Former Super Eagles captain and coach, Sunday Oliseh, has launched a scathing attack on the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) following its decision to appoint Franco-Malian tactician Eric Chelle as head coach of the national team.
Oliseh’s remarks come at a tense moment for Nigerian football, with the Super Eagles struggling in their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers and facing the possibility of missing out on back-to-back tournaments.
The outspoken Olympic gold medalist, who had earlier criticised Chelle’s unveiling, reiterated his opposition to hiring foreign managers for the Nigerian national team.
“I am a fanatical supporter of the Nigerian brand. I am totally against foreigners running our national team,” Oliseh said. “Any Nigerian who says otherwise should give back their passport. The moment we accept that another race is better than us at managing our affairs, then we have lost.”
Oliseh further argued that if the NFF insists on employing foreign coaches, then government logic should also apply to football governance.
“If we are going to keep a foreign coach, then the next step for the government is to bring in foreign football administrators. Maybe then they will realize they are killing Nigerian trade. Let’s kill the administrators’ trade too. Perhaps that will bring a solution,” he quipped.
The former Borussia Dortmund and Ajax midfielder stressed that trusting indigenous coaches would not only preserve Nigeria’s football identity but also develop local expertise.
He warned that an overreliance on expatriates could undermine long-term football growth in the country, leaving Nigeria dependent on foreign influence rather than homegrown talent.
