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AT FIFA LEVEL COACHES SHOULD NOT FAVOUR PLAYERS - Okpodu
BLURBS: His name rings a bell in football circle and administrators shiver at his views, Sam Okpodu, ex-international, ex-Super Falcons coach, Head Men’s Soccer coach & Soccer Consultant, Newberry, USA, in this interview exclusively to Vandykesport.com did not disappoint as he touched on all issues aimed at moving our sports – football forward .
Perhaps you spared a few time on the Nigeria’s Flamingoes’ FIFA U-17 World Cup campaign in New Zealand, were you satisfied with their one win, one loss and one draw performance?
I am pleased with the effort of the team and the coaches. The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) needs to plan better when preparing our national programs. Preparing to win at the FIFA level is a systematic and long time planning. NFF should together with others people bring out the money. As always, better welfare packaged and pay the coaches and players on time.
Lesson drawn from Flamingoes misadventure and advice for the U-20 team who will be campaigning for laurel in the FIFA U-20 Women’s world Cup in Chile towards month’s end and early next month
The U-20, I believe will do well in Chile. We should not let too many people tell the players and coaches what to do. We should let them play and learn from their mistakes. The coaches should play the right players at all time. Do not favour players at this level. We need to win. The players should graduate into the senior team at the right time. Not all the players are ready to play for the senior.
You once led Super Falcons to their ever defeat by an African team, Ghana’s Black Queens, although you eventually won the title. Falcons are facing Ghana in Equatorial Guinea 2008, which is the sixth edition of the Africa Women’s Championship (AWC), what advice would you offer to them?
The terrain is familiar, the opponent known. I know Super Falcons can always handle any African team, Ghana’s Black Queens inclusive, but that does not call for complacency. I think their place is at the globe, I see them retaining the title for the sixth times.
What would be the Impact of the recent redeployment of the Director General, National Sports Commission, Dr. Amos Adamu to the Special Duties ministry?
It would not improve the sports sector if we continue with business as usual. We do not learn from our mistakes. As long as one person with too much power runs our affairs, we will continue to have mis- management and mal-administration. The biggest problem we face in Nigeria’s football is management and administration. The NFF does not respect our coaches. Coaches also stab each other in the back to get a job. Coaches must respect themselves and study the tactical part of the game. We have the players to win at all level. Finally, Nigeria have all the resources, the players, and national pride from the fans to not just win, but to keep winning any time we put a team in any FIFA tournament.
Could the U-17 men’s coach, Henry Nwosu (MON) repeat the feat of late Yomi Tella at Nigeria 2009?
I believe that Coach Henry Nwosu can win. Nwosu should be allowed to play teams in South and North America, Asia CONCACAF and Europe. The time line should be plan in such a way that we learn from all the preparations.
What was you reaction to the initial bogus N35 billion budget the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the Nigeria 2009 put across to the presidency?
The N35 billion should not matter if only the money would be used the right way when preparing the players, building facilities to put Nigeria at the top of the world.
Would you still make your immense service to Nigeria if called up on in the nearest future?
Why not, I look forward to helping Nigeria in future. I wish all our teams competing the very best of luck.
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