My final say on Oliseh’s resignation- Segun Odegbami

[Toxicarrow]

My final say on Oliseh’s resignation

by Segun Odegbami 11/03/2016, 18:32

Let me apologise for remaining on this subject matter this week when so many other great things are happening around the world of football that should attract better attention now than the rather over-flogged matter of the resignation of Sunday Oliseh as coach of Nigeria’s national football team.

I promise that this would be my last comment on it.

I asked some questions last week that were begging for answers without realising that Oliseh himself would provide the answers on his blog which I later read.

By his own explanation I now know why he walked away from the job I have always claimed, even before he took it up, is the easiest and most lucrative in the world when you examine it critically – about 7 million Naira in total every month for living in Europe and occasionally working in Nigeria by assembling players for a few days at a time and playing matches that would be won more often than would be drawn or lost because of the vast superiority of Nigeria over most of Africa. The really crunch matches are few and far between.

Here is a job that most people in the sport would do anything to take for nothing or a small fraction of what he was offered - remuneration that even the President of the country does not earn, global respect and recognition, work in an industry he has excelled in and he has passion for, and opportunity to make history by managing, potentially, Africa’s strongest football team.

Now that I know why he left so unceremoniously I am even more baffled. That’s why I am remaining on the subject, but for only this final time.

To everyone that is not familiar with the Nigerian environment and our well-established football traditions, Sunday’s explanations would be justified and acceptable.

For those of us that have lived and continue to survive in this complicated and unique environment something still lingers. Why did he take up this assignment in the first place?

The state of football and its administration has not changed since even before Clemens Westerhof. Westerhof once theorised that crisis are the elixir for success in Nigerian football. That without the chaos, confusion, crisis and poor administration Nigerian football would not succeed.

He often told stories of how he would willfully stir up trouble within the football system just so that the players can draw energy from it, prove everyone wrong and win matches.

But reading Sunday’s blog I was shocked to read him cite disrespect, backlog of wages and allowances, breach of contract details, firing of his staff without his knowledge and lack of proper welfare for the players as reasons for his exit.

The history of coaching the Super Eagles is littered with all these same issues.

When some coaches even tell their own stories it makes Oliseh’s reasons sound like a fairytale.

Clemens Westerhof succeeded despite these challenges by muscling his way to the top level of the Nigerian government. He climbed over mountains of challenges that the system posed every inch of the way. He converted the threats of the challenges into weapons of success.

He learned to understand the psyche of Nigerians and masterfully found a way of dealing with everyone, including the very hard-to-deal-with players. This ability paved the way for his monumental success.

Even when he finally abandoned the team in the US in frustration following deep divisions and disagreements with the players and the officials on the eve of Nigeria’s greatest moment in football, he did so only because his contract expired with the last kick of the ball. He did not quit when the going was tough and rough.

Take the case of Stephen Keshi who learnt well from Westerhof’s example.

So much murk was hurled his way that could have frustrated him into quitting a day after he took the job but he took it all in his stride and shut everyone up by winning trophies (the Africa Cup of Nations and qualifying for the World Cup). Even when he first resigned he did so strategically after winning the African Cup. He was begged to return. That’s the power of succeeding first, not minding how it is earned.

So, coaching Nigerian football had always been a pressure-cooker affair, characterised by endless bickering and internal crisis, and fueled by a critical media and a Nigerian audience of football followers that always demand victory regardless of the circumstances under which a coach works or the team plays. No excuse is good enough to reduce people’s expectation!

Sunday Oliseh grew up, was nurtured and flourished in this environment. He knows it well like the back of his hand. He was, indeed, actively involved more than most of his colleagues in agitating and demanding for better treatment of Nigerian players, even to the extent of been labeled a tempestuous non-conformist and a radical.

That’s why even with his contributions to the evolution of probably Nigeria’s greatest team ever, he was not the most courted among the players of his generation after retiring from the game.

That’s why it took so long for Nigerian football to look in his direction when the country wanted a new generation of coaches to take over from the older ‘failed’ generation and to shape the future of Nigerian football.

That’s why the country leaned towards Eguaveon, Keshi, and Siasia and only reluctantly gave him a chance when there was no one else in the picture, and a few respected commentators justified giving him a chance and reminding everyone of his intellect, his analytical ability, his qualifications, his wide experiences as a player and the belief that as a now more mature Oliseh time must have been tempered his previous tempestuous and impatient nature. I believed he knew and would manage the pressures, criticisms and myriad of shortcomings that come with working and succeeding in Nigeria.

Nigeria has not become a different country since Oliseh retired from football and went into other things. He is a very smart guy. He knew what he was going into taking the job. He knew he would never be able to change Nigeria and the system that was there even before he was born and under which he himself grew, was nurtured and that gave him the platform to succeed.

He even knew he was inheriting a team that was low in spirit, in motivation and short on quality players. He knew he would have to fight against federation officials that have never understood the sensibilities of players and never met all the demands of previous coaches. He knew he would have to meet the expectations of Nigerians that have no compassion for coaches that do not produce instant results by winning ALL matches!

I would be disappointed to think that Sunday Oliseh, with all his intellect, did not know he was going into an oven by accepting to coach the Super Eagles of Nigeria.

He knew all these things and yet took the job. That’s my point.

He should NEVER have taken up the job in the first place if he was not prepared to live with the well-established football ‘traditions’ within which every coach before him had worked and some had succeeded.

Now that I know that he had no other reasons different from what he listed I will rest my case and stop searching for other reasons why he would unceremoniously resign from the easiest and one of the most lucrative and prestigious jobs in the world.

I welcome him back into our fold of writers, analysts, commentators and critics, a safe confine that allows us the freedom to ask of others what we ourselves are unable to deliver when given the opportunity.

http://www.supersport.com/football/blog ... esignation

[oloye]

Aghhh....Big Sheg would be labelled an NFF apologist, he must be looking for handout from them!

[Prince]

Now that I know that he had no other reasons different from what he listed I will rest my case and stop searching for other reasons why he would unceremoniously resign from the easiest and one of the most lucrative and prestigious jobs in the world.

I welcome him back into our fold of writers, analysts, commentators and critics, a safe confine that allows us the freedom to ask of others what we ourselves are unable to deliver when given the opportunity.

Egbon Sege should remain an Analyst, how is the job easy?

[ogiso]

Oliseh is old news now, no? We have a game on Friday - that should be the focus. Oliseh did not have the stomach for the job and scarpered at the earliest opportunity. Let us hope the current technical team can deliver ANC qualification despite Oliseh's cowardly exit.

[asabatex]

Analyst = big mouth

[Cellular]

Are we still talking about Oliseh?


Please, can Uncle Sege just PM Waffiman and TXJ...


Anyway, Oliseh na one sharp bobo. If we win, he go claim na bicos of the foundation he set... if we lose he go tok, blame the NFF.

[lagos777]

My final say on Oliseh’s resignation
I welcome him back into our fold of writers, analysts, commentators and critics, a safe confine that allows us the freedom to ask of others what we ourselves are unable to deliver when given the opportunity.

http://www.supersport.com/football/blog ... esignation

Now, that's telling.

[pajimoh]

I welcome him back into our fold of writers, analysts, commentators and critics, a safe confine that allows us the freedom to ask of others what we ourselves are unable to deliver when given the opportunity.

gbim, gbam, gbum, gbosa. Egypt don skear persin finish

[Obong]

OK.This must be the final nail in the Oliseh episode (if you add the now likely points over Egypt that Siasia and co will pull off). If arguably Nigeria's greatest footballer - in the same conversation with Okocha, Kanu and Yekini- can forcefully declare as above, Oliseh needs to do a whole load of soul-searching.

[Damunk]

Odegbami has no point.
You don't enter a system to deal with the same old $@#% that existed when you were growing up.
If you are brave enough, you walk the talk, go in and try and change things.
If, after trying, it won't change, you leave.
Someone else will come and take over where you left off.

Basically Uncle Sege is arguing that 'tradition' is static and does not/should not be made to evolve.

[metalalloy]

Odegbami has no point.
You don't enter a system to deal with the same old $@#% that existed when you were growing up.
If you are brave enough, you walk the talk, go in and try and change things.
If, after trying, it won't change, you leave.
Someone else will come and take over where you left off.

Basically Uncle Sege is arguing that 'tradition' is static and does not/should not be made to evolve.

You have time...

[oloye]

Odegbami has no point.
You don't enter a system to deal with the same old $@#% that existed when you were growing up.
If you are brave enough, you walk the talk, go in and try and change things.
If, after trying, it won't change, you leave.
Someone else will come and take over where you left off.

Basically Uncle Sege is arguing that 'tradition' is static and does not/should not be made to evolve.

No you are the one reaching that conclusion. Big Shege has been fighting for change for eons , so how can he be advocating for what you are infering? He has spent the last two decades or more canvassing and fighting for change, even using his own resources. So you cannot label him as advocating for the status-quo. Borrowing seara's lingo..you are projecting your imagination on his person.

[Oguleftie]

Odegbami has no point.
You don't enter a system to deal with the same old $@#% that existed when you were growing up.
If you are brave enough, you walk the talk, go in and try and change things.
If, after trying, it won't change, you leave.
Someone else will come and take over where you left off.

Basically Uncle Sege is arguing that 'tradition' is static and does not/should not be made to evolve.

No you are the one reaching that conclusion. Big Shege has been fighting for change for eons , so how can he be advocating for what you are infering? He has spent the last two decades or more canvassing and fighting for change, even using his own resources. So you cannot label him as advocating for the status-quo. Borrowing seara's lingo..you are projecting your imagination on his person.

Oloye
Some people are young or medium age, and are not old or very old enough to have known naija football from time immemorial in physical person and what each individual did or did not do.

[BAP]

Odegbami has no point.
You don't enter a system to deal with the same old $@#% that existed when you were growing up.
If you are brave enough, you walk the talk, go in and try and change things.
If, after trying, it won't change, you leave.
Someone else will come and take over where you left off.

Basically Uncle Sege is arguing that 'tradition' is static and does not/should not be made to evolve.

No you are the one reaching that conclusion. Big Shege has been fighting for change for eons , so how can he be advocating for what you are infering? He has spent the last two or more canvassing and fighting for change, even using his own resources. So you cannot label him as advocating for the status-quo. Borrowing seara's lingo..you are projecting your imagination on his person.

Still doesnt change the fact that his position here makes no sense and I sense a tinge of bad belle .. as in why did that young whipper snapper get such a lucrative deal in the first place ?

[metalalloy]

Odegbami has no point.
You don't enter a system to deal with the same old $@#% that existed when you were growing up.
If you are brave enough, you walk the talk, go in and try and change things.
If, after trying, it won't change, you leave.
Someone else will come and take over where you left off.

Basically Uncle Sege is arguing that 'tradition' is static and does not/should not be made to evolve.

No you are the one reaching that conclusion. Big Shege has been fighting for change for eons , so how can he be advocating for what you are infering? He has spent the last two or more canvassing and fighting for change, even using his own resources. So you cannot label him as advocating for the status-quo. Borrowing seara's lingo..you are projecting your imagination on his person.

Someone advocating for change wouldn't be making statments like this

He should NEVER have taken up the job in the first place if he was not prepared to live with the well-established football ‘traditions’ within which every coach before him had worked and some had succeeded.

If there is evidence of Odegbami cautioning prospective Nigerian coaches about this "well established football traditions" when the job was vacant, then he would have a case.

[BAP]

OK.This must be the final nail in the Oliseh episode (if you add the now likely points over Egypt that Siasia and co will pull off). If arguably Nigeria's greatest footballer - in the same conversation with Okocha, Kanu and Yekini- can forcefully declare as above, Oliseh needs to do a whole load of soul-searching.

As you should too

[oloye]

Odegbami has no point.
You don't enter a system to deal with the same old $@#% that existed when you were growing up.
If you are brave enough, you walk the talk, go in and try and change things.
If, after trying, it won't change, you leave.
Someone else will come and take over where you left off.

Basically Uncle Sege is arguing that 'tradition' is static and does not/should not be made to evolve.

No you are the one reaching that conclusion. Big Shege has been fighting for change for eons , so how can he be advocating for what you are infering? He has spent the last two or more canvassing and fighting for change, even using his own resources. So you cannot label him as advocating for the status-quo. Borrowing seara's lingo..you are projecting your imagination on his person.

Someone advocating for change wouldn't be making statments like this

He should NEVER have taken up the job in the first place if he was not prepared to live with the well-established football ‘traditions’ within which every coach before him had worked and some had succeeded.

If there is evidence of Odegbami cautioning prospective Nigerian coaches about this "well established football traditions" when the job was vacant, then he would have a case.

Once again , you are trying hard to conclude that he was advocating for the norm. He mentioned well established tradition(a fact!) to highlight the fact that this was in place before he accepted the job, not because he is saying it should remain. He mentioned a prevalent tradition not from the point of supporting this, but simply saying this ought to have weighted in when Oliseh took the job.....if you read that part on its own just to reach your conclusion , it is easy to see why you feel he is advocating for the norm. To understand his position better you should factor his position and dilemma in the hands of the NFF, that would give you a context to work on. Feel free to reach whatever conclusion, but while doing so, remember that Odegbami has fought NFF with everything at his disposal not only with mouth, it is easy for me to understand his point without ascribing to him a position he never took, simply because i choose to interpret a portion of his write up that seems to fit my agenda.

[oloye]

Odegbami has no point.
You don't enter a system to deal with the same old $@#% that existed when you were growing up.
If you are brave enough, you walk the talk, go in and try and change things.
If, after trying, it won't change, you leave.
Someone else will come and take over where you left off.

Basically Uncle Sege is arguing that 'tradition' is static and does not/should not be made to evolve.

No you are the one reaching that conclusion. Big Shege has been fighting for change for eons , so how can he be advocating for what you are infering? He has spent the last two or more canvassing and fighting for change, even using his own resources. So you cannot label him as advocating for the status-quo. Borrowing seara's lingo..you are projecting your imagination on his person.

Still doesnt change the fact that his position here makes no sense and I sense a tinge of bad belle .. as in why did that young whipper snapper get such a lucrative deal in the first place ?

Still projecting...you dont know Big Sheg, if you know him you wont think never mind write, what you just wrote.

[smartbrother]

oliseh was mentally unwell
its a shame his condition wasnt diagnosed earlier

[BAP]

Odegbami has no point.
You don't enter a system to deal with the same old $@#% that existed when you were growing up.
If you are brave enough, you walk the talk, go in and try and change things.
If, after trying, it won't change, you leave.
Someone else will come and take over where you left off.

Basically Uncle Sege is arguing that 'tradition' is static and does not/should not be made to evolve.

No you are the one reaching that conclusion. Big Shege has been fighting for change for eons , so how can he be advocating for what you are infering? He has spent the last two or more canvassing and fighting for change, even using his own resources. So you cannot label him as advocating for the status-quo. Borrowing seara's lingo..you are projecting your imagination on his person.

Still doesnt change the fact that his position here makes no sense and I sense a tinge of bad belle .. as in why did that young whipper snapper get such a lucrative deal in the first place ?

Still projecting...you dont know Big Sheg, if you know him you wont think never mind write, what you just wrote.

Ok let me ask .. why did he throw his hat in for the FIFA presidency knowing fully well that it was a long shot only at the end of the day to lament the lack of NFF support http://allafrica.com/stories/201510280587.html

How were his actions any different IN PRINCIPLE from Oliseh's actions ?

See more:
http://www.completesportsnigeria.com/fi ... onditions/

FIFA Presidency: Odegbami Rejects NFF Conditions
17 SEP 2015
HEADLINES, TOP STORIES
—Refuses To "Hobnob" With Corrupt Elements

Aspiring FIFA presidential candidate Chief Olusegun Odegbami has flatly rejected the Nigeria Football Federation directive that would-be Nigerian candidates for the FIFA top job must obtain an initial endorsement from the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
In a very strongly worded letter of protest addressed to NFF President Amaju Pinnick, Odegbami slammed the NFF for creating "obstacles" to his candidature rather than proudly facilitating the process of his application as a Nigerian.
Odegbami reminded the NFF that the upcoming FIFA elections are centred around ridding the world body of corruption and he would not be seen "hobnobbing" with any corrupt individual or establishment so that his chances at the elections will not be compromised.
The former national team captain then advised the NFF to withdraw its "unconstitutional requirements" and nominate a credible Nigerian for the FIFA Presidential elections urgently.
Below is the full content of the explosive letter…


Read more at http://www.completesportsnigeria.com/fi ... DBVFQSq.99

[BAP]

Here re excerpts from the letter Odegbami wrote to the NFF about his OWN candidacy fro FIFA president

I informed you also that I had already sent my official notification letter to the NFF and that I would be expecting a response.

On September 2, 2015, after extensive consultations with some stakeholders that could assist and support my aspiration, I publicly made my intentions known to the world.

Of course, I expected that the NFF would conduct its own integrity and eligibility tests and decide which of the Nigerians that have applied for nomination to the NFF, to be offered the only nomination spot.

However, I was perturbed and shocked to see you, the NFF president, reveal on a television programme – Sports This Morning – on Channels Television, on Monday September 14, 2015, that the NFF Executive committee had met and decided that Nigerians interested in contesting for the position of FIFA president should secure the following endorsements in order to be nominated;
1. Endorsement of their State Football Association
2. Endorsement of the National Sports Commission [NSC] – the government agency that supervises all sports in Nigeria
3. Endorsement of the Confederation of African Football [CAF].

I find the last two of these requests very bizarre, and a product of lack of familiarity with the guidelines for the FIFA presidential elections. In my view, it reeks of and it is a reflection of insensitivity to the prevailing situation around global football that currently faces integrity issues. It further appears to be a calculated attempt to pursue an entirely private agenda at the expense of national benefits cum interests.


Read more at http://www.completesportsnigeria.com/fi ... DBVFQSq.99

Ironically Odegbamis letter answers the question Odegbami asks of Oliseh ...NFF officials reassure you that things will be one way pertaining to your situation but when push comes to shove they do something else ... see underlined portion above

[metalalloy]

I must be moving up in the world that i have "Agenda" now Ngwa nu, you keep mentioning that Odegbami has fought the NFF with everything at his disposal, where has he fought against the "well established traditions"?


I'm just going to leave this here. Here is Odegbami before Oliseh's appointment clearly stating that Oliseh doesn't know about the NFF politics and should be ok if he simply faces the tactical aspect of the game

But can he cope with the politics there? The reporter is asking about Oliseh here...

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/07/kesh ... -odegbami/

It is good that he does not know that aspect because if you play the politics, then you will be consumed by it. If you go there and face your technical job, you don’t have a problem[/size][/color]. Keshi was trying to play the two. Why did he remain? It was politics. Politics kept him there and politics sent him packing. He didn’t leave the job now, they sent him away. How could they have had the guts to send him away but for the political change that occurred. That is the reality of it.

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/07/kesh ... -odegbami/

All of a sudden now oliseh "knew all those things"


There are several articles where Odegbami was shrilling for Oliseh to take the job. You would think someone fighting hard for change would warn an incoming coach. But what do i know? Afterall, i have an "agenda"

[oloye]

I must be moving up in the world that i have "Agenda" now Ngwa nu, you keep mentioning that Odegbami has fought the NFF with everything at his disposal, where has he fought against the "well established traditions"?


I'm just going to leave this here. Here is Odegbami before Oliseh's appointment clearly stating that Oliseh doesn't know about the NFF politics and should be ok if he simply faces the tactical aspect of the game

But can he cope with the politics there? The reporter is asking about Oliseh here...

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/07/kesh ... -odegbami/

It is good that he does not know that aspect because if you play the politics, then you will be consumed by it. If you go there and face your technical job, you don’t have a problem[/size][/color]. Keshi was trying to play the two. Why did he remain? It was politics. Politics kept him there and politics sent him packing. He didn’t leave the job now, they sent him away. How could they have had the guts to send him away but for the political change that occurred. That is the reality of it.

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/07/kesh ... -odegbami/

All of a sudden now oliseh "knew all those things"


There are several articles where Odegbami was shrilling for Oliseh to take the job. You would think someone fighting hard for change would warn an incoming coach. But what do i know? Afterall, i have an "agenda"

Shrilling for him to take the job and expecting him to know the terrain are two different things. I have stated before,that going by yhe antecedents of NFF ,if i am a coach being offered a job with them, my contract along the lines of payments would demand that that my salaries should be paid upfront to cover crucial football timetables or competitions.

Now let us assume i am a desperate coach desperate for a job and i decide to waive this part...well should i be surprised if i run into what NFF are known to do?

I can still advice a coach to work for NFF but i will highlight the evil or should i say the ills of the organisation while counselling the coach to weight them in his delibrations and decisions.

Truth is coaches would still line up for the job,each probably armed with whatever strategy they think would be deployed in dealing with the nff and their shenanigans.

Now if i am dealing with say someone like Kanu, Finidi...seriously what advice can i give them if they say they want to coach SE? These guys know NFF inside out. I will tell them to go ahead,afterall if anyone should be competent to deal with nff ,it would be these guys...nor be so.

You are still picking parts of a whole context. As for the agenda bit, what i implied by that is simply that you wanted to conclude that Big Sheg had no point....nothing serious i believe ,dont fret bro!

You can say Big Sheg should have taken his own advice with the FiFa brouhaha and i would agree with you. But then Big Sheg went to them as a last resort and because he had to. It was never gonna work since they do not like his face there anyway.