The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Oliseh

  • Oliseh roars: My players will get exposure

    Oliseh roars: My players will get exposure

    As Nigeria plays Niger today in their first Group C game, Super Eagles coach, Sunday Oliseh has said that his team is not obsessed with winning but is more interested in exposure for the players adding that they will nonetheless do the needful by playing their game.

    “I must say that we are not obsessed with winning the championship but we will take each match as it comes and ensure that we put in our best in every match.”

    On Niger’s tendency to play defensive games at all times, Oliseh said every team has the right to play whatever pattern they want but his business is to ensure that his players give a good account of  themselves.

    Oliseh, who thumbed up the CHAN organisers for what he called excellent facilities at the disposal of participating teams, said his players are not under pressure and will not be made to play under pressure.

    “I have told my players to go and play a good game and avoid playing under pressure to avoid unnecessary mistakes,” he added

  • 2016 CHAN: Nigeria in for a fight, predicts Oliseh

    2016 CHAN: Nigeria in for a fight, predicts Oliseh

    Nigeria coach Sunday Oliseh has said he expects the other teams at this year’s CHAN to come out fighting when they face the Super Eagles.

    The Eagles will be in Rwanda for their second CHAN appearance after they made their debut in 2014 and finished third.

    “Everyone will be out to fight us (in Rwanda),” Oliseh predicted.

    “But we’re on track, the boys are in high spirit and physically okay.”

    Nigeria begin their 2016 CHAN campaign on Monday, January 18, against Niger. They will also battle Tunisia and Guinea in the group stage.

    Oliseh’s team finalised their build-up for the CHAN with a heart-warming 1-0 win over another CHAN-bound team, Cote d’Ivoire.

    “The boys  gave it a shot.We created loads and loads of scoring chances and hope they can tap it home next time,” he said after the match.

  • Ballon d’Or: Oliseh, Musa pick Messi

    Ballon d’Or: Oliseh, Musa pick Messi

    Super Eagles coach, Sunday Oliseh and his captain, Ahmed Musa, voted for Lionel Messi on his way to a historic fifth FIFA World Footballer of the Year award.

    Messi, who first won the award in 2009, edged past Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar to cart home the biggest individual prize in world football, africanFootball.com reports.

    The 28-year-old Argentine got 41.33 per cent of the votes, with Real Madrid’s Ronaldo garnering 27.76 per cent and Barcelona’s Neymar third with 7.86 per cent of the votes.

    Oliseh picked Messi, his Barcelona teammates Neymar and Luiz Suarez for the top prize in world football.

    Musa voted for Messi, Ronaldo and Neymar in that order.

    Nigerian journalists Samm Audu also voted Messi, Ronaldo and Neymar.

  • Oliseh gives ‘runaway’ Salami slim hope of return

    Oliseh gives ‘runaway’ Salami slim hope of return

    The road back for ‘Runaway’ Gbolahan Salami to the Super Eagles in the earliest is likely but it certainly will be steep as Sunday Oliseh lays down the marker.

    24-year-old Salami jumped ship after the Christmas break in 2015 refusing to report back with the team during the first phase of camping for the African Nations Championship.

    Reports suggest the Warri Wolves striker is on the verge of securing a foreign deal but he has refused to communicate with the national team handlers.

    Speaking of the player’s chances of getting future invitation to the national team, Oliseh said: “Of course he (Gbolahan Salami) like any other player will be considered as long as they give top performances – at their clubs.”

    The former Shooting Stars hit-man has suffered several failed attempts to pen deals abroad and may shut himself out of the current team with rumors of a discord with the gaffer.

  • No fresh call up to Super Eagles -Oliseh

    No fresh call up to Super Eagles -Oliseh

    Super Eagles’ handler Sunday Ogorchukwu Oliseh  has declared  that he does  not intend to add new faces to the present new look Super Eagles squad as he continues to build a formidable team for the nation that will qualify the country for the 2016 Nations Cup and World Cup in Rusia in 2018.

    Speaking with Sportinglife on phone, he said the team is beginning to gel and adding new players will affect the flow of the team. “I can only replace or bring in new players if  any of the players are  injured or voluntarily quit the national team.But for now I have no intention and for the sake of consistency as a team”, Oliseh said.

    On Aaron Samuel who is doing well in China, he said for now no but in future yes. “Look  I have two players in each department, inviting Samuel or any other player will not help my build up except when it is absolutely  necessary,”  said the chief coach.

  • 2016 CHAN: Oliseh urged to invite more players

    2016 CHAN: Oliseh urged to invite more players

    The 2016 CHAN tournament is a little over a month before kick off and despite sealing qualification, Sunday Oliseh, who disclosed he has a pool of players from the local League he’s working with, equally knows a top spot finish will boost Nigeria’s chances of an easy landing in the 2018 World Cup draws.

    One player who’s keen on breaking into the group, Bolaji Shakin of Abia Warriors has appealed to the coach to extend his search for capable legs to help Nigeria achieve a better result this time around – Eagles won Bronze at the third edition in South Africa – in the competition.

    “I’m good enough to make the Eagles team to the CHAN, and I think the coach can also invite more players across the League where there are players who can help Nigeria achieve a better outcome,” he said.

  • Oliseh roots for Obaroakpo

    Oliseh roots for Obaroakpo

    Super Eagles Head Coach Sunday Oliseh has rated his left wing defender Austin Obaroakpo as one of the best players in the local league, that can feature prominently with any team in Europe.

    Speaking exclusively to Sportinglife, the former International said: “It is wrong for anyone to say that we don’t have good players at home, we have very good players that can hold their heads high in any club they found themselves in Europe.

    “Take Austin Obaroakpo for example, this is a very good player, very intelligent, and strong on ball. He has all the potentials that any coach needs in player, and I have no option than to continue to give him the opportunity. I have said it time without number that if at every match I found out that it is only the players that are based here at home that would give me the result, I will give them the opportunity. I don’t care where you are playing, but your current form determines your position in the team,” he said.

    The former Julius Berger of Lagos player however advised Oboroakpo to be careful before deciding to join the overseas professional train.

    “He needs to be very careful before taking a step to move overseas. He should not say because others are there, and decided to join them, it may be a mistake that would not bring the best out of his game” he concluded.

  • Oliseh praises gutsy Swaziland

    Oliseh praises gutsy Swaziland

    Nigeria coach Sunday Oliseh has praised Swaziland for giving his team a fight in a World Cup qualifier in Port Harcourt on Tuesday.

    Three-time African champions Nigeria scored two goals in the second half for them to go past a Swaziland side, ranked 130th in the world by FIFA and advance to the next stage of the qualifiers for Russia 2018 2-0 on aggregate after a goalless draw in Lobamba last week.

    “For a fact, Swaziland’s FIFA ranking is totally not justified. We should congratulate them. They posed us a lot of problems, they were always compact and resilence. They played with their hearts over the two legs and made things pretty difficult for us,” admitted Oliseh after a laboured home win in front of a full house at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium in Port Harcourt.

    “If I got a chance to play a friendly in the future I will invite Swaziland.”

    Nigeria, who have featured at five World Cups, will now 19 other countries who include Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Cameroon, Egypt, Mali, Senegal, South Africa and Algeria in the group phase of the qualifiers.

    The teams will be drawn into five groups of four teams each with the overall group winners qualifying for the World Cup in Russia in 2018.

  • Oboroakpo praises Oliseh’s abilities

    Oboroakpo praises Oliseh’s abilities

    Abia Warriors skipper Austin Oboroakpo was delighted with the 2 – 0 victory over Swaziland in a World Cup qualifier and has praised the coaching abilities of Super Eagles manager, Sunday Oliseh.

    After a goalless first half, the Hussey College, Warri product has revealed that Oliseh’s pep talk during the intermission motivated the squad to finish off their opponents in the second half.

    “We thank God that we were able to get the win at the end of the day, we were able to make the country proud and everyone is happy, ”said Oboroakpo to allnigeriasoccer.com.

    “During the interval, the coach told us to believe in ourselves, that we can defeat Swaziland with our effort and the advice paid off in the second half.”

    Oboroakpo had kind words to say about the foreign – based professionals, stating that the Super Eagles stars from Europe encouraged the home – based players to settle into the team quickly.

    “I want to say big kudos to the foreign – based players:  Mikel, Onazi, Ambrose and others for their support.

    “They made us feel at home, they cooperated with us . They deserve to be praised, they are champions and committed,” the central defender added.

    Oboroakpo partnered Celtic’s Efe Ambrose in the heart of the Super Eagles defense and went the distance at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium.

  • Oliseh praises gusty Swaziland

    Oliseh praises gusty Swaziland

    Super Eagles coach, Sunday Oliseh, has praised Swaziland for giving his team a fight in Tuesday’s World Cup qualifier in Port Harcourt.

    The three-time African champions scored two goals in the second half to edge out a Swaziland side, ranked 130th in the world by FIFA and advance to the final round of the 2018 World Cup qualifiers on 2-0 aggregate.

    “For a fact, Swaziland’s FIFA ranking is totally not justified. We should congratulate the team. The Swazis caused us a several problems, they were always compact and resilient. They played with their hearts over the two legs and made things pretty difficult for us,” africanFootball.com quoted Oliseh as saying at the post-match press conference.

    “If I get a chance to play a friendly in the future I will invite Swaziland.”

    Nigeria, who had featured at five FIFA World Cup tournaments, joined 19 other countries which included Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Cameroon, Egypt, Mali, Senegal, South Africa and Algeria in the final stage of the qualifiers.