"Mikel is stubborn. I cannot tolerate people like that" - Samson Siasia

[Sunset]

The full interview for those looking for context








VIDEO CHAPTERS:
0:00 Intro.
1:43 Quick profile on Samson Siasia.
3:50 Fond memories about his Dad (who passed on the day of this podcast shooting).
6:39 Growing up in Ajegunle.
7:45 Siasia's early days as a footballer.
10:38 Making it to Europe - first stop, Lokeren, Belgium.
13:00 Racism in Europe.
14:54 Moving to FC Nantes in France.
13:46 What did Garba Lawal do with his first professional salary?
16:31 Siasia speaks on teammates Patrice Loko, Japheth N'Doram & Coach Jean-Claude Suaudeau
18:14 The origins of Siasia's nickname Black Mamba and Eusebio.
19:04 Relationship with Clemens Westerhof and his controversial benching in the 90's.
25:12 Siasia's coaching philosophy.
31:06 Facing the challenges of the Rio 2016 Olympics squad debacle.
47:44 Best rated wins as a coach.
49:44 Succeeding Sunday Oliseh as national team coach.
51:42 Double standard between local and foreign coaches.
53:49 The FIFA bribery allegation controversy.
59:27 Siasia's counter-lawsuit against FIFA.
1:01:20 Rapid Fire Segment.
1:02:31 Start. Bench. Cut - Odegbami, Yekini, Osimhen.
1:03:45 Start. Bench. Cut - Jay Jay Okocha, Mikel Obi, Etim Esin.
1:04:15 Greatest stadium atmosphere ever?
1:04:40 Best coach ever, and why?
1:04:54 Most complete player ever you've coached?
1:05:39 Most complete player ever played against?
1:05:57 How would you summarise your coaching philosophy?
1:06:18 Your top five-aside team?
1:07:09 Your greatest striking partner?
1:07:36 Toughest defender you've ever played against?
1:08:16 Fondest moment with the Super Eagles 94 squad?
1:08:48 Best goal you've ever scored?
1:09:30 Siasia's top 5 Nigerian players of all time.
1:10:05 Most exciting players to watch on the current Super Eagles squad.
1:12:29 What player reminds you of yourself?
1:13:00 Siasia's all-time Super Eagles starting 11.

[amafolas]

yeah pass. if you speak about your players like that, you're not a coach. There's a reason this man only works well with youth teams. No respecting adult wants to be talked to like "i warned him well well".

Dude people are grown, if you have no idea how to talk to and engage adult professionals, go learn.

[Damunk]

yeah pass. if you speak about your players like that, you're not a coach. There's a reason this man only works well with youth teams. No respecting adult wants to be talked to like "i warned him well well".

Dude people are grown, if you have no idea how to talk to and engage adult professionals, go learn.

I agree with you.
I was shocked to hear that.
But interestingly, Edafe and Emmanuel told him that he too was “stubborn” and he seemed genuinely surprised to hear it.

[gochino]

I think he must have been referring to the 17 year old Mikel he coached in the U20 tournament.

[Lolly]

[danfo driver]

yeah pass. if you speak about your players like that, you're not a coach. There's a reason this man only works well with youth teams. No respecting adult wants to be talked to like "i warned him well well".

Dude people are grown, if you have no idea how to talk to and engage adult professionals, go learn.

I agree with you.
I was shocked to hear that.
But interestingly, Edafe and Emmanuel told him that he too was “stubborn” and he seemed genuinely surprised to hear it.

[danfo driver]

yeah pass. if you speak about your players like that, you're not a coach. There's a reason this man only works well with youth teams. No respecting adult wants to be talked to like "i warned him well well".

Dude people are grown, if you have no idea how to talk to and engage adult professionals, go learn.

There is a reason they love Ahmed Musa. He bows down for them. They can insult him, talk down on him and he will still be doing rankadede for them.

[danfo driver]

Like I said, the Class of '94 is the worst thing to happen to our football - nothing can compare.

[oscar52]

I enjoyed the interview. Good to see Siasia looking fresh and youthful. He is in my top 5 best Nigerian players ever.

[Lolly]

I enjoyed the interview. Good to see Siasia looking fresh and youthful. He is in my top 5 best Nigerian players ever.

[wiseone]

[deanotito]

I'm with O'neil. Any owner that allows that much player power will never get the best out of his club. I understand some clubs are just set up this way, but had you become a Chelsea manager in those days, and you didn't fancy John Terry/Lampard as a starter, good chance you would be fired before the season's end...cause they would orchestrate a coup

[Enugu II]

I'm with O'neil. Any owner that allows that much player power will never get the best out of his club. I understand some clubs are just set up this way, but had you become a Chelsea manager in those days, and you didn't fancy John Terry/Lampard as a starter, good chance you would be fired before the season's end...cause they would orchestrate a coup

Dean,

This easier said than done. Imagine, for one moment, that one of these guys is a vintage Messi's manager. There is no way that individual will handle Messi as they will likely handle others. It isn't just the owner that the manager has to be worried about, but also the fans, corporations, etc. That is the real world. Fortunately, players like vintage Messi are few and far between.

[Tobi17]

yeah pass. if you speak about your players like that, you're not a coach. There's a reason this man only works well with youth teams. No respecting adult wants to be talked to like "i warned him well well".

Dude people are grown, if you have no idea how to talk to and engage adult professionals, go learn.

There is a reason they love Ahmed Musa. He bows down for them. They can insult him, talk down on him and he will still be doing rankadede for them.

Of course Musa is the "poster boy" for that grinning "Oga sir, rankadede Alhaji" type of guy who will bow like a biaTch to every babariga wearing NFF politician he meets...that's why he's their go-to guy when the criminals want to negotiate their own cuts from the players and coaches bonuses. Nigerian leaders HATE when someone tells them to fock off to their faces and refuses to twerk for them, which makes me suspect is the reason why players like Victor Moses, Mikel Obi etc all retired than kiss arse.

[Cellular]

I'm with O'neil. Any owner that allows that much player power will never get the best out of his club. I understand some clubs are just set up this way, but had you become a Chelsea manager in those days, and you didn't fancy John Terry/Lampard as a starter, good chance you would be fired before the season's end...cause they would orchestrate a coup

What world do you guys live in?

Players should have the power. You seem not to have any idea what (effective) leadership is all about. There's a reason why some coaches are consistent winners. They have to find a way to relate with players.

Communication!

Abramovich understood how to make these players loyal to the club. In a lot of instances, passion is what separates you from teams that also have good players and a good coach.

[wiseone]

What is the point of having a manager then if “players should have the power”? Why not let a bunch of teenagers and young 20 somethings manage themselves, train when they want, and pick the formation and tactics. Presumably, Foden and de Bruyne would have still become the players they are today without Pep’s coaching. Ditto Beckham, Ronaldo, Giggs, Scholes et al without Ferguson.

We can also extend this to the workplace and “let employees have the power” so they can turn in projects when they want and only work hours they want to without any board of directors or executive management.

What world do you guys live in?

Players should have the power. You seem not to have any idea what (effective) leadership is all about. There's a reason why some coaches are consistent winners. They have to find a way to relate with players.

Communication!

Abramovich understood how to make these players loyal to the club. In a lot of instances, passion is what separates you from teams that also have good players and a good coach.

[maceo4]

What is the point of having a manager then if “players should have the power”? Why not let a bunch of teenagers and young 20 somethings manage themselves, train when they want, and pick the formation and tactics. Presumably, Foden and de Bruyne would have still become the players they are today without Pep’s coaching. Ditto Beckham, Ronaldo, Giggs, Scholes et al without Ferguson.

We can also extend this to the workplace and “let employees have the power” so they can turn in projects when they want and only work hours they want to without any board of directors or executive management.

What world do you guys live in?

Players should have the power. You seem not to have any idea what (effective) leadership is all about. There's a reason why some coaches are consistent winners. They have to find a way to relate with players.

Communication!

Abramovich understood how to make these players loyal to the club. In a lot of instances, passion is what separates you from teams that also have good players and a good coach.

Of course you need someone to manage the group, however dictatorship can’t work when you are dealing with a certain caliber of player that any club would love to have and are proven winners and beloved by the club. A good manager knows how to get on with his players to get the best out of them. If they all feel like a certain player gives them the best chance to win why as a manager would you not give yourself the best opportunity to win?

At the end of the day in sports the players are more valued than the coaches and that’s quite clear to see in their pay, so it’s nothing like your workplace scenario where the managers usually earns more than employees. Whoever gets the big bucks calls the shots, you have to get the right manager that can work with them if you want to get the best out of them. You are living in denial if you think otherwise. Lebron, Jordan, Messi, Ronaldo call the shots…period, if you can’t check your ego as a coach you can’t coach the best of the best…we’ve seen likes of DeBruyne go at the best coach around and you think these other mid coaches are exempt if they start acting up lol…

[wiseone]

Your analysis assumes that the players are always right (which they rarely are). If you give power to the players, they will do what is best for themselves, not what is best for the team.

If you let players call the shots, they will keep picking themselves in the first 11 until they turn 55. They would also never drop themselves even if they play badly. Notice that Terry turned the team against Benitez when he got into his 30s, slowed down (not that he was ever blessed with pace even when he was 20), and Benitez started rotating him because it was clear that he was coming to the end of his career. It is reckless to give power to such a player who wants to remain on top forever, blocks younger and more athletic players' path to the first team, and refuses to recognise that his body is ageing.

Ronaldo similarly caused problems for Solskjaer, Rangnick, and ETH when he threw a tantrum every time he was substituted or was asked to start a match on the bench. He destabilised the whole club every time he got substituted. I remember a game where Rangnick took him off and Ronaldo argued with Rangnick on the touch line (even though Rangnick proved to be right as the player who replaced Ronaldo scored the winning goal). That says something about Ronaldo’s judgment.

It takes a spectacular lack of self awareness for a legendary but ageing striker pushing 40yo not to recognise that he cannot play every game in a sport dominated by teenagers and 20-somethings.

Of course you need someone to manage the group, however dictatorship can’t work when you are dealing with a certain caliber of player that any club would love to have and are proven winners and beloved by the club. A good manager knows how to get on with his players to get the best out of them. If they all feel like a certain player gives them the best chance to win why as a manager would you not give yourself the best opportunity to win?

At the end of the day in sports the players are more valued than the coaches and that’s quite clear to see in their pay, so it’s nothing like your workplace scenario where the managers usually earns more than employees. Whoever gets the big bucks calls the shots, you have to get the right manager that can work with them if you want to get the best out of them. You are living in denial if you think otherwise. Lebron, Jordan, Messi, Ronaldo call the shots…period, if you can’t check your ego as a coach you can’t coach the best of the best…we’ve seen likes of DeBruyne go at the best coach around and you think these other mid coaches are exempt if they start acting up lol…

[bret- hart]

This is why i dont want any member of the 94 set to coach the SEs. Their egos are too big. Hence why they love flooding the team with rubbish players from Tanzania that will kiss their arse after the fact. Meanwhile they will fustrate the FB players. Somebody needs to tell these guys that 94 was 30 years ago. Most of our players currently were not even born then. They need to STFU and just go away same with the 92 Manchester united set led by Roy Keane. Useless bunch of retirees.

[Undertaker]

This is why i dont want any member of the 94 set to coach the SEs. Their egos are too big. Hence why they love flooding the team with rubbish players from Tanzania that will kiss their arse after the fact. Meanwhile they will fustrate the FB players. Somebody needs to tell these guys that 94 was 30 years ago. Most of our players currently were not even born then. They need to STFU and just go away same with the 92 Manchester united set led by Roy Keane. Useless bunch of retirees.

Dude, I agree with you 100%! I found his interview boring. He was very arrogant and stubborn. You can see they didn't want to upset him. He didn't explain the bribery allegation properly or in detail. Yes, he was a very good youth coach but that is where it stopped! His ego is there for all to see. Dude, you were playing in Belgium and France. Two farmer's leagues.

Did you see that he picked all his 1994 team members for Nigeria's best 11 except the goalkeeper?

[bret- hart]

This is why i dont want any member of the 94 set to coach the SEs. Their egos are too big. Hence why they love flooding the team with rubbish players from Tanzania that will kiss their arse after the fact. Meanwhile they will fustrate the FB players. Somebody needs to tell these guys that 94 was 30 years ago. Most of our players currently were not even born then. They need to STFU and just go away same with the 92 Manchester united set led by Roy Keane. Useless bunch of retirees.

Dude, I agree with you 100%! I found his interview boring. He was very arrogant and stubborn. You can see they didn't want to upset him. He didn't explain the bribery allegation properly or in detail. Yes, he was a very good youth coach but that is where it stopped! His ego is there for all to see. Dude, you were playing in Belgium and France. Two farmer's leagues.

Did you see that he picked all his 1994 team members for Nigeria's best 11 except the goalkeeper?

Kpom. I blame the Nigerian media for kissing their a$$e$ constantly. Overhyped generation. If they had put their egos in check and worked as a team we would have won the 94 world cup and Yekini would have been the GOAT African striker of all time not Drogba or Eto. The worst of that bunch is Daniel Amockachi. Corrupt peice of sh!!t.

[Damunk]

yeah pass. if you speak about your players like that, you're not a coach. There's a reason this man only works well with youth teams. No respecting adult wants to be talked to like "i warned him well well".

Dude people are grown, if you have no idea how to talk to and engage adult professionals, go learn.

There is a reason they love Ahmed Musa. He bows down for them. They can insult him, talk down on him and he will still be doing rankadede for them.

Of course Musa is the "poster boy" for that grinning "Oga sir, rankadede Alhaji" type of guy who will bow like a biaTch to every babariga wearing NFF politician he meets...that's why he's their go-to guy when the criminals want to negotiate their own cuts from the players and coaches bonuses. Nigerian leaders HATE when someone tells them to fock off to their faces and refuses to twerk for them, which makes me suspect is the reason why players like Victor Moses, Mikel Obi etc all retired than kiss arse.

You are obviously shaping the narrative to fit your own biases.
When outspoken hothead superstars like Victor Osimhen come out unprompted in public to support Ahmed Musa, you need to ask yourself whether your preconceptions could be wrong.

As for the highlighted underlined, I’m not sure it is only Nigerian leaders it applies to.
Try telling your own boss to “Fock off to his face” and see where your nyansh lands the very next morning.


I’m assuming your boss is not Nigerian.

[Kabalega]

The full interview for those looking for context

As a neutral, I find Siasia reasonable. I don’t why folks are misrepresenting Siasia’s reply.
Unless I misunderstood the meaning of, “ Mikel is out of my league!”

The gist, is Mikel was too much work for Siasia to get the best out of him because he was stubborn to coach.