Former Super Falcons handler, Sam Okpodu has advised Nigeria Football Federation NFF to give consideration to local coaches whenever they are shopping for handlers of the various national teams.
In a telephone from his base in the United States of America, the former Warri Wolves gaffer who took the Super Falcons to the 2003 FIFA Women World Cup in the United States, stated that relegating Nigerian coaches to the background will not help in the development of football in the country and wondered why the NFF is keen on hiring another foreigner as coach of the female national team; a job which he believes Nigerian coaches are best suited for.
‘It’s unfortunate that NFF is always relegating Nigerian coaches to the background and prefers engaging foreign trainers for the national teams which is not only a disgrace but avenue to waste the little resources at their disposal. I believe that if they pay Nigerian coaches half of what these foreigners collect, there is no way they cannot perform better and take our football to another pedestal.
‘It’s disheartening to hear that the football house is looking for another foreign coach for the Super Falcons when the last foreigner failed woefully in his assignment. The records are there to show that all the successes achieved by the various women national teams happened when local coaches are at the helm of affairs and that is the more reason why they should forget that idea because it will amount to waste of resources.
Okpodu while advising the football house to do the needful and look for quality local coaches to handle the Super Falcons expressed confidence on the ability of Nigerian coaches to take the team to the next level with necessary support from all stakeholders.
