Allow Eric Chelle To Fully Carry Out His Assignments, Oliseh Tells NFF

Former Super Eagles captain, Sunday Oliseh has called on the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to give head coach, Eric Chelle full control over player management and selection, insisting that football administrators should not interfere in technical matters.

Oliseh said as much in an interview aired on Lagos-based sports radio station, arguing that the federation should concentrate on administration, infrastructure, commercialisation and logistics rather than decisions concerning the national team’s on-field activities.

The former Ajax and Juventus midfielder stressed that a clear division of responsibilities between coaches and administrators was essential for the effective management of the national team.

“One thing you cannot ignore is that for you to succeed, there must be a template. There must be a lead. The manager has to be the manager,” Oliseh said on Brila Fm. “When it comes to player management, it has to be the manager’s responsibility. It is nothing for the federation to handle. If you’re in the federation, you’re there to administer.”

Oliseh argued that the NFF’s primary responsibility should be to create an environment in which the coaching staff and players can perform, rather than claim credit for victories on the pitch.

He maintained that the success of a football team should be attributed to the players and coaches, while administrators should be assessed on how effectively they manage the structures and resources supporting the team.

“You are not there to take credit for football success. The success of football goes to the players and the managers,” he said.

“What you take praise for is running smoothly what happens outside the pitch  commercialisation, infrastructure. That’s where you take success. You don’t take success for the actual winning or losing of the score. That is for the actors.”

Oliseh  who led Nigeria  to silver and bronze medal finish respectively  at the  2000 and 2002 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON),  further described coaches and players as the principal actors in football, while administrators serve as facilitators responsible for providing the necessary support.

“The actors of football are the managers and players. Anybody else, you’re not an actor, a spectator. You’re a facilitator. That’s how it is,” Oliseh added.

Credit: thenationonlineng.net