“It’s not encouraging” – Former Everton defender speaks on his coaching experience with the Super Eagles of Nigeria

Former Super Eagles and Everton defender, Joseph Michael Yobo, has admitted his coaching experience with the National team was not encouraging, Soccernet.ng reports.

The 44-year-old drew the curtains on his international career with the Super Eagles in 2014 after they exited the FIFA World Cup at the round of sixteen stage against France in Brazil.

After retiring from active football, the ex-Norwich City man was appointed as one of the Assistant coaches of the Super Eagles in February 2020, with the team tasked with the sole purpose of leading Nigeria to the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

Nigeria lost to Ghana in their final qualification match, which left a bitter aftertaste on the buds of the country's football-loving populace, as they lost the World Cup spot to the Black Stars, which meant they didn't participate in football's biggest tournament for the first time since 2006.

Yobo, alongside the rest of the coaching staff, were dismissed after they failed to complete their mission, but the former Fenerbahçe SK man revealed his experience as a coach with the National team wasn't pleasant.

“It’s always an honour to represent the national team in any capacity, but the only reason I hesitated to join the coaching crew was because of how coaches are treated. It’s not encouraging. When I finished playing, some of my mates were venturing into coaching, but I wasn’t impressed. The way coaches are treated in Nigeria, they don’t always succeed, so I thought, why should I join them?”

When the opportunity came, it was an honour, even though I was skeptical, but as I continued, I realized I had it in me too. I enjoyed it and saw it as an opportunity to grow. I was even told I could be the next Stephen Keshi, I was a project, but when we failed to qualify for the World Cup, they dropped all the coaches. I was told I was a project for the future, but I was highly disappointed when everyone was told to go, even though they had assured me ‘no shaking,” the 44-year-old said in an interview with Brila.

Despite his experiences, the former Super Eagles defender admitted a return to coaching isn't out of the question for him. However, it is not his priority at the moment.