A prominent Nigerian media outlet has stirred up a contentious debate by advocating for what they call the “zoning” or rotation of the Super Eagles coaching role, as reported by Soccernet.ng.
This suggestion proposes that the next coach of the national team should hail from the northern region of Nigeria.
Several names have been floated as potential candidates, including Salisu Yusuf, Babaganaru Mohammed, Abdul Maikaba, and Usman Abdallah.
The backdrop to this discussion is the recent departure of Jose Peseiro, whose contract came to an end. With the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) publicly announcing the vacancy in the coaching position, it seems clear that Peseiro will not be returning to lead the team.
In the interim, names like Finidi George, Emmanuel Amuneke, Sunday Oliseh, and Sia Sia have been circulating as potential successors, with Coach Finidi recently taking charge of the team on a temporary basis.
However, amidst these speculations, there's a growing concern about the regional politicisation of the coaching role.
Some voices in the media argue that there has been historical underrepresentation of coaches from the northern part of Nigeria in the Super Eagles setup.
They point out that, historically, all twelve indigenous coaches who have led the national team thus far have hailed from the southern region.
This debate has sparked broader questions about whether the selection of the national team's coach should be based on merit or regional considerations.
Critics of the zoning proposal argue that appointing a coach based solely on their regional background overlooks the crucial factor of merit.
They highlight past administrations, which, regardless of their own regional backgrounds, have appointed coaches whom they believed were best suited for the role.
Ultimately, the central focus should be on selecting the most qualified candidate capable of steering the Super Eagles to success, free from the influence of regional or political factors.
The national team's success depends on appointing a coach based on their abilities, experience, and vision for the team, rather than on their place of origin.
N.B: Do you consider the Super Eagles coaching role to be regional? Leave your comments below
NFF SHOULD EMPLOY A COACH THAT IS HIGHLY TECHNICAL & BE RESPECTED BY PLAYERS.
THE REASON WHY SOME EX-PLAYERS AND SOME PRESENT SUPER EAGLE PLAYERS ARE IN SUPPORT OF INDIGENOUS COACH(especially Finidi) IS BECAUSE THAT, IT WILL BE VERY EASY FOR THEM TO PENETRATE IN HIM, CONTROLLING HIM & DICTATING TO HIM WHEN IT COMES TO PLAYERS SELECTION, WHICH IT CANNOT BE POSSIBLE ON FOREIGN COACH. ALSO, IT WILL BE VERY EASY TO DO BUSINESS BY INTRODUCING PLAYERS TO INDIGENOUS COACH AFTER COLLECTING FROM SUCH BE PLAYERS.
** NOTE: We should not deceiving ourselves in this country because of the way things work for other countries (e.g. Democracy work well in America, S/Africa, Ghana but it doesn’t work well in Nigeria).
THE WAY THINGS WORK FOR COACH H. SHEHATA(EGYPT), COACH ALIOU CISSE(SENEGAL) BY WINNING AFCON FOR THEIR COUNTY (and also qualified for next AFCON easily) MAY NOT WORK IN NIGERIA DUE TO CORRUPTION, IMPROPER PLANNING, LACK OF STRUCTURES, BAD MANAGEMENT.
IN NIGERIA, WE ARE TOO RELIGIONISTIC, REGIONISTIC, TRIBALISTIC & SENTIMENTAL.
EVEN when Keshi won AFCON in 2013, he failed woefully to qualified for next AFCON due to bad management(Pinnick VS Giwa), sentiment, jealous, hatred towards some players (e.g. Yobo, I.K. uche, V.moses).
**** NFF SHOULD GO FOR THE BEST COACH.***
What matters most is to move our football forward & not celebrating FLUKE WINNING again. We struggle/manage to beat CIV by penalty in group stage. But E/guinea beat CIV 4-0 convincingly.
*** KESHI WON AFCON IN 2013, BUT WE CANNOT BOAST OF PLAYERS, THE TEAM FOR THE FUTURE (for instance: Sunday MBA, Uzoenyi, Oshaniwa, Agbim are nowhere to be found in future football). AND NIGERIA FAILED TO QUALIFIED FOR NEXT TWO CONSECUTIVE AFCON.
WHAT A SHAME!!!!
**** WESTERHOF WIN AFCON IN 1994, BUT NIGERIA CAN BOAST OF FUTURE FOOTBALL (for instance: Oliseh, Okocha, Amokachi, Amuneke shine for future football).
WHAT A BRIGHTER FUTURE!!!!!
### NFF SHOULD EMPLOY A GOOD DISCIPLINE, TACTICAL, HIGHLY RESPECTED COACH ###
Every right thinking Nigerian knows that the job is Merit Oriented or Merit Based….simple.
no regional nonsense should even be considered as a criteria for getting the SE job.
Nigeria is a complex country,if SE coach selection is based on regional then SE team is dead on arrival as long as selection on regional last.
Total rubbish.Where in the World is it done ?
This tells us that some Nigerians are actually idiotic. How on earth can someone make such ridiculous suggestion. This senseless suggestion must have been promted by the unnecessary meddling of the so- called ex-professional in the on- selection saga of the next Super Eagles coach. These Northern fools feel they can as well have their say in what they know nothing about. NFF should please ignore the nonsense coming from any quarter and select the next coach based entirely on merit irrespective of colour or nationality.
Its idiotic to link football with politics! Best credential should be a piority.