The Secretary, Lagos State Football Coaches Association, Rasheed Suleiman, says indigenous coaches are not inferior and can compete favourably with their foreign counterparts.
Suleiman made the assertion in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday against the backdrop of a Coaching Clinic being organised by Yagazie Foundation, an NGO from Oct. 13 to Oct. 13 in Lagos with five coaches from Europe and the U.S. as instructors.
According to him, the only difference between indigenous coaches and their foreign counterparts has to do with facilities in the respective countries.
“At the Nigerian Institute of Sports, we have top class lecturers in coaching that can rank among the best in the world,’’ he said.
Suleiman added that many indigenous coaches like Fanny Amun, late Stephen Keshi and Late Yemi Tella had done well by winning World Cup at the age grade level and the Nations Cup.
Contributing, Nathaniel Olagunju, Sports Director, FC Bethel International, told NAN that Nigerian coaches only needed to brace up in terms of knowledge.
Olagunju noted that a Nigerian, Emmanuel Amunike, is the National Chief Coach of Tanzania, and there had other Nigerians who had coached other African countries.
He expressed optimism that Nigerian coaches would benefit immensely from the Coaching Clinic to be organised in Lagos by Yagazie Foundation, an NG) from Oct. 13 to Oct. 15, 2018.
Also, Chinedu Ezirim, the Chief Executive Officer of Yagazie Foundation, said that five foreign coaches had been invited from Denmark and the U.S. to help educate over 100 Nigerian coaches.
Emmanuel Udeogu, Chief Executive Officer, Dominion Hotspurs FC, urged the Federal Government to also give due recognition and assistance to club proprietors.
Udeogu lamented that club proprietors were not accorded due recognition by government.
“We are doing all we are doing because we have the passion. We are not forced to register clubs.
“If we are not there, the Football Associations, coaches and cannot organise football competitions at the grassroots.
“Nigerian coaches who are nurturing the boys and girls are winning trophies.
“At underage tournaments, we are number one in the world. Indigenous coaches made this happen.
“At the Super Eagles level, Nigeria fizzles out but performs well at the Golden Eaglets level.
“At the top and senior levels, why are we not making it?’’
