BY JOE APU
THE nation’s sports administrators have been told to put in place a deliberate policy that would see coaches getting their entitlements as at when due.
The plea is coming from a former Nigeria Football Association Secretary General, Tijani Yusuf who spoke to Daily Sunsports on the death of the duo of former Super Eagles coaches, Stephen Keshi and Shuaibu Amodu.
Yusuf, who was Secretary General when Amodu led Nigeria to qualify for the 2002 World Cup held in Korea/Japan said it was unfortunate that sports administrators only pay lip service to the welfare of coaches.
Obviously saddened by the situation, Yusuf said the death of the two coaches made him weep. “I was totally down cast on hearing of the news of Amodu’s death barely three days after Keshi passed on.”
“I recall vividly that coach Amodu led Keshi and Erico in his technical crew and got us the 2002 World Cup qualification and in Mali won bronze for the country at the Nations Cup. Unfortunately, there was a gang up against them that led to the sacking of the crew without their entitlements. These men worked tirelessly and had the confidence of the players because they worked with commitment.
“Since after that incident of Mali 2002, successive administrations in the football house have been battling to correct the wrongs done to them. Amodu has really not been himself since that incident because he worked very hard and was denied his rightful place to lead Nigeria with his crew to the World Cup.
“People now talk about immortalizing them but did not take care of them when they were alive. It’s just sheer hypocrisy and this won’t help the growth of sport in the country. The time has come for us to put deliberate policy on ground for the technical people who manage our football.
Let’s give them equal opportunities like we do with the foreign coaches that have worked here; an enabling environment that makes it attractive for them to give their best at all times.”
He noted that if Nigerian coaches are treated well,they will get results that will keep Nigeria in contention at major championships.