TheCable

Former footballer John Fashanu says the current form of the Super Eagles is unimpressive.

Fashanu spoke in an interview with sports journalists at the inauguration of the first ever Sports University in Idumuje-Ugboko, Aniocha North local government area of Delta.

He said Sunday Oliseh, coach of Nigeria’s main football squad, still has the challenge of turning the team around to make it better.

He also appealed to the country’s football administrators to remain focused and give the needed direction to achieve the desired result.

“Super Eagles have not impressed me at all lately. I will not say the appointment of Oliseh was bad, it is a challenge; he has not had that position before,” he said.

“But we have to step up because the country now is moving backwards in terms of football in FIFA rankings.

“We are at the lowest end; it has never been like that. That means somebody at the top must do something,’’ Fashanu said.

He also chided Oliseh on a statement widely credited to him in the media.

“People say when we gave Sunday the job, he said he is not the messiah. Only one job is harder than being a Super Eagles coach in this country and that is being the president,” he said.

“So, if you are not ready to be the messiah, you better step down because being a Supper Eagles Coach, it means you have the second hardest job in this country.

“You have to bear the responsibilities because nobody cares that you have never had that job before.”

Fashanu said football funding should be the prerogative of the people, private sector and not government anymore.

He said the private sector would ensure accountability; noting that football is business and should be treated as such.

Fashanu also lamented the poor attendance at football matches in Nigeria, saying most stadiums were almost empty during crucial domestic league matches.

He also spoke on the nomination of Nigerians for the position of FIFA president.

The footballer said Orji Uzo Kalu, former governor of Abia state, who showed interest in the post, is capable of being the next FIFA president “because he is a successful businessman”.

The ex-soccer star said the NFF should have waded into the FIFA presidency issues by asking either Segun Odegbami or Kalu to step down and getting support for one of them, expressing dissatisfaction that Nigeria lost out in the race.

“NFF failed to take a critical decision on the matter,” he said.

“So, if you are not a politician, you don’t have business in football. Let everybody not believe that because you have a very successful football career, you will be a good football manager.

“It does not work like that because some football managers in the world have never kicked the ball, yet are very successful in football management.

“But the likelihood is that you will understand the game more if you actually played it.

“That I played over 2,000 matches and scored over 500 goals does not mean that I was going to be a good football manager. Football coaching is about managing players.”

He commended Ned Nwoko, a former lawmaker from Delta, for his resolve to establish a sports university in Idumuje-Ugboko, his home town, saying the initiative would help to grow sports at the grassroots.

“I am here in Delta to be a part of the biggest dream come true by my brother and friend, Ned Nwoko, who had proposed to build a sports university in the state,” he said.

“I am sure this is the only sport university in the whole of Africa. I want to be a part of this history.”