One of Nigeria’s foremost NPFL coaches and former Nigerian junior football team handler, John Obuh has described the working condition of Nigerian coaches as pathetic. Obuh spoke on FCT Football Update WhatsApp platform saying that local coaches lack appropriate coaching materials and equipment to work with.
The former Akwa United went further to say that apart from regular manual materials, Nigerian coaches are hardly exposed to electronic training facilities. “We don’t have coaching materials and equipment here. What you can always find in any team are balls, goal post, net, cones nothing more. You can never find electronic tactical boards and other scientific technical materials for coaches.
Obuh revealed that his deficiency and lacuna on operating modern coaching facilities was revealed when he was on a coaching course abroad. “When I went for a course in Germany, I was given an electronic tactical board to demonstrate something, I could not operate it. I’m also sure that many of my colleagues at home cannot operate it also. Some may not have seen it before.
“These are important materials that aid the coaches in doing their job and enhancing the performance of the players. But here at home, we have experienced and intelligent coaches, what they do is to improvise every material they use in their performing their jobs,” he said.
Obuh advised the various team managers to provide the modern coaching materials for the coaches to aid their jobs. He finally advised the coaches to be open to new knowledge, accept criticisms, accepts challenges, accepts their faults and always draws a demarcation of those things that will affect their integrity.
John Sam Obuh is a Nigerian football manager. He was most recently the coach of Akwa United FC. He was in charge of Nigeria’s under-17 national team during the 2009 FIFA under 17 world cup after leaving Kwara United due to a payment dispute. On 20 July 2013 Obuh resigned as Manager of the Nigerian under-20 team.
