Fred Erhunmeunsee, Chairman, Edo Football Association has called for the appointment of an indigenous coach for the Super Eagles.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Jose Peseiro stepped down as Super Eagles head coach after the expiration of his contract.
Peseiro who led Nigeria to a second-place finish at AFCON in Cote d`Ivoire, was appointed Eagles head coach in 2022, by the Amaju Pinnck-led Nigeria Football Federation (NNF).
Erhunmeunsee made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Benin on Monday.
He said that Nigeria has coaches that could perform excellently well if given the opportunity and the right environment to work.
“I think I will prefer an indigenous coach, looking at what is going on now. It is a progress for our indigenous coaches.
“ Some of these foreign coaches do not have opportunities to see these people (local players) play and watch their progression.
“We have good coaches in Nigeria; there is no doubt about that. We have the likes of Nduka Ugbade, Emmanuel Amunike, Austin Eguavoen.
“Looking at the AFCON, an indigenous coach won it for the host country after a foreign coach was asked to leave,“he said.
The chairman said that the indigenous coaches know these local players better than the foreign coaches.
“He changed the narrative and their mentality of playing. Today, they are known and crowned as African champions.
“I will always support an indigenous coach. We have them right here in Africa,”he said.
He commended Peseiro for his achievement, particularly his game plan and tactics that earned Nigeria first runner up at the Africa’s most prestigious soccer tournament.
“We will miss him in some areas. But I know Nigerians have been seeking his head before we went for the tournament, but he did very well.
“I was with the team in Cote d`Ivoire and I saw the tactical play, the training and everything, including the plan he had for the team that took us to the final,” Erhunmeunsee said.
He called on the NFF to get a good coach who has the capacity, and mentality to get the World Cup and the next AFCON tickets for the country. (NAN