In a surprise turn-around, Osaze Odemwingie has said that it was a mistake to fire Shaibu Amodu and replace him with Lars Lagerback.
Odemwingie was one of the players who spoke up against Amodu at the African Nations Cup in Angola, leading to the axing of the former BCC Lions coach.
But after a disastrous World Cup where Nigeria finished bottom of a winnable group with just one point out of nine, the Lokomotiv Moscow forward said that it was a mistake to fire Amodu.
“They should not have fired Amodu. I think that was a mistake,” he said.Odewmingie went on to say that Nigeria did not have a team good enough to challenge the best.
“To be honest, we don’t have the team that can win the World Cup. If you go down to the roots, most of us, including myself, in our clubs we are not doing great.
“We are not like the big team we used to be, having players in the big clubs and coming here with the ambition to win the Cup. But definitely we could have
done much better.” Odemwingie also criticised coach Lars Lagerback’s selection and tactics, but says if the coach can learn from his mistakes, he would do better with the Super Eagles.
“I think the World Cup experience and being with us has given him some advantage over the next candidate.
“People learn from mistakes. If he takes the positives from this one and he feels good with working with Nigerian boys then yes, I think he should stay.”
“Three games three losses. I think a few things he did were big mistakes,” Odemwingie said,
“Like telling two strikers not to participate in defending.
“I think that is a big mistake with Nigerian football when we have one defensive midfielder and one creative in front of him. All our middle was open and that was the problem we had against Greece.
“Today the instruction was that three people did not have to participate in defence. I think that also was a big mistake.”
Odemwingie was reported to have erupted in the dressing room after the Greece loss, and explained that he had good reason to.
“Yeah I said to him that there are some key players in this team that he didn’t give enough playing time. And I was one of them. I said to him we have been here for a few years and we have qualified this team for the World Cup and he was putting us aside and it’s not fair.
“Some of us like myself and Martins are leaders in this team and we have been making the difference for the country and we needed to get more playing time and more chances to play.”
Odemwingie then suggested that his tirade may have been the reason he was left out of against Korea.
“It is possible that that’s why he didn’t play me today.”
Posted: at 24-06-2010 08:49 PM (13 years ago) | Newbie
Whao, I never expected that a player could be so bold and courageous to tell the truth openly. His talks really makes sense especially the fifth paragraph. But he and martins really deserves to have been played more cause they are better than the BIG BUTTOCKS Yakubu.
Posted: at 24-06-2010 10:06 PM (13 years ago) | Newbie
Emma4love4real at 25-06-2010 01:39 AM (13 years ago) (m)
To me i think that out formal coach is some how better than this man said that his white,who are u to win out formal coach?rather he will get drow th match,our formal coach is unbeatable.he is not ready to win you and you will never win him.may be some how better lol.
Posted: at 25-06-2010 01:39 AM (13 years ago) | Newbie
ksurrina at 25-06-2010 02:24 AM (13 years ago) (f)
lol So it is the coach fault that the Super Eagles lose. Is it that the Coach is the one who is playing the game on the field. There is something that name leadership and initiative. If you are on the field and you see that what the Coach suggesting is not working why not whisper a little prayer and start doing something else that is indeed in the game of Football. Isn't it that football is their career and isn't it that they are the ones who will be getting the glory and not the Coach. Who will their Country men see Lager or the Team.
A weak mind speak the way this footballer speaks. Indiscipline is what cause Nigeria to move on it is wide spread in the country and in its Sports. Nigeria is no different than Jamaica and the other African countries. All they do is blame others and never take the blame on themselves.
Godly WISDOM is to Fear God. His UNDERSTANDING is to resist the devil.
Posted: at 25-06-2010 02:24 AM (13 years ago) | Gistmaniac
na waa ohh, every body try, i hope you people are back safely, or una dey there dey watch good player, that is playing there, please may una follow ROAD come back and your coach take LEG coz every thing don happen nomal...., abeg osaze may una ask una coach say, that FAT BOOTies (YAKUBU AND UNA SHITU) pay him for this lossing eagle
Posted: at 25-06-2010 03:51 AM (13 years ago) | Newbie
shaoyang at 25-06-2010 05:13 AM (13 years ago) (m)
this post is nonsence, how can one compare lagerback & amodu where we see visible changes withing a very short period of time? all the fault is on the players if this coach stay longer with our team it will go back to the top we came to the w/cup without good defenders, midfielders so lets give this coach more time he has broght quality to our game
Posted: at 25-06-2010 05:13 AM (13 years ago) | Gistmaniac
we don't have to bleam the coach...the coach is not the cause of our down fall, it our players....they are not serious..one of them fight there in the feild and gain RED card...is it coach that tell him to fight? we should stop bleaming the coach..he have nothing to do with it....
Posted: at 25-06-2010 05:17 AM (13 years ago) | Newbie
All this things are not true.Our problem is that we like going to worldcup wt the same old team that are as fat as what i dont know.They should go to all this local and state clubs,u will see guys that know what they are doing,pick them up,train them,they wl move mountains bcos they wl want to show their talents,can't u see that junior teams of super eagles plays beta.Nigeria shld start in time to prepare for worldcup.Most of this european countries have FOOTBALL ACADEMY,frm there,they pickup their stars for worldcup.But bribery and corruption wl not allow this country to move forward.My advice is that they should go to various clubs in nigeria,pick the stars there and forge ahead if nigeria want changes in this football whatever.
Posted: at 25-06-2010 07:08 AM (13 years ago) | Newbie
All this things are not true.Our problem is that we like going to worldcup wt the same old team that are as fat as what i dont know.They should go to all this local and state clubs,u will see guys that know what they are doing,pick them up,train them,they wl move mountains bcos they wl want to show their talents,can't u see that junior teams of super eagles plays beta.Nigeria shld start in time to prepare for worldcup.Most of this european countries have FOOTBALL ACADEMY,frm there,they pickup their stars for worldcup.But bribery and corruption wl not allow this country to move forward.My advice is that they should go to various clubs in nigeria,pick the stars there and forge ahead if nigeria want changes in this football whatever.
Posted: at 25-06-2010 07:09 AM (13 years ago) | Newbie
Osaze should shut the hell up. Y is he blaming the coach? As far as i know coach lagerback tried for us. He should be criticising his fellow players or is it the coach's fault that obasi couldn't score against greece or yakubu against s.korea? Abeg they should leave d coach alone jo and blame themselves. All i know is lagerback did a good job.
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Posted: at 25-06-2010 07:19 AM (13 years ago) | Hero
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