Former Nigerian international, Sam Sodje has voiced his concerns that there are too many foreign coaches as a part of the Super Eagles’ technical team.
The national side is headed up by manager Gernot Rohr, who has imported several foreign coaches to assist him in his work with the players.
According to Sodje, this limits opportunities for local coaches to be promoted into the Super Eagles set-up and improve their knowledge base and experience.
“I am worried that in the Super Eagles team we have about five foreign coaches working with Gernot Rohr. This is slavery,” said Sodje, as quoted by All Africa.
“When [Clemens] Westerhof was the Eagles coach, he only had one assistant. I see no reason the Nigerian team will have more foreign assistants when there are a lot of top coaches in Nigeria who don’t have jobs.
“The NFF claims they don’t have money, but they can afford to pay these expatriate coaches with foreign currencies, while abandoning the domestic ones.
“The foreign coaches’ impact has not been felt since Rohr took charge of the team. How can Nigerian coaches grow?
“The foreign coaches working in Nigeria collect the money and leave the country with nothing to show for it.”
Sodje adds that the influx of the foreign coaches has not given Nigeria a playing pattern.
“In modern coaching, a team must be known for a pattern. What I think the Eagles need now is to have a solid defence. A good defensive coach will solve this problem. If you have a good defence and an organised attack, your team will excel,” explained the 39-year-old.
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