Former Technical Director
of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Tunde Disu, has urged Nigerians to give the interim Coach of the Super Eagles the chance to lead the team.
Disu made the assertion in an interview with newsmen after the friendly match between the Flying Eagles and Remo Stars of Shagamu at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere.
The match which ended 2-2 was a build-up game for the national U-20 side’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Sudan.
He said that the Super Eagles qualification for Russia 2018 World Cup remained on the threads due to the difficult qualifying group stage.
Nigeria was grouped alongside the highest ranked African teams in Africa, Algeria; four times African champions, Cameroon and 2012 champions Zambia.
Disu, also a former defunct green Eagles Assistant Coach, said that many coaches would be scared of taking the Eagles’ job for now due to the risk involved on their opponents’ profiles.
“I don’t think coaches will like to take Eagles’ job for now; we are in a tough group to qualify for the World Cup; consider Algeria and our perennial competitor, Cameroon and Zambia.
“If I am in the position, I will not call anybody else; I will give the job to the caretaker coach, Salisu Yusuf to take over.
“A lot of coaches have tasted that team but the only coach around now is Salisu who has also gone round and have the experience.
“He even won the friendly against Mali, so, I think he is competent enough to handle the team; he is qualified to lead them; we should support him to succeed,’’ said the former green Eagles player.
Disu restated that no coach could assure Nigeria of qualification to the World Cup, claiming that Paul Le Guen might not be ready to take the risk.
“Although there is no coach that will not like to have Nigeria in their Curriculum Vitae, but the recent rejection byf Le Guen should be an eye opener.
“This group we are in now is the strongest group; we are talking about Zambia, former Champions Algeria and Cameroon; a lot of coaches will run away from such contract.
“I can say without mincing word that nobody can beat his chest that we will qualify. So give it to Salisu.
“If Le-Guen rejects the offer, that is too bad; all hopes are high that he is going to come, but if the best he could do is to reject the offer other coaches will come.
“For someone of his pedigree, everybody thinks he will come but if his contract papers are not convincing to him, he will not come. He has travelled all over the world,’’ he added.
Disu said that Le-Guen had coached Cameroon before, so he knew what was ahead of him before considering Nigeria’s job.
“Nigeria is not a small country for Le-Guen, it should be something of pride to him to coach us if he has a good contract.
“Le Guen has coached Cameroon before so if he goes to Cameroon with the Nigerian team, he is in trouble and he knows that,’’ he said.
On the current Amuneke Flying Eagles squad, Disu advised the NFF to stick to the team.
“They are a good U-20 team we have under Amunike. This is a wonderful team, the graduation is very good. Not perfect yet but they are a promising team.
“If they continue like this working hard, they will get to be a great team, there is nothing stopping them.
“With this calibre of players from U-17 to U-20. This is exactly what I did in 1989 in the U-17. I moved them from U-17 to U-20.
They included the then set of Nduka Ugbade, Mutiu Adepoju and Dimeji Lawal,’’ he said.
Disu advised Amuneke to play more of wingers to give the team more advantages over their opponents.
“They must play in the wings at their level they should make use more of the flanks from the right side to the left, both must be balanced.
“The team can reproduce someone like Amuneke during his playing time crossing the balls from the left into the 18 yard box,’’ he said.