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Sunday Oliseh reveals that the NFF warned him against inviting John Obi Mikel, Vincent Enyeama and Emmanuel Emenike to the Super Eagles, claiming the trio were causing problems in camp.
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The former Super Eagles coach says he travelled to France to meet Enyeama and personally funded a trip to London to meet Mikel and Victor Moses, but was disappointed when Mikel failed to honour the appointment or respond to his WhatsApp message.
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Oliseh describes Mikel’s failure to attend their arranged meeting as one of the biggest insults he had experienced, insisting that players must respect the office of the national team coach regardless of their club status or achievements.
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The former Nigeria manager criticises the quality of the current Super Eagles squad, arguing that the country’s football struggles are largely due to a lack of top-quality players.
October 30, (THEWILL) – Former Super Eagles coach, Sunday Oliseh, has revealed that the Nigeria Football Federation warned him not to invite the trio of Vincent Enyeama, Emmanuel Emenike, and John Obi Mikel when he took over the team.
Oliseh was appointed as the Super Eagles coach in July 2015 by the NFF board led by Amaju Pinnick, he signed a three-year deal before he resigned in February 2016.
While speaking on the Play Zone Podcast, Oliseh regretted his decision not to invite the three players, who according to the NFF, were causing problems in camp.
Oliseh recalled travelling from Belgium to France to meet Enyeama, who was playing for Lille in the French Ligue 1 at the time to discuss his plans for the team with him.
He also confirmed that he travelled to London to meet with Victor Moses, and Mikel Obi, but was disappointed when Mikel failed to honour his invitation.
Oliseh said: “I regret not having listened to the NFF. Because when I took over the job, the first thing NFF told me was to stop inviting three of them (Mikel, Enyeama and Emenike) because they were chaotic to the NFF.
“I did the same thing for Obi Mikel. With my own money, not the NFF money, I went to the UK, sent a message to the clubs, sent a message to him (Mikel), sent message not only to him but also to Victor Moses, gave them an appointment at a bar that was accessible in the heart of London, with my assistant coach, for two of them to come and have meeting.
“Now, of the two of them, who did not come to the meeting? Obi Mikel did not come to the meeting. Victor Moses came. Obi Mikel did not even respond to the WhatsApp message,”
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Oliseh described Mikel’s failure to attend the meeting as one of the biggest insults he had experienced, although he said he did not take it personally. On the other hand, he praised Emmanuel Emenike for his professionalism.
He added: “Maybe because he’ll say, ‘I play for this big club now,’ but you see, that’s why they say sometimes Sunday (Oliseh) is direct. Where did you play that I did not play? What did you play that I did not play?
“Even though the coach was not a footballer or not as big as you, the fact that they’ve given him that title ‘national team coach’, means you have to respect the position he’s holding.”
The former Fortuna Sittard manager also lamented about the quality of players in the current Super Eagles team.
Oliseh continued: “The reason why we are failing is so obvious that I am embarrassed when I hear people don’t talk about it. We are failing because we are not good enough.
“Which of the Nigerian players in the national team now is playing at a team that starts this season to aspire to win the Conference League?” he asked.
“I’m not even going to Champions League or E. Conference League, which is the smallest European title.”
Oliseh managed 12 matches for the Super Eagles, winning five, drawing five and losing two.
