By Lekan Olaseinde &Gbenga Jolaosho, Abuja
Nigeria Football Federation president Amaju Pinnick has sensationally revealed that the main reason has board employed Sunday Oliseh is because of his repertoire of knowledge and desire to evolve a playing philosophy for the national team.
Pinnick said he and other members of the board were impressed with Oliseh’s plans for Nigerian football . According to the president, Oliseh has passion and focus on the problem of the game in the country and the solution. He added that the former Nigerian international told him that he is going to restructure the playing pattern of the Eagles as soon as he gets the job.
“When he told me about his plan to restructure the playing pattern of our football, I was so much impressed because I could remember how German football, which was then known of its ruggedness and its popular German machine status was changed to tip-tap pattern. We all saw how German football’s tip tap pattern changed the structure of that country’s football.
“I believe Oliseh’s job will go beyond handling Eagles, but he is coming to redefine our football. I can see that he is extremely passionate about what he has been telling us. He has slept over it and dreamt of it. The way he has been calling some of my technical committee members telling them of his vision for our football, I know he meant business,” Pinnick explained.
Meanwhile, Director General of National Sports Commission, NSC, Alhassan Yakmut has said that the Sports Ministry would not react officially to the planned hiring of Oliseh as Eagles’ coach as he was briefed by the leadership of NFF that talks with Oliseh are still ongoing.
“We cannot conclude and react on something which is yet to be concluded. The NFF board members met me on Monday night to inform that their talks with Oliseh are still ongoing and they assured that due process would be strictly followed in the process of getting a new coach for the Eagles. I believe the NSC would not act prematurely on this matter for now,” Yakmut concluded.
