NFF technical committee member and ex-international Felix ‘Owo Blow’ Owolabi has outlined the attributes the new Super Eagles coach ought to have.
Owolabi’s committee will meet in Abuja today to decide on the coach who will lead the country’s team after the contract of Jose Peseiro was not extended when it ran out in February.
“I think this issue of Eagles having either an indigenous or foreign coach should not cause this great country sleepless nights. Whatever the NFF decide, the talents are already there,” ‘Owo Blow’ began.
“All we need is someone very intelligent, knowledgeable about the game, who has seen it all as a player, at local, national and international levels. He must be that personality who is higher and above the players.
“To manage the Super Eagles, the coach must have integrity such that the players will respect him. His CV should be enough to speak for him. And there should be an understanding that such a person will respect the local league which is the future and destiny of our football.”
Owolabi, who won the 1980 AFCON on home soil, played under expatriate and indigenous coaches and believes a perfect combination of both coaches will work.
“A mixture of both with a perfect understanding will give us results. After all, the three times we won the African Nations Cup, we had two whites, Otto Gloria and Clemens Westerhof, You can only get the best if you go for the best,” he said.
Otto Gloria, from Brazil led the Eagles to their first AFCON victory at home in 1980. Dutchman Westerhof, took the team to the podium at Tunisia in 1994, while Keshi, who captained the team in 1994, won as a coach at the 2013 AFCON in South Africa.