Nigeria to the 2010 FIFA World Cup Finals in South Africa. Lagerback was technically backward and received confused at each stage of the primary spherical. He needed to seek the advice of the likes of Kanu Nwankwo on the dugout for assist. After Lagerback’s inglorious exit, Stephen Keshi was introduced in to deal with the workforce, following his exploits with the Hawks of Togo. The Huge Boss, as he was nicknamed due to his commanding position because the Tremendous Eagles’ skipper, led the workforce to qualify for the 2013 AFCON held in South Africa and went on to clinch the trophy towards all odds. At numerous occasions, Samson Siasia and Sunday Oliseh crammed the hole till Gernot Rohr was contracted for the job. The Franco-German tactician certified Nigeria for the 2018 FIFA World Cup Finals in Russia and the 2019 AFCON in Egypt with nothing tangible to point out for his efforts. He additionally received the ticket for the final however one AFCON in Cameroon and wobbled to the playoff for the Qatar 2022 World Cup Finals. He was promptly thrown out and the NFF’s Technical Director, Austin Eguavoen, was drafted to carry the fort. The end result of which is now historical past.
Then, Jose Peseiro emerged from nowhere. The Technical and Improvement Sub-Committee of the NFF had shortlisted 4 names for the job together with Peseiro. The candidates had been ex-Barcelona gaffer, Ernesto Valverde, former France Nationwide coach, Laurent Blanc, ex-Derby County tactician, Phillip Cocu and Jose Peseiro. The ex-NFF boss, Amaju Pinnick, favoured the Portuguese for the job, regardless of his weak credentials.