Babalola Oluwatomiwa
Social Member
Former Nigerian international, Sylvanus Okpala has blasted the Super Eagles coach, Sunday Oliseh for begging players to come and represent their fatherland.
The 1980 AFCON winner insisted that he would not go on my knees as a coach to beg a player to play for Nigeria, saying Nigeria needs players that will commit themselves to the team, and not wait until they are persuaded to do so.
He added that best he could do for any player, regardless of their talent is to educate the player and tell him that he would have a good future with Nigeria but I will not beg.
He also said that any player whom you choose to beg with reasons must first must show interest. If you beg or compel somebody to play for you he may not give 100 per cent.
“And if anything arises the player may be grumbling, saying if he had known he would not have agreed. Any player that makes up his mind on his own would not have such mind. There’s psychological aspect of the game too.
“when you start begging a player to come and play for his national team it is not good. The person must make up his mind, the important thing is that I, as a coach, will ask him if he would like to play for Nigeria and that I would like him to play for Nigeria and that his future lies in Nigeria as far as the national team is concerned.
“But I will not go on my knees begging him and making him so much important because a player must make up his mind first to come and play. If you ask him to come and play and he says he’s interested then he will give you 100%.
“But if you mount pressure on a player to come and play where he does not want to play he will not want to give his best. In fact, he will not give anything and if any slightest thing happens in the team he will quickly remember that he never wanted to be part of the team in the first place.” soccerstar
The 1980 AFCON winner insisted that he would not go on my knees as a coach to beg a player to play for Nigeria, saying Nigeria needs players that will commit themselves to the team, and not wait until they are persuaded to do so.
He added that best he could do for any player, regardless of their talent is to educate the player and tell him that he would have a good future with Nigeria but I will not beg.
He also said that any player whom you choose to beg with reasons must first must show interest. If you beg or compel somebody to play for you he may not give 100 per cent.
“And if anything arises the player may be grumbling, saying if he had known he would not have agreed. Any player that makes up his mind on his own would not have such mind. There’s psychological aspect of the game too.
“when you start begging a player to come and play for his national team it is not good. The person must make up his mind, the important thing is that I, as a coach, will ask him if he would like to play for Nigeria and that I would like him to play for Nigeria and that his future lies in Nigeria as far as the national team is concerned.
“But I will not go on my knees begging him and making him so much important because a player must make up his mind first to come and play. If you ask him to come and play and he says he’s interested then he will give you 100%.
“But if you mount pressure on a player to come and play where he does not want to play he will not want to give his best. In fact, he will not give anything and if any slightest thing happens in the team he will quickly remember that he never wanted to be part of the team in the first place.” soccerstar