A former assistant coach of the Nigerian national football team, Sylvanus Okpala, has voiced his opinion on the current state of Nigerian football and the recent controversies surrounding the team.
Okpala, in an interview with PUNCH Online on Saturday, emphasised the need for homegrown solutions to the country’s football challenges.
“Nigeria are going to Mount Kilimanjaro looking for a coach. They are going to Mount Everest looking for the coach, but the coaches that will solve Nigerian football problem for now are under their feet here in Nigeria,” Okpala stated.
He added, “If they ask me today, I will select myself including four other coaches, and we will give Nigeria what they want here in Nigeria.”
He added that there is still a chance for the nation to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, emphasising the importance of the Super Eagles securing qualification.
“Nigeria still has a chance to qualify for the World Cup. There’s no doubt about that one. Anybody that takes over and doesn’t qualify for the World Cup has failed because we need to go to the next World Cup and I tell you if we don’t go to the next World Cup, there will be a lot of crisis in Nigerian football,” he said.
Addressing the earlier controversy involving Victor Osimhen and the ex-national team coach, Okpala criticised both parties for their handling of the situation.
He said, “Osimhen made some mistakes, but there are some mistakes also somewhere too.”
Okpala, who won the AFCON title in 1980 as a player and as an assistant coach in 2013, emphasised that coaches should not publicly criticise their players, stating, “A coach does not need to criticise his players in public. It’s never done. Any good coach, you don’t criticise (your players) whether you win or you lose.”
This is coming after former coach Finidi George was quoted to have said he can’t beg Osimhen to play for the national team after the player withdrew from their last two 2026 World Cup qualifiers due to injury in June.
Speaking further, Okpala also dismissed claims that Nigerian players don’t respect local coaches.
He pointed out that respect is not about race but about professionalism and man-management.
Reflecting on his time with the national team, Okpala shared insights into player management.
He mentioned Mikel Obi as an example of a consummate professional, saying, “Mikel was the best professional in our team, my own personal opinion, my own personal view from what I saw.”
Okpala also offered advice for future coaching appointments, suggesting that new coaches should prioritise meeting with players individually to discuss strategies and expectations.
“The first step I had expected him (Finidi) to take was to travel and meet with the boys,” he said.
Meanwhile, after a dismal start to the campaign, the NFF has not wavered in its resolve to name a foreign coach as part of its plan to resurrect Nigeria’s dreams of making it to the FIFA World Cup in 2026.
Herve Renard, Tom Saintfiet, and former Mali coach Eric Chelle are said to have made the NFF’s shortlist of coaches.
Herve Renard is considered the front-runner among the contenders because of his records, including winning the African Cup of Nations with both Zambia and Côte d’Ivoire.
Additionally, Renard led Saudi Arabia to the FIFA World Cup in 2022, and he has shown his desire to lead another country to the international arena in 2026.