The umbrella body of football coaches in Nigeria, Nigeria Football Coaches Association and the Edo State chapter, have expressed sadness with the death of veteran coach, Tony Ottah.
Ottah, a member of the 1973 Green Eagles team that won Nigeria’s first ever All Africa Games gold medal, was said to have slumped few hours after the burial of another veteran coach, Willy Bazuaye last week. He never recovered until his death on Friday night.
In a statement signed on behalf of the coaches’ president, Bitrus Bewarang, secretary of Nigerian coaches, Solomon Ogbeide, said the death of coach Ottah, weeks after that of Willy Bazuaye, has denied the body “experienced and valuable” technical contributions to the development of the profession.
“Coach Ottah was before his death, the Training Officer of the Edo State chapter.The younger coaches have attested to his richness repertoire of experience and it has manifested in the quality representation of teams in the Federation Cup from the state,” he said.
“On behalf of my President, the Nigerian coaches condole with the family of coach Ottah and Edo State coaches in particular. His death, coming weeks after that of Bazuaye has robbed the profession valuable advice. Ottah’s a coaches’ instructor per excellence,” Ogbeide who also signed the condolence on behalf of the Edo State chapter laments.