PeakNews Online
Lagos, Nigeria – Former Super Eagles coach Sunday Oliseh has fired back at ex-Chelsea star Mikel Obi, who recently questioned Oliseh’s coaching capabilities on his podcast.
Sunday Oliseh, appointed as Super Eagles coach in July 2015, served for eight months amidst several controversies. His tenure saw the retirement of legendary Super Eagles goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama following an altercation, and reports indicated player discomfort with Oliseh’s coaching style.
In a recent podcast, former Super Eagles captain Mikel Obi, who played under Oliseh, described him as a great individual but lacking in coaching skills.
Oliseh addressed these comments in an interview with Elegbete TV, stating that he harbors no grudge against Mikel but believes the former Chelsea midfielder needs help and should stop spreading falsehoods.
“I think the kid (Mikel) needs help, to be honest,” Oliseh said. “I won the best coach for the first period of the Jupiler League, which is in the Dutch league. That was not voted by the press but by the players and coaches of the league. I’m the only, and the first, colored man from Sub-Saharan Africa to ever win this title with a club like Fortuna Sittard, which had very average players. We were able to qualify from the second division to the first division, where they still are now.”
Oliseh emphasized that he doesn’t need to justify his coaching abilities to Mikel. “I call him (Mikel) a kid because my son is 27 years old. When he made this statement, I heard about it, but I couldn’t go on television and start arguing with someone like him. It’s degrading for a coach; you don’t go into the media and start arguing with your player.”
Oliseh expressed a willingness to assist Mikel, believing the former player requires support. “I would like to help the boy because I think he needs some help. You cannot become a legend with your mouth. You cannot achieve what you were not able to achieve on the pitch outside the pitch by talking on a podcast.”
Despite the controversies surrounding his tenure as Super Eagles coach, Sunday Oliseh continues to defend his accomplishments and abilities in the face of criticism.
Joe
