Friday Ekpo, an ex-international on Friday described the resignation of the Super Eagles handler, Sunday Oliseh, as shocking.
Oliseh in the early hours of February 26 announced his resignation, citing violations of his contract terms and unpaid salaries by the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) as well as lack of support among others.
The former Super Eagles midfielder was appointed on July 15, 2015. He took over from Stephen Keshi whose appointment was terminated by the NFF.
Ekpo said that the resignation came at a crucial time when the nation was preparing for a major qualifying match against Egypt on March 26.
“Honestly, I don’t know where we are heading to with this latest development of Oliseh’s resignation.
“I hope this won’t affect our chances of qualifying for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations.
Ekpo, also urged the leadership of the NFF to get things right in order to avert such recurrence in the future.
“The NFF should always do things the right way, that is the only way we can avoid things like this,” he said.
Also, Falade Oyekan, Chairman of the Lagos Divisional Football Association (LDFA), said he was not surprised over the coach’s resignation.
“What has Oliseh achieved as a coach? That is the question we should ask ourselves as a nation. A lot of Nigerians questioned his appointment then.
“The painful thing is that we have a very vital match at hand and he chooses to throw in the towel at this time,” he said.
Donatus Emeka, a grassroots football coach, said that Oliseh should have resigned when he failed to qualify the home-based eagles for the second round of the African Nations Championship (CHAN).
Emeka said that the NFF should be held responsible for the crises affecting football in the country.
“If you do the wrong thing, definitely you will get the wrong result and that is what has happened concerning Oliseh.
“NFF should do the needful to redeem its image and apologise to the nation,’’ he said.
Also, a former board member of NFF, Dr Peter Singabele, said Oliseh’s resignation was a setback.
Singabele said in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State that the development might affect the Eagles preparations for the Nation’s Cup qualifier against Egypt in March in Kaduna.
“The resignation of Sunday Oliseh is a drawback because as head coach of the Super Eagles, directly or indirectly, it has effect on the other national teams and football in the country.
“Whatever the reasons were, I know that for some time, there were controversies over his unguarded utterances,” he said.
Singabele, Head of Service in Bayelsa, said it appeared the NFF was in a hurry to engage Oliseh because he lacked the experience to handle the national team.
He said that in the interim, the NFF should look inwards to prepare the team for the double header against Egypt in March, while efforts were on to get a permanent manager.
“In the long run, I still believe that we have to look outside. We need an experienced hand, somebody who will command the respect of our senior players.
“I doubt if Oliseh had that command over most of our players. To handle our national team is not an assignment for beginners,’’ Singabele, who served in the NFF board from 2006 to 2010, said.
He urged the NFF to look inwards as an interim measure and later recruit an experienced manager subject to availability of funds.
