A former assistant coach of the Nigerian national football team, Sylvanus Okpala, has asserted that the key to resolving Nigerian football issues lies within the country’s own borders.
In an interview with The PUNCH on Saturday, Okpala argued that the solutions to Nigeria’s football challenges are already present domestically, despite ongoing searches abroad for potential coaches.
“Nigeria is going to Mount Kilimanjaro looking for a coach. They are going to Mount Everest looking for the coach, but the coaches that will solve Nigerian football problem for now are under their feet here in Nigeria,” Okpala emphasized.
He expressed confidence in his own ability and that of four other local coaches, stating, “If they ask me today, I will select myself including four other coaches, and we will give Nigeria what they want here in Nigeria.”
Okpala also discussed the current state of the Nigerian football team and the urgent need for World Cup qualification.
He highlighted that Nigeria still has a viable path to qualifying for the 2026 World Cup. “Nigeria still has a chance to qualify for the World Cup. There’s no doubt about that one. Anybody that takes over and doesn’t qualify for the World Cup has failed because we need to go to the next World Cup and I tell you if we don’t go to the next World Cup, there will be a lot of crisis in Nigerian football,” Okpala said.
Addressing recent controversies involving player Victor Osimhen and former national team coach Finidi George, Okpala criticized the handling of the situation on both sides.
He noted, “Osimhen made some mistakes, but there are some mistakes also somewhere too,” and stressed the importance of maintaining professionalism and discretion in player-coach relations.
Okpala, who has a history of success with the national team, including winning the Africa Cup of Nations in 1980 both as a player and an assistant coach in 2013, stated that coaches should avoid publicly criticizing their players.
“A coach does not need to criticise his players in public. It’s never done. Any good coach, you don’t criticise (your players) whether you win or you lose,” he commented.
He also addressed the misconception that Nigerian players lack respect for local coaches.
Okpala emphasized that respect is earned through professionalism and effective man-management rather than being influenced by the coach’s nationality.
Reflecting on his experience, he praised Mikel Obi as an exemplary professional, saying, “Mikel was the best professional in our team, my own personal opinion, my own personal view from what I saw.”
For future coaching appointments, Okpala advised that new coaches should prioritize engaging with players individually to set clear strategies and expectations.
“The first step I had expected him (Finidi) to take was to travel and meet with the boys,” he suggested.
Despite the recent poor performance of the national team, the Nigeria Football Federation remains committed to hiring a foreign coach as part of their strategy to rejuvenate the team’s World Cup aspirations.
The NFF is reportedly considering Herve Renard, Tom Saintfiet, and former Mali coach Eric Chelle.
Herve Renard, who is the leading candidate, boasts an impressive record, having won the Africa Cup of Nations with both Zambia and Côte d’Ivoire and leading Saudi Arabia to the 2022 World Cup.
Renard has expressed a strong desire to guide another team to the 2026 World Cup.
