Former Super Eagles coach Sunday Oliseh has fired shots at Mikel Obi after the former Chelsea star openly questioned his coaching ability on his podcast, Soccernet.ng reports.
Sunday Oliseh was appointed as Super Eagles coach in July 2015, and he spent eight months on the job. However, his time as Nigeria’s coach was marred with a lot of controversies.
In the first months of Oliseh’s appointment, legendary Super Eagles goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama retired after an altercation with him. And there were subtle talks that some of the players were uncomfortable with the former Juventus man as coach.
Recently, former Super Eagles captain, Mikel, who was one of the senior players on the team at the time gave his opinion on Oliseh’s capacity as coach. And he stated stated that Oliseh was a great individual, but he knew nothing about coaching.
In a recent interview, Oliseh reacted to Mikel’s comments. The former Nigeria coach insists that he holds no grudge against Mikel, but the former Chelsea man should seek help and stop lying.
“I think the kid(Mikel) needs help to be honest. There’s something I’ve not really shown much, I won the best coach for the first period of the Jupiler league, which is in the Dutch league. That was not voted by the press, that was voted by the players and the coaches of the league,” Oliseh told Elegbete TV.
“I’m the only, and the first coloured man from Sub-Saharan Africa to ever win this title with with a club like Fortuna Sittard, who had very average players were able to qualify from the second division from last position to the first division, where they still are now.
“I don’t need to justify myself being a good coach or anything to the kid. I call him (Mikel) a kid because my son is 27 years old.
“When he made this statement, I heard about it, but I couldn’t go on television and start arguing with someone like him. It’s degrading at a coach, you don’t go into the media and start arguing with your player.
“But I would like to help the boy because I think he needs some help. You cannot become a legend with your mouth.
“You cannot achieve what you were not able to achieve on the pitch outside the pitch by talking on a podcast.
Oliseh also weighed in on Mikel’s comments about his demanding family members, who were always asking for money. The Super Eagles legend feels it was an embarrassing move, and Mikel should have kept it to himself.
“What shocked me with Mikel Obi was that never in the history of Nigeria or African football has one player ever gone on to a foreign podcast and totally humiliate his family by calling them beggars, problems, and everything.
“How can you do this to your family. In Africa, it is our pride when you earn something or you help your family. In fact, it is your duty.
“Dosu Joseph is one of my best friends, he’s like a brother to me. Before Obi made it in football, Dosu housed Mikel in his house and fed him. I bet people don’t know this. Dosu is still doing well, albeit handicapped because of an accident.
“Despite the help that Dosu gave Mikel, has he ever gone to say hello? With all the millions he has made, help the poor guy(Dosu).
“I heard he said something about me treating Elderson Echiejile wrong, but that is misinformation he has given to Nigerians. But that is wrong Echiejile’s uncle is my good friend. I even advised Echiejile when he had issues with his coach at Monaco.
“The problem I had with Mikel was that I didn’t find him good enough to play that position when I coached him.
“I felt we had a home-based player that was best. And when we played a World Cup qualifier against Swaziland, because Mikel had played badly in the first leg three days earlier, when we came back, I played Paul Onobi in his place. Paul was eventually voted as the best player by the opposition coach.
Oliseh also added that Mikel is currently seeking attention because he is just coming to terms with the changes in life after retiring from football.
“I have no grudge against Mikel, I just feel that he needs help. If he wants, he can call me, I will give him advice.
“When people stop football, most players are lost, they don’t know what to do. During their days, some of them were so arrogant that they don’t talk to people. But after retiring, they realize that they need people after all. They have to try to get back into the system. I know that is what Mikel is going through now, but there are ways to do it.
“One of the first things to do is to educate and work on yourself. For example, we saw the Ivory Coast player that went to the university to get a degree. If he wants to do podcasting, it’s good, but its not by attacking people and insulting, and demolishing people.
“I heard him make comments about Kanu not being the most decorated Super Eagles player, but that is not what sells podcasts is what you have in your brain. So Mikel should educate himself, fill it with things, and then you can share.”
This post was last modified on July 3, 2024 4:19 pm
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, Sunday Oliseh the worse and controversial coach Nigeria has ever produced, well, I don't blame him at all, I am waiting to hear him say Mikel is begging me to assist him financially, but is not the case
Indeed Oliseh was a very good player but an abject failure as a coach and Man Manager.Even though he is very eloquent (a function of his superior educational background; by the way he was in LASU as a young lad before leaving midway to go to Europe), the content of what he says makes no sense and only reveals his bitterness.Imagine saying a certain journey man called Paul Enebi who nobody in the football world ever knew was better than Mikel Obi.That qualifies as downright stupid talk. All he is doing is trying to use his perceived word power to trash a player who achieved far more than he ever did. Pure and simple jealousy. No iota of objectivity whatsoever.Just bitterness. No wonder he was making questionable selections during his short spell as super eagles coach. He also brought another pedestrian called Sylvester Igboun to play in midfield, forced the early exit of Vincent Enyeama from the team,made Ahmed Musa captain ahead of Mikel even when the latter was still a fringe player in the team until Ahmed himself handed the captain's band to Mikel after Oliseh's ignominious exit. At least Mikel acknowledged Oliseh's playing prowess in his days. He (Oliseh) wouldn't even repay the same complement which would simply be speaking the truth which the whole world knows abundantly.Very shameful.
individually Olise is good but in coaching aspect he is completely a flop,what sacked you from the same club that you were voted best coach of the year ? a good coach is the one who controls the temperament of his players, you're not that type, you're full of anger and controversy and poor results made you sacked
kids who know very little or nothing about Nigerian football are very quick to insult real legends. There is no perfect coach anywhere, I agree it didn't really work out as expected for Oliseh as super eagles coach but he has absolutely paid his dues and deserves respect.
I am based in the same city with Mikel and I was totally horrified when he sat down with Rio Ferdinand and other foreigners and insulted his family and African culture of family support. Even if you must talk like that it should not be with foreigners. Here dem no send their papa or mama , they can call police for their parents for any small matter, if dem like you be say if you old dem send you to go stay for old peoples home. They don't really understand proper hardship here, if you tell them you send money to your parents/family they will be like for what? why?
I like Mikel but I can't support his miss yarning, just like Osimhen has taken it to an unprecedented level now.
I take a bow.
Mike.also needed surgical help
of course,he just had leg surgery
msyb d other help olise is talking about will soon come