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Started by Dave_McEwan_Hill, January 16, 2007, 08:28:58 PM

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Dave_McEwan_Hill

I am shocked to hear that Bertie Vogts has been apointed the manager of Nigeria's soccer team. In his last job he was sacked as Scotland's manager having taken Scotland to the worst results in all its soccer History. He took Scotland from 25th in the world rankings to 86th place! Previous to that he was sacked by Qatar having taken them to the worst results in their history. Before that he was sacked by his own country. It became common knowledge that the senior German players took over the running of the team from Vogts half way through the World Cup campaign. In fact in his first game in charge of Scotland the senior players took over at half-time as Scotland were at that point 2-0 down to the Faeroe Islands (which has a population smaller than Wudil).
The only significant thing about Vogts in his last two jobs is that when sacked he got huge sums of money as compensation for his contract. He will do the same to Nigeria. He is probably the worst manager in the world.
maigemu

NewEte

Dave, the NFA like many other organizations in Nigeria is a joke. One look at the personnel in that organization tells you exactly what to expect in terms of administration and leadership. See what Nigerian soccer has become in the past decade.
There is this Obsession by local Nigerians that everything white or foreign is better. So rather than invest in developing or enhancing the skills of  some of the local coaches/ex national players who had lived and played professionally in some of the top leagues in Europe, they prefer to recruit white coaches from Europe despite the dismal records and awful winning percentages credited to them. They dole out these huge salaries for a foreign coach, but flat out trample all over a Nigerian ex-international turned coach, who in many cases had represented the country commendably. Call it slave or colonial mentality if you like, but it is the truth.

I was in Nigeria last year along with three colleagues of mine for a Basketball clinic that we organized. The goal really was to get some college coaches from here in the US to visit Nigeria and scout for talent. We (organizers) had benefitted from college athletic scholarship, and we wanted to see that opportunity extended to other kids. So we had a camp in Abuja and Lagos.  When we contacted the Basketball Association in Nigeria to seek their participation, they weren't quite interested. Eventually, I managed to speak to some key members of the association, and their request was that we should make sure we come with white people. I could not for the life of me understand why it was so important to bring white people. Needless to say, majority of the coaches that made the trip were white, and I suppose that must have been pleasing to them.

In all, about 5 of the kids from the camp were issued full scholarships to big colleges, and it was we, not the white folks that helped those kids secure visas at the US embassy. I have been asked by other coaches if we plan to organize a similar event in Nigeria. I am really not keen on it becuase of the frustration and headache we experienced the last time right from the airport with Nigerian customs, sports officials, etc. I don't think it makes sense to expend our own individual resources and still put up with the nonsense we received. But that didn't stop me from calling again last week to speak with one of the Nigerian Basketball Federation officials who had emailed me to enquire if we planned on hosting another event this year. When I told him we were undecided, he adviced me to bring WHITE PEOPLE.

So I am not surprised with NFA's decision in hiring Bertie Vogts.

Dave_McEwan_Hill

You are so correct. I coached football in Scotland and then in Kano and the level of football skill in Nigeria is huge. But what I noticed was a lot of tribalism and family favouritism always when the teams were chosen, which sometimes means that a coach from somewhere else has some benefit. It is also the fact that in Europe the game is much more developed and organised in technical terms. It would be wise for Nigeria to send coaches overseas to pick up the benefits of this better organisation to bring it back to Nigeria but there would need to be a lot of changes in Nigerian Football organisation to make this useful
There are many good white coaches and many bad ones. Bertie Vogts is a very bad one and he wont care if he spends his whole time in Nigeria in confusion as long as he gets paid.
maigemu

NewEte

I agree with you Dave. There are many good white coaches, and just so you know, my argument is not in opposition to white coaches. The level of football in Europe is at it highest peak. I think European league is perhaps the best in the World right now. A lot of this success has to do purely with good administration, excellent management and purposeful marketing strategy. There is a huge business concept behind the European league because it is a billion dollar industry. Coaches get fired, players get traded or cut when performance is below par. Club officials are not immune either from the axe if their teams consistently underachieve. With all of this pressure, players, coaches and managers are forced to show up each time with their A game. This is why the English league, the spanish league, and so on are what they are today.

On the other hand, none of these concepts exist in Nigerian soccer. The most inept people with no sports management or marketing background are tossed into administrative positions, and as such, the results are dismal each passing year. Sadly enough, despite their atrocious performance as NFA leaders, they fight every attempt to be replaced. The previous NFA chairman was a dude named Galadima. I have no idea what this guy's soccer background is. Since his leadership as chairman, not a darn thing has changed with Nigerian soccer. The league is the same crap that it was several years ago. There is no dedicated soccer T.V station that airs soccer news and games  24/7 with broadcast rights. Teams have no logos, mascots, or quality memorabilia that they sell for profit.

I was actually looking into designing mascots and logos for several of the soccer teams and selling them on the idea of marketing fan/supporters T-shirts and baseball hats with team logos screen-printed on these merchandise. All merchandise will be quality materials as obtained in EU and the US. They couldn't even grasp the concept behind such an idea. Some idiot told me, they could not afford such a venture, but would be grateful if I would create the logos and the T-shirts and give it out to them for free. Are those serious people? 

But going back to he coaching issue, I agree with you that they could at least invest in training and re-training some of the local coaches by sending them to Europe so they can fine tune their skills.
How difficult is that? Many of them played professionally in Europe, ahve residency and are familiar with things there. If Nigerian soccer management was what it is supposed to be, by now, we should have indegenous coaches taking teams to the World Cup, and designing their own plays. When I was a
graduate assistant in college, aside from recruiting, part of my assignment as a member of the coaching staff was reviewing all game tapes to see what errors we made offensively and defensively. I had to review the tapes to see if we executed offenses as planned prior. Also, based on the games played, I would create individual player statistics which very much detailed ones performance. I also had to design plays for offense as well as defense, and it had to make sense. As an athlete, we had a play book full of diagrams, rotations, special plays, etc. The playbook was about 30 pages or more, but everyone was required to know the plays regardless of position one played. I think this is the path our soccer should be on. I seriously think we should require our soccer players to be enrolled in accredited colleges.

I would like to see accomplished Nigerian coaches taking teams to international competitions, not just to participate, but to have goals heading into the contest. I would like to see an indegenous coach, coaching his team from the side lines wearing a suit and wearing a headset with which he gets information from his assistant coach sitting at a higher elevation (skybox) and watching the game unfold from a different angle. This way, when certain information is relayed via the headset, the head coach can make adjustments or change plays. This is what taking the sport to a whole different level is all about. Europe has done it, Asia is doing it, and that change in Asia is evident from watching the Japanese and Korean leagues. It is exciting, it is big, it rich, and colorful.

I would not expect any remarkable change with the administration of Nigerian soccer however. Its horrible management and awful leadership is an extension of the confusion and hopeless of the Nigerian state. You cannot have a country that chaotic where nothing works, but expect the sports sector to be any different. That aint gonna work dave. The way Nigerian national team has played in recent years is a complet reflection of the nature of things in Nigeria. Who knows, Bertie Vogts may end up running away before he goes nuts. I think any foreign coach good or bad, will be confused throughout his entire tenure as head coach in Nigeria.

alkanawi

hi ya
seriously, Herr Vogts' CV as a manager is awful (cant find a nicer term),and for those comedians at NFA to hire him is the "mother of all disasters" for Nigerian football. Although he had some success in Euro '96 and during his stint at Leverkusen,all his managerial career has been a disaster.
I think the problem with football,or all sports, really goes beyond managerial ability alone.Organisation is an unheard of word in Nigerian sport. I remember an under 17 "qualifier" where the players were camped in Ibadan and the match was to be played in lagos.It was the final second leg against Togo, and the winner would go on to the finals. On match day, the CAF officials asked for documents verifying the players age and lo and behold, their passports had been "forgotten" in Ibadan and the Togolese rightly refused to play the game and were awarded the game by default.
By the way Dave, dont you think the SPL ought to be better than it is now? I mean the level of football there is sometimes unbelievably shambolic.I honestly feel that it is not playing at optimum level and things could be better.


 

"corgito ergo sum"

Dave_McEwan_Hill

Some of the SPL is pretty poor but it has to be remembered that Scotland is the only country of its size (pop. 5 million) with  professional football leagues. It misses out on the huge revenues especially from braodcasting available to the big nations like England, Italy, Germay, Spain and France and has to continually see its best players being sold to bigger clubs outwith Scotland
Despite this however Scottish teams have won three European trophies (Celtic, Rangers and Aberdeen)and have been beaten finalists four times (Celtic, Rangers, Dundee United and Celtic) which makes in terms of population co-efficent the SPL the most successful league in Europe.
Oddly enough when it comes to playing EnglishTeams in European tournaments Scottish teams have by far the better record which gives us a good laugh at our arrogant and huge English neighbours.
Justin Fashanu is on record today deploring the appointment of Bertie Vogts
maigemu

lionger

If Berti Vogts could not perform for Scotland or even Qatar what then can he offer Nigeria? And btw when are they going to pay Eguavoen's wages??? >:(

alkanawi

Quote from: Dave_McEwan_Hill on January 17, 2007, 01:03:39 PM
Despite this however Scottish teams have won three European trophies (Celtic, Rangers and Aberdeen)and have been beaten finalists four times (Celtic, Rangers, Dundee United and Celtic) which makes in terms of population co-efficent the SPL the most successful league in Europe.
Lol one can always find some statistics to back you up.For example i keep riling my Arsenal friends that even Eyinmba of Aba is better than their team 'cos Eyinmba has won the champions league 2wice and back to backat that.
"corgito ergo sum"

Dave_McEwan_Hill

maigemu

alkanawi

"corgito ergo sum"

Dave_McEwan_Hill

Argyll, Scotland is about thirty miles to the north and west of Glasgow on the other side of the Firth of Clyde and is the southernmost part of the Scottish Highlands.Main towns are Dunoon, Oban and Inveraray
It is noted for its great beauty, long sea lochs, mountains and rain.
It is the traditional home of the clan Campbell (the Dukes of Argyll) and historically the seat of the first kingdom of Scotland (Dalriada)in about the fifth century.
Despite tales of global warming it's bloody cold here at the moment with snow falling.
maigemu

HUSNAA

#11
Quote from: NewEteBut going back to he coaching issue, I agree with you that they could at least invest in training and re-training some of the local coaches by sending them to Europe so they can fine tune their skills.

I remember feeling confused a few years back when Nigeria was looking for a foreign coach (after that Dutch one...cant remember his name), and the NFA sent three officials abroad to interview potential candidates in three different countries. The officials collectively visited each country to do the interviews. I thought to myself, which is cheaper? to send out the officials or to invite the candidates into Nigeria? I concluded that the main aim was not to do the interviews but to get the estacode moneys, stash them abroad or buy goods not easily available in Nig, and also have a jolly good time at the taxpayers expense.
Ghafurallahi lana wa lakum

HUSNAA

#12
Quote from: Dave_McEwan_Hill on January 21, 2007, 01:52:07 AM

Despite tales of global warming it's bloody cold here at the moment with snow falling.

I believe the effect of global warming Dave is to aggravate the local climatic situation in the particular area experiencing the warming. So  like you who lives in icy scotland, it gets icier, and we who live in the arid regions, it gets drier.
By the way have you ever heard of global dimming??? That is another happening phenomenon, whereby the temperatures are dropping due to (gosh I cant remember!! I saw a program on it in 2005, so its  a bit hazy to me now). I think it had something to do with falling levels of either incident energy or outgoing radiation...not sure which,  but apparently, scientists are taking it seriously.
Ghafurallahi lana wa lakum