Former Nigeria Sports Minister, Bolaji Abdulahi and a British journalist, Satish Sekar have backed former Green Eagles captain, Segun Odegbami’s claim that another former captain of the Nigeria senior national football team, Joseph Yobo has what it takes to lead Nigeria to the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Odegbami proposed in his weekly column in Complete Sports on Saturday that ‘Yobo, after two years of providing him the necessary training and exposure, should become the coach of the Super Eagles to the FIFA World Cup, Qatar 2022.
The article has been generating great international interest and provoking serious debate and discourse in several media.
Abdulahi and Sekar agree with Odegbami that Yobo has the technical ability, the exposure, the personality and has displayed excellent character and exemplary leadership.
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“I am solidly with you on this. As Minister, I had a close interaction with Joseph at some of the most critical moments in my time. I saw clearly all that you have seen. In addition, I also found him to be emotionally intelligent – one major attribute of leadership in a complex arena as sports,” Abdullahi was quoted to have said in an aticle Odegbami wrote for opera.com.
Sekar who is also the editor of empower sports magazine concurs and was quoted thus in the article: “Interesting argument, But I must add to it. Not only should Yobo be considered but look at the class of 2013. Identify players with leadership credentials on the pitch, and character off it. Invest in them. Train them for coaching as they are nearing the end of their playing careers. As they approach the end on the pitch they begin to develop abilities and have a long future. For example, Vincent Enyeama. Let him start as a goalkeeping coach with a view to becoming a national coach in future”.
Odegbami compared Yobo to former Barcelona captain, Xavi Hernandez who retired from football in 2019, joined a local Club in Saudi Arabia last May as manager and was approached by one of the greatest clubs in the world, his former club, FC Barcelona to become their coach albeit he turned down the offer.
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COMMENTS
Loool!! Chei! OK bcos of his emotional intelligence and personality u think he can coach the almighty super eagles and eventually take them to the world cup in 2022???. Loool… How can people with sense reason like this??? Oliseh wey we dy see as the pep guardiola of Africa with all his experience home and abroad absconded from the job when the heat became too much for him to handle let alone a rookie who has not even coached a five aside team talk more of the super eagles? I can see clearly what is happening behind the scenes that has given birth to the new absurd contract given to rohr to personally hang himself. U think coaching a team ends in being a good soccer pundit on TV and havin the “personality”? You people have forgotten where were before rohr came and thinkered the team to a formidable force in the world and now u feel that Mr rohr having laboured so hard to bring success and cohesion to team u can do away with him and Bring a rookie to steer the ship. Nemesis awaits each and everyone of u involved in this evil and wicked plan. Rohr, like I said before will not accept that garbage of a contract, then you’ll now have the opportunity to execute ur evil plans. Ndi Ara!!!!””””
@Oakfield
Don’t mind these jesters. It’s just the general mentality rampant in Nigeria: Once you’re an ex–this or ex–that every work that drops from your mouth is gold and should be swallowed without questioning, even if the majority of people have detected that you have lost it upstairs. How honourable if they should clear off and leave the majority to decide what’s good for them. I’ll put it to greed and the atavistic tendency to disregard the will of the people, spinning sweet tales, but with the eyes fixed steadily on anticipated personal gains.
The question is who gave Odegbami the power to decide for us? Granted, he was a prominent player and captained the SuperEagles at a time. Is this enough to develop into a hardliner and attempt to breath down our necks? Are we attempting to recreate the route to achieving excellence? Could you pick up an intern architect and task him with designing an Olympic stadium for a city? Or hand over a Dangote truck to someone who has not learnt how to drive a car.
Coaching a team at such a high level is no joke. Odegbami is highly educated and knows what it takes for a coach to handle the SE. I would be surprised if he does not know Professor Gladswell’s work about the 10,000-Hour Rule to attain mastery in any field. Yet he wants us to hand over the SE to a rookie and head into Palmwine bars to numb our brains to avoid heart break.
It won’t happen. Let him test his popularity by replacing Pinnick first. Then he can think of smashing down the Glass House. Nigerians will hold on to soccer and defend it fiercely because it is almost the last strand that holds us together as a people.
Enough of these expert advice from people with conflicting interests.
@achi, I’m utterly dumbfounded. I can’t believe some people can reason like this. Can u just imagine?????
You speak so eloquently, I totally agree with you, honestly, with respect to Yobo Josseph, do not even agree to coach the Super Eagles, you remember what you guys went through I South Africa 2013, how your football administrators almost crucified late Keshi before you guys beat Ivory Coast? I called in on that programme from the UK to wish you guys good luck before you guys played ivory coast, come on brov, you saw the stress on Keshi, you saw you former skippo Sunday Oliseh what they did to him, right now forget about the administrative process, what pedigree do you have, go join the likes of the under23 test your knowledge there, or under 17, the likes of FINIDI and co should have been in the super eagles if not for the rotten nation, don’t let them rot you as well, Odegbami isn’t a good person, run from him, cos they will castigate you the way they killing Rohr, a country with good fore sight should see that Rohr has really made the super Eagles a good team, its just a shame the nation hates good things. Yobo am sorry,you not ready to be the gaffer of the super eagles. You have no experience. Good player you are. Forget the Coaching department for now.
Keshi (whom you people with no sense) always make reference to has as being successful with the eagles as a coach have forgttoen that he spent years coaching different domestic clubs in Nigeria and had a very good experience coaching outside the shores of Nigeria before being considered for the job of the super eagles. He performed extremely well with the togolese team on two stints. He rightly paid his dues as an ex international and a coach which yielded positive results for him, his career and the country despite the fact that most of these people idolizing him now (including odegbami and his clan) were the ones that fought against him and wickedly signed his scak letter while he was away in south Africa with the team that eventually won the cup of nation cup against all odds. Amuneke is way higher than Joseph yobo in the pecking order and should be the one considered and clamoured for to take over from rohr just in case ( even though he still doesn’t have what it takes to coach the super eagles) but you people’s unjust hatred for rohr and wickedness have blinded your eyes and clogged your sense of reasoning. The super eagles is not a platform for training coaches and hence any attempt by whosoever to make it one shall surely be resisted by football loving Nigerians.
NFF have not sponsored your training as a coach, they are imposing players on coaches and owing them months of salaries. Infact most of our local coaches are usually engaged by word of mouth, without contracts and fired by word of mouth, without compensation……..just imagine what would be happening in the national team when the coach was sponsored for training by the same NFF….LMAO.
Yobo may lead the super eagles in future, but not within the next 10 years. He still had a lot, I mean a WHOLE LOT to learn, do and implement before getting to that level. The last time I checked (and I stand to be corrected) he doesn’t have even a UEFA B license yet.
At SE level, the minimum requirements should be a UEFA pro license and at least 5 years experience with MANAGING (not just coaching) a clubside in the first division or at least 3 years experience managing a nation team.
SE is not a place to intern, neither is the World Cup a place to start a coaching career.
Even an experienced Rohr who has gotten to finals of UEFA cup, won Swiss cup and coached at AFCON level previously isn’t finding it easy….not to talk of a green horn.
To talk football for TV nor be like to enter field or Sidon for bench….otherwise ask Neville, Oliseh, Amokachi and all those other ones wey Sabi speak oyinbo with plenty sweet mouth for TV
This is ridiculous!it’s even hard to believe this is happening.Odegbami enough of all this distractions!we don’t need this.The world cup qualifier is around the corner this kind of pandemonium will derail our world cup hopes besides Odegbami a legend of Nigerian football shouldn’t be behind this unnecessary chaos.
Joseph Yobo just like Keshi should start a coaching career and from his performances he could get a chance with one of our youth teams.Personally i’m not of the opinion of local coaches getting the nod to tinker the super eagles.We have tried in the past without success so why go back that lane especially when we are doing very well with a foreign coach.
The Nigerian system works well with a European gaffer who are professional in their jobs.Nigerian coaches are sentimental and are stooges of the NFF who interfere in team selections and other factors too from the local coaches which doesn’t help the team to excel.
We may not know exactly what has been going on behind the back because of late the football authorities have come down hard on Rohr and there has been widespread speculations of rifts from both camps.
Meanwhile,Odegbami and possibly Yobo could be behind all this rifts.Who knows Pinnick and his compatriots in the glass house could be in support of this weird idea which may have led to this widespread rumour of a difficult new contract which could make the current gaffer walkaway from his job and Yobo assuming duties as the super eagles coach.
Well we are waiting and i hope Rohr gets and agree to a new long term contract,his stewardship is fantastic and under that stewardship we are expecting better things and a great world cup in Qatar 2022.
They are only looking for a boy boy coach they can dictate too..
If I were Rohr, I will bow out when the odds are still in my favor..
And while we are on it, Rohr should understand that he is working for the Nigerian people , who are very grateful for his works so far and are queueing behind him against the Hawks plaguing our football for years.My take is that the man is not playing ball by inviting average players which the hawks( including Odegbami) have commercial interest to camp to enhance their marketability or profile.so they are all crying foul and want the man out. We no go gree, we no go gree!
When Pinnick arrived at the scene, he came with something different, a breath of fresh air, suave, urbane, goal driven, focused and utterly patriotic .But am not sure of all that anymore. The famous Nigerian virus( which Odegbami alluded to) seems to have caught up with him too.
In truth, if there are loose ends in the soon to expire contract, that should be tighten up, but it should be done in a way not to ridicule the man or as a Greek gift. Rohr should live in Nigeria but restricting him to only 3 visits abroad a year is not feasible when 99.9% of his players are foreign based. The NFf should also realize that it is not the man responsibilities to develop our local league.it is that of the NFF. If they say develop our local coaches, then that is plausible .
Nigerians will not cease to surprise. Has Yobo got any coaching qualifications? Just because he did well as Super Eagles captain and “talks a good game” on tv analysing matches, they are now touting a completely unqualified person to be manager of the Super Eagles.
He’s never coached or managed anywhere but he is ready for the biggest job in The land. That is how we set people up to fail.
Odegbami belong to the yester years of our football with majority of the current generation not even knowing who he was! His exploits have fast vanished from the horizon and thus, the only way to be relevant is to steer the hornet nest for selfish reasons not for patriotic reasons.
I dare say too,with due respect to him that his comments are professionally irresponsible .In saner climes, you don’t make that kind of unguarded statement with an incumbent on seat as it will unsettle him and overheat the system. That you played and captained the national teams in the 80s when majority of the people reading you were not yet born , does not give you monopoly of knowledge on football matters. When an elder chooses to dance shamelessly in the market space,then he should be ready for any arrow thrown at him.
The SE does not belong to Pinnick or Odegabmi or Abdullahi, it belongs to all NIGERIANS.Thus, the days when our public officials with their cronies like Odegabmi manipulate things for their selfish interest is long gone.If they try it this time, starting with Rohr contract, we shall mobilize and match unto the glass house.
I watched Odegabmi TV program the other day( the parliament , whatever that means) you can feel the hate and vandetta when he was speaking about Rohr in unprintable derogatory words, it is not right, he should be called to order . I wonder if his writings are reviewed by the editorial board of Completesports before being published.
Being an ex player and excellent pundit does not translate to your being a good coach. Granted that Yobo posses all these qualities, but he should start from a club side, or any of the junior teams and build up from there. Why the rush? Least his coaching career sun will set at dawn.Ask Henry, Neville, John Barnes and many others
When I beat the gong about odegbamis wicked antics and evil plans against the eagles so many months back, a lot of people on this forum called me names but now it’s now becoming clear to all and sundry that he (odegbami, the ex cricket international) is evil.
Wickedness, Foolishness, envy, witchcraft, ungratefulness are always together and these are just what I see n understand about Odegbami’s suggesting Yobo to manage SE. Very very unreasonable n soooo laughable for a supposedly legend of the game. But Odegbami must understand that oldage doesn’t stop us from Warri n infact many other places in nigeria from putting that old man’s pant down and giving him proper flogging when he becomes unreasonable. We don’t respect age but pure n decent character.
Just like the way Obama, Obasanjo and other world leaders backed clueless Buhari to take Nigeria to the promise land. I’m not against yobo coaching career, but we cannot allow him to use super Eagles as an experiment.
He can join the technical crew of Gernot Rohr and become one of his think tanks not to be d coach of super eagles now haba!!!!he doesn’t have the stomach for it
We are still on this issue ba? I have said it before and I’m still going to say it again today.
* Amunike head coach
* Kanu Assistant coach
* Yobo second assistant coach to under study the two.
These are the best for the Super Eagles. These are the best candidates for the world cup and Afcon.
This showed that I loved my Country so much.
It is a bad idea to say Yobo will lead Nigeria to the next world cup. Very ridiculous.
God bless Nigeria!!!
Hehehehehe….you have changed mouth again. LMAO
Was it not Amunike (head coach) Yobo (1st assistant), Mikel (2nd assistant) and Taribo West (Technical Adviser) you proposed the other day…? Now Kanu has entered the equation….? LMAO.
So if your Amunike is countered tactically as he was by Kenya at AFCON it is people who have never been to a coaching school or coached even a 5 aside he will turn to for help abi…? Lolz.
What of Okocha and Ikpeba, you nor go find office give them too…? And your Mobi Oparaku too…That your friend that talks like a someone just coming from a beer parlour…? Are you sure he also doesn’t deserve a job too..? LMAO
Odegbami has lost it since. I have never liked his write-up. Odegbami can go check out the record.
Pinnick Amaju has lost it since the stealing of fund came out. Not the fallout with CAF president.
Lool….hahahaa…see people and their brains….lol!!!!! @omomumu…don’t worry, Rohr go leave very soon. I’d just save all these ur posts for cooling van for the rainy day. E go set very soon. Miserable fools
From all the comments above, and beyond, Nigerians are all saying that Odegbemi is a scam and a fraud. If Nigerian people falls for his entices, you, the people of Nigeria will pay dearly for it.
Why was it that Odegbemi could not play football abroad if he was so good at it. Name 20th best Nigerian players ever,
his name will not even come up. Everybody knows that it was Muda Lawal of blessed memory that was doing all the work why the scam was getting the credits on the pages of Newspapers. He was not even better than Edobor, Fagbemi and many others l cannot recall right away. He played in Ghana when Nigeria lost to Uganda.
Odagbemi now wants to impose a complete jobless novice to coach Nigeria National team that are doing so well at global level. See what happened to all the U23, U21,
U17 that are managed by local coaches. They all went under when it matters most. The only one standing is the Team manage by Rohr. Odagbemi, how there you. what happen to your innate ambitions to be the governor of your State?
Thank you @edoman. The truth about that ex cricket international is coming to bear. We can all see it unfold before our very eyes. Legend my ass.
I realized that many people calling for the ex international to take over as the coach of super eagle, only does so because of their emotions. Just imagine a multi national oil and gas company that place an advert on newspaper for a post of managing director and one militant is saying they must employ a certain fresh graduate without experience for that position simply because he’s from warri or sapele. Is that not ridiculous? It’s good some of these people are vomiting their ignorance. Atleast I now know those that need their brain check. If anyone has been outside the shore of nigeria, you agree with me that the reason why many western countries are advanced is because they go for merit over anything else.
Joseph Yobo … as head coach of the super eagles of Nigeria !!!
Now I can see clearly why our nation is so backward !!!
What a nation!!!…so blessed yet so “empty”!!!!
I wept !!!
Really feel a bit let down for Yobo to allow himself to be used as stooge for such cynical campaign. See Yobo,no be to wear suit n tie be d thing o. Na from back we go tear that suit reach ur neck,turn am to butter fly style,if no commot hand for dis waka wey no get head.
I do not see anything wrong in Yobo becoming SE gaffer. The best two teams in Africa are currently being handled by their ex-internationals. The algerians coach showed exceptional tactical prowess against Rohr’s SE. I’ll recommend the Nff send Yobo on coaching course.
@Larry
I don’t think anyone has a problem with Yobo being the coach of the Super Eagles in the future,they only have a problem with the timing especially with the fact that Yobo lacks the qualifications and experience needed to take the helm of such exalted position.
In fact,the man Yobo hasn’t even said a word about taking the job.
Besides, the African coaches you mentioned didn’t just start coaching their various national teams as rookies.they have gathered vital experience before ,and have the right credentials to back them up.
Aliou Cisse of Senegal did most of his grade training with the club Nimes in France before taking up the saddle as the U23 coach of Senegal for some 2 years or so. Then he was assistant to the Coach of the Senegalese national team before he was given the job.
Djamel Belmadi on his own part did his training as an underscore with Marseille before heading to Qatar to coach a club side over there,winning the Qatar league and some titles.then he was employed as the Qatar home based team coach, before he was given the Qatar national team job, then he went back to club football.before he was snapped up by Algeria.
From both narrative, you can see a pattern and draw your conclusions. They had gathered vital experience from past jobs and built a cv.they had graded certificate to back up them up.
Does Joseph Yobo have all these?
Mr Hush, abeg shake my hand!!! You write with so much wisdom and facts. I salute you.
@Adisboy
Appreciation..
There is no better way to win an argument than to just lay bare facts that cannot be disputed.
Facts, truth and objectivity are children of the same mother. They always prevail.
That is what has made me an enemy to most of them. Lolz. There’s no better way to shut up vain logic than presenting verifiable facts and data.
Excellent job @ Mr Hush. Pls keep on ‘hushing’ them.
Nor be only Yobo as next SE coach,na Sunday Mba.
Much respect @Dr Drey
Yeah you’re right Sunday MBA scored the goal that made us three time African champion for that he should be given the chance to lead the Eagles as head coach to next year’s Nations cup and 2022 world cup.
they are just bunch of Clowns that are not capable of entertaining anyone.
Mr Hush, the man I respect so much on this forum.
@Tancofootball
I am humbled.
You just don’t throw a retired army Sgt. to lead a troop to a battlefield in the role of a commanding General !!!
You don’t give an excellent medical graduate surgeon equipment and throw him into the theatre to perform a operation !!!
An ex footballer can become a coach but there are basis and standard steps and process that MUST be followed and completed before he can become a “good” coach !!!
Yobo might have the attitudes, Attributes and qualities to become a good coach but he must follow the ropes, learn the trade and seek for a appointed time !!!
Every soccer coach go thru a process
– get a badge or a licence !
– get attached with a seasoned coach in a club or national team and learn !!
– lead a clubside and achieve a reasonable degree of success!!!
You can be a good soccer player or a very good soccer analysis or a good character around people …. But coaching a group to achieve success is not CHILD’s play !!!
We are not even talking about Yobo being an assistant / learning hand to a coach in one of our domestic clubs …. But as HEAD COACH of the Almighty SUPER EAGLES !!!…what have we smoking back home sef ???….I weep fa !!!
Yobo should not come and ridicle himself in SE let him test him with under 17 if there is space
Can I ask what is yobo coaching certificate?
yobo should start with shooting stars of ibadan or Afonga worrios. odegbami ewu
Bolaji Abdulahi is a stupid fool. If one ask him about his time at the sports ministry he will say he did a great job.
Only ideots make references and comparisons like this one here
“Odegbami compared Yobo to former Barcelona captain, Xavi Hernandez who retired from football in 2019, joined a local Club in Saudi Arabia last May as manager and was approached by one of the greatest clubs in the world, his former club, FC Barcelona to become their coach albeit he turned down the offer”
Did Barcelona approach him because his name is Xavi, he was Barcelona captain or because he took the coaching course after retiring from active football, took up a coaching job and proved himself as someone who knows can do the job?
I remember when I was a little boy I always hear people saying that some people think with or through their anus, this is prime example of that.
What a retrogressive and archaic suggestion from mr. ‘mathematical’! Very disappointed in his appalling endorsement of Joseph Yobo becoming the new super eagles manager I the event of Mr rohr vacating his position as the super eagles manager! We understand the pains of odegbami and many Nigerians to see the eagles losing in critical positions in the past world cup and the nation’s cup in Egypt. And rohr inexplicably not knowing what to do to kill of the game tactically by deploying leaders in the team to close up sensitive positions. Well, Mr mathematical I still respect u and I do understand ur pain! But not to endorse Joseph Yobo. We would have agreed with u if endorse amuneke as he is of the same class with pep guadiola technically and tactically since both played for Barcelona and had the same school of thought! Thank u sir!
Only ideots make references and comparisons like this one here
“Odegbami compared Yobo to former Barcelona captain, Xavi Hernandez who retired from football in 2019, joined a local Club in Saudi Arabia last May as manager and was approached by one of the greatest clubs in the world, his former club, FC Barcelona to become their coach albeit he turned down the offer”.
Did Barcelona approach him because his name is Xavi, he was Barcelona captain or because he took the coaching course after retiring from active football, took up a coaching job and proved himself as someone who knows and can do the job?
I remember when I was a little boy I always hear people saying that some people think with or through their anus, this is prime example of that.
Please and please if Mr Segun Odegbami is having any personal issues with Mr Rohr, he should let Nigerians know.
It’s obvious that he doesn’t like him.
Since Rohr took over the coaching job of the Super Eagles, nobody can say he has not done well. At least, you can only deal with the person that has failed.
Please, Mr Odegbami should leave this man alone to concentrate on his job.
There are so many things for him do with the Eagles this year.
I just hope somebody is not deliberately trying to distract the man so he may fail.
NFF is doing his own on one hand. Hope this is not a joint plot; but it may surprise Nigerians to know that all these are for personal, selfish puposes.
Let the man alone Mr Odegbami, let Rohr alone NFF.
Please NFF leave rohr on the job, he is the third best coach Nigeria has ever had after westerof, bonfere Joe, (my opinion), Mr rohr is tactically sound wish I noticed from his first game with the super eagles, his scouting for players is exceptional,
As a country let’s for once allow people who are good on there job to do it in peace.
Thanks
Odegbami and those wishing Joseph Yobo to coach the Super Eagles have just finished smoking skunk.and ganjer. Yobo go and sit down you not needed.
One of the things that can make a gentleman loose his cool and behave like a fool is a woman. I respect Odegbami as one of our heroes in the past, please help me beg him not to loose that respect I have for him as a gentleman.
Please if we have investigative journalists on this forum let them help us check if Odegbami has something with that woman people is Rohr’s girlfriend,a claim he has denied though.
As I am I fail to understand why he has so much hatred for Rohr. It is obvious it’s not for footballing reasons because Rohr’s success story and achievements are audible to the deaf and visible to the blind.
For him to make such a ridiculous suggestion as having Yobo as the head coach of the Super Eagles is mind bugging. Equally embarrassing is the support of an ex sports minister and a mad journalist.
I am glad that we football loving Nigerians and unanimous in our criticism and condemnation of this consistently amorous hatred of Odegbami for our beloved Rohr.
He should go and beg the man to give him back his babe so he can allow our football to continue to grow.
Thumbs up to Mr Hush, Dr Drey, Edoman and Oakfield for always giving us their informed opinions to liberate us from the likes of Omo9ja and his cronies.