{"id":2436,"date":"2013-04-20T14:37:33","date_gmt":"2013-04-20T14:37:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/disnaija.com\/nigerian-newspapers\/nwosu-oliha-fear-for-eagles\/"},"modified":"2013-04-20T14:37:33","modified_gmt":"2013-04-20T14:37:33","slug":"nwosu-oliha-fear-for-eagles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/disnaija.com\/nwosu-oliha-fear-for-eagles\/","title":{"rendered":"Nwosu, Oliha fear for Eagles"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Former Super Eagles midfielders Henry Nwosu and Thompson Oliha have expressed their disappointment over the sacking of coach Stephen Keshi\u2019s backroom staff.<\/p>\n

Nigeria \u201980 Africa Cup of Nations winner Sylvanus Okpala and ex-Lagos ACB player Valere Houandinou were sent packing along with the team\u2019s psychologist, coordinator, media officer, camp commandant and curator by the Nigeria Football Federation following a rationalisation exercise at the national football house last week.<\/p>\n

NFF member Emeka Inyama said the board decided to dispense with the services of assistant coaches Okpala\u00a0 and Houandinou,\u00a0 as well as others\u00a0 who helped Keshi win the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa\u00a0 due to financial problems.<\/p>\n

However, an unnamed NFF member was quoted by a section of the media as saying Okpala was sacked \u201cfor gross misconduct and disrespect towards the President of the federation\u201d.<\/p>\n

With the ex-Enugu Rangers star and Houandinou relived of their jobs, Keshi\u00a0 will\u00a0 be in the dugout during Nigeria\u2019s remaining World Cup qualifiers and the Confederations Cup in Brazil in June with fellow\u00a0 Tunisia \u201994 Africa Cup of Nations winner Daniel Amokachi and goalkeeping coach Ike Shorunmu, who both survived the purge.<\/p>\n

The football body, which also axed the backroom staff\u00a0 of other national teams, said\u00a0 Togolese Houandinou would only retain his place in the team if Keshi\u00a0 was ready to pay him.<\/p>\n

But in separate telephone interviews with our correspondent on the telephone during the week, Nwosu and Oliha decried the development, saying \u201cit\u2019s unwise\u201d.<\/p>\n

Erstwhile Nigeria captain Nwosu feared the development could affect the country\u2019s chances of qualifying for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.<\/p>\n

The Eagles, who are tied on five points with the Flames of Malawi\u00a0 in Group F African World Cup qualifying table, face make-or- break\u00a0 return leg clash against\u00a0 the Harambee Stars of Kenya in Nairobi on June 5. Their first meeting in Calabar on March 23 ended 1-1.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf they\u00a0\u00a0 were sacked due to indiscipline, I\u2019m in support of the NFF\u2019s decision,\u201d the 1980 Africa Cup of Nations winner said.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut if the excuse for sacking them is due to overstaffing or a lack of fund, it\u2019s unacceptable.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy are they sacking people and creating confusion when all attention should be on the World Cup qualifiers?<\/p>\n

\u201cThey should concentrate on winning a ticket to the World Cup and stop creating confusion.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf the NFF doesn\u2019t resolve the matter urgently, it could affect our chances of World Cup qualification.\u201d<\/p>\n

Former Turkey-based Oliha wondered why the NFF chose to sack Okpala and Houandinou when the Eagles face a crucial encounter with Kenya.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe NFF should be careful in handling issues concerning the national team at this period,\u201d the Tunisia \u201894 winner said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe NFF should settle whatever problems they have with coaches before our game against Kenya.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s going to be a tough match for us, and I fear the crisis could affect\u00a0 our preparation for the game.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Kenyans could take advantage of the problems in our team to pick up three points in the match.<\/p>\n

\u201cKenya have always been a problem for us, and that\u2019s why we should put our house in order before meeting them.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Posted in Nigerian Newspapers. <\/a>A DisNaija.Com<\/a> network.<\/p>\n

Source: Punch Newspaper<\/p>\n

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