By Ayo Bada
Senior Correspondent
The Nigeria Football Coaches Association (NFCA) has described as unfair and vilifying, the comment credited to Nigeria Football Referees Association (NFRA) President, Tade Azeez, about Nigerian coaches.
NFCA President, Bitrus Bewarang, expressed disappointment at Azeez’s description of coaches as businessmen who favour only their players.
He is also surprised that Azeez called for the engagement of a foreign coach for the Super Eagles at a time Nigerians are advocating patronage of local goods and services.
Bewarang asked Azeez to retract his comment and tender an apology to Nigerian coaches or he may have sown the seed of discord that will aggravate the already charged football atmosphere.
“The call for engagement of a foreign coach is coming at a time when top coaches in Nigeria are undergoing the Confederation of African Football (CAF) ‘A’ Licence Coaching course,” Bewarang said.
He acknowledged the roles Clemence Westerhof and Bonfrere Jo played as foreign coaches engaged for the Super Eagles in the past.
“The secret of their success, especially Westerhof, is that they had the luxury of time to prepare for the achievement they made.
“It is clear that foreign coaches are usually overpriced and given the required tools and environment to operate while in the contrary indigenous coaches are treated with ignominy.”
He insisted that indigenous coaches, despite their poor working conditions, exhibit high sense of patriotism and rank among the most successful coaches globally.
“The Nigerian coaches are the handlers of the Golden Eaglets who currently hold the five-time record of winning the FIFA Under-17 World Cup.”
Bewarang reminded critics that the Dream Team (Under-23) is preparing for the Rio Olympics under the tutelage of an indigenous coach, as well as the Flying Eagles who are rated among the best in the world.
“The senior women team, Super Falcons, are the best in Africa and among the best in the world. The same goes for the Falconets and the Flamingoes.
“The National Under-15 national team and the national beach football teams are all handled by indigenous coaches.
“Let me ask some questions, who trained our past and present players like Stephen Keshi, Samson Siasia, Sunday Oliseh, Garba Lawal, Austin JJ Okocha, Tijani Babangida, Kanu Nwankwo, Joseph Yobo, Mikel Obi, Ahmed Musa, Vincent Enyama and many more too numerous to mention?”
Bewarang added that Nigerian coaches will continue to give their best in any capacity and strive to improve with every opportunity given.
He counseled Nigerian referees to be focused and work on improving their members who have been ridiculously excluded from the World Cup over the years.
He advised Azeez to think on how to improve the officiating of his members in the domestic league.
