Leadership (Abuja)
Asuelimen Osasuyi
9 October 2008
Super Eagles head coach, Shaibu Amodu has been invited to Stamford Bridge by Chelsea boss, Fellipe Scolari, who offered to assist him in his coaching job as coach of the Nigeria senior national team.
The deal for coach Amodu to come to England to under study the World Cup winning coach was brokered by the two coaches during a visit embarked upon by the Super Eagles' coach and NFF President to England last week.
Coach Amodu said yesterday that the decision to visit Nigerian players abroad and talk with their managers was agreed on by himself, the NFF President and the technical department.
"We took the decision not only to reach players on phone, but that we should also go out there and rub minds with them and make contact with their managers so that there can be good relationship between the NFF, coaches, players and their managers abroad. We thought it wise to start with England, since most of the Super Eagles players are based there. Our objective is that we should begin to have constant rapport with our players and their managers.
"It is important that we begin to do things like those in civilised world where most top managers are constantly in touch with their players where ever they are. We though, that if we are able to establish that rapport, particularly that we are really preparing for the audious task of qualifying this nation for the World Cup proper next year. We believe we shout start now to have this rapport and to make these managers understand that we would be needing our players next year.
"You know that towards the second phase of the season is very tough. Perhaps that is when we need our boys most. So let us begin to give them advance notices now, so that they can understand how serious we would need our boys when that time comes".
Amodu said the team was received with warmth and that Fellipe Scolari pleaded with them to excuse John Mikel Obi from the Seirra Leone match on Saturday.
"We saw reasons with him and we believe he too will be in a position to assist us next time. Also, he wants us to get him to Nigeria during FIFA free day to watch any of Super Eagles games between now and next year. He really wants to visit Nigeria because he has not gotten any opportunity to do so".
Amodu disclosed that the team had fruitful discussions with Everton manager, as well as all the Super Eagles players in England including Newcastle striker, Obafemi Martins who was on his way to Italy for medical check up as at the time of the last week's visit.
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