Super Eagles Head Coach, Sunday Oliseh who has been under barrage of attacks since the home-based Eagles crashed out of the 2016 African Nations Championship (CHAN) which ended yesterday with DR Congo as champions, has described his critics as insane.
In a bare-knuckle fight back, Oliseh did not spare those who have been calling for his sack from the Eagles job.
Speaking in a message he posted on YouTube yesterday, the former Nigerian captain insisted that Eagles performance at Rwanda 2016 did not warrant the type of attack he has been getting from a section of the media and other Nigerians who have access to the sporting press.
“I am addressing this insanity that has befallen some of our critics, and I call it insanity because you must be insane to start seeking a plebiscite on the future of the national team’s coach of Nigeria because we lost CHAN.
“With all due respect, CHAN is probably the least important tournament that is held by CAF and it is a tournament that weighs more on the strength of the leagues against one another; you can see how far Congo have gone and how TP Mazembe did in the African Champions League.
“What then should be done to the coaches of Ghana, South Africa and Egypt who did not even qualify to this tournament,” blasted Oliseh.
Against the backdrop of call for his sack, Oliseh maintained that he neither lobbied nor begged one for the Eagles job.
“I didn’t beg for this job, I didn’t even want this job. I refused it twice and it took the intervention of a highly respected friend of mine; who was in government, for me to concede and take this job.”
“I took it not to serve special interests, I took it to serve Nigerians, and if there’s one thing I know that my people know; forget the critics, is that I am patriotic.’
He, however, insisted that if his employers, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) did not want him, he was ready to go. “If you don’t want me, I’ll go.”
Oliseh who as a player was known for not tolerating injustice from any official said the performance of Super Eagles under his watch was not a bad one yet to warrant such mindless attack on him.
In continuation of trying to get his message across to Nigerians, Oliseh further told BrillaFM yesterday that Eagles have only lost twice in 14 games.
“I’ll like to remind you that this is the 14th game I have been in charge of the Super Eagles and we’ve lost only two; and only one official game.
“We’re still on track to qualify for the Nations Cup. We have qualified into the group stage for the World Cup, so where is this failure that some of our critics are trying to sell to Nigerians?
“Unless you mean that for Coach Sunday Oliseh and his crew to be successful they must win every match, Jesus Christ! even the world Champions Germany are not doing that – let alone we that are a brand new team that we’ve just started building just for some months now,” stressed the coach who stands to pick about N180 million from the NFF if his contract is terminated before expiration.
At the CHAN 2016, Nigeria defeated Niger 3-0 in the opening Group C match before being held to a one-all draw by Tunisia. Eagles’ 1-0 defeat by Guinea stopped Oliseh and his wards from matching ahead perhaps to equal the bronze won by Stephen Keshi at the 2014 edition in South Africa.
