Nigerian Coaches Scold Referees President Over Foreign Coach Comments

The Nigeria Football Coaches Association (NFCA) has described the recent comments credited to the President of the Nigeria Football Referees Association (NFRA), Tade Azeez about the Nigeria Football Coaches as unfair, vilifying and a sheer display of mediocrity by a person occupying such a respected office.

In a release in Abuja, the President of Nigeria Football Coaches Association, Bitrus Bewarang expressed disappointment at Tade’s description of coaches as businessmen who favoured only their players.

He is also surprised that the Referees’ President also called for the engagement of a foreign coach for the Super Eagles at a time when Nigerians are advocating for patronage of goods and services made in Nigeria.

“The call for engagement of a foreign coach is coming at a time when top coaches in Nigeria are undergoing the Confederation of African Football ‘A’ License Coaching course”.

Bewarang acknowledged the roles Clemence Westerhof and Bonfrere Jo played as foreign coaches engaged for the Super Eagles in the past.

“The secret of their success especially Westerhof  is that they had luxury of time to prepare for the achievement they made.

“It is clear that foreign coaches are usually over priced and given the required tools and environment to operate while in the contrary, the indigenous coaches are treated with ignominy. ”

He added that the indigenous coaches despite the poor working conditions they experience have exhibited high sense of patriotism and it is on record that they rank among the most successful coaches globally.

“The Nigerian Coaches are the handlers of the Golden Eaglets who currently hold the five times record winning of the FIFA Under 17 World Cup. ”

He reminded critics that the Dream Team (Under 23) is preparing for the Rio Olympics under the tutelage of an indigenous coach.

 “Let me ask some questions, who trained our past and present players like Stephen Keshi, Samson Siasia, Sunday Oliseh, Garba Lawal, Austn JJ Okocha, Tijani Babangida, Kanu Nwankwo, Joseph Yobo, Mikel Obi, Ahmed Musa, Vincent Enyama and many more too numerous to mention”, Bewarang  queried.

He added that the Nigerian Coaches will continue to give their best in any capacity they find themselves and also strive to improve with every opportunity they have.

The Coaches President counseled the Nigerian Referees to be focused and work on the improvement of their members who have been ridiculously excluded from virtually all the World Cups over the years.

He advised the Referees President to think on how to improve the performance of his members in officiating in the domestic league so that the various leagues will get better.

The Coaches President advised the Referees President to retract his unwarranted comments and also tender an unreserved apology to the Nigerian Coaches or else he may have sown the seed of discord that will aggravate the already charged football atmosphere. 

Patrick Ngwaogu