Former Super Eagles and Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder, Seyi Olofinjana, has called for a shift in Nigeria’s approach to selecting the next coach for the Super Eagles.
He emphasized the need to focus on the coach’s ability to improve the quality of football in the team rather than debating whether the coach should be local or foreign.
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In a statement addressing stakeholders’ concerns over the coaching position, Olofinjana highlighted the importance of having a proper plan to enhance Nigerian football.
Stressing that simply qualifying for tournaments should not be the ultimate goal, but rather making a significant impact on the global stage.
“The journey of 1,000 miles starts with a step, and if 100 is where we want to go and we are on 20, how do we then get to 25? How do we get to 30?” Olofinjana remarked, emphasizing the need for measurable progress in Nigerian football.
He urged Nigeria, as a powerhouse in African and global football, to aspire to more than just tournament qualification.
Olofinjana envisioned Nigeria competing at the highest level, aiming for semi-finals and finals in prestigious tournaments like the World Cup.
“We shouldn’t just be looking for coaches to qualify us for the tournament. We should be going to make an impact.
When are we going to go to the World Cup and then begin to say, okay, let’s get to the semi-final, let’s get to the final?”
Drawing from his experiences in football and travels to countries like France, Spain, and Germany, he suggested studying the approaches of successful footballing nations to inform Nigeria’s football development strategy.
Olofinjana concluded by advocating for a pragmatic approach to selecting the next Super Eagles coach, focusing on their ability to fulfil the team’s needs rather than their nationality.
“Away from just looking at whether somebody is an indigenous coach, or whether he’s a foreign coach, it’s immaterial.
Can he do the job that we need now?”
