Oliseh lacks experience – Laloko

 

A former technical director of the Nigeria Football Association, Kashimawo Laloko, believes former international Sunday Oliseh lacks the experience necessary to manage the Super Eagles as the team continue their campaign for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations.

The Nigeria Football Federation has confirmed the former Borussia Dortmund midfielder is in line to replace Stephen Keshi, whose two-year contract as Super Eagles coach was terminated last weekend.

Oliseh’s only managerial experience was at Belgian third division side Verviétois in 2008. Before then, he was sports director at Eupen, also a third division outfit in Belgium.

“I don’t think he has the necessary experience to be Super Eagles coach. He is educated and very organised as a player, but his success will depend on how organised he is as a coach,” Laloko said on the telephone on Thursday.

“Managing a national team is very different from coaching a club. Besides, being a good footballer and analyst does not automatically make you a fantastic coach. But one thing I can be sure of is that he will introduce a new structure in the team; Keshi never had any structure, and that was what affected the team last year.

“Oliseh might have the UEFA pro licence but it is required that he has a CAF licence, that is what we have on ground as the rule.”

Laloko, who was a former Gambia coach and a CAF instructor, said he was not comfortable with the idea of having a Dutch coach as Oliseh’s assistant, insisting that more experienced local coaches are available for the position.

He said, “What is the experience of the Dutch coach and who is bringing him? The NFF should be the one to appoint his assistants, not the other way round. Many of these foreign coaches know nothing about African football.

“Besides, this is not the time to spend our little resources on foreign coaches. We can call on coaches like Bitrus Bewarang, who also have UEFA licences and necessary experience.”