Oliseh Reveals NFF Warning Against Mikel, Enyeama, Emenike, Says Super Eagles Lack Quality

Former Super Eagles manager Sunday Oliseh has disclosed that the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) warned him not to invite John Obi Mikel, Vincent Enyeama and Emmanuel Emenike to the national team when he took charge.

Oliseh made the revelation during an appearance on The Play Zone Podcast, where he recalled the federation’s concerns about the three former internationals and explained why he regretted disregarding its advice.

“I regret not having listened to the NFF. Because when I took over the job, the first thing NFF told me was to stop inviting three of them (Mikel, Enyeama and Emenike) because they were chaotic to the NFF,” he said.

The former midfielder said he made personal efforts to resolve issues with the players rather than simply follow the federation’s recommendation.

How Oliseh Tried to Meet Enyeama and Mikel

Oliseh recalled travelling from Belgium to France to meet Enyeama, who was then playing for Lille. He said their discussions helped him clarify matters with the former Super Eagles captain.

He also disclosed that he spent his own money to travel to the United Kingdom to meet Mikel and Victor Moses, both of whom were playing in England at the time.

Oliseh said he contacted their clubs and sent messages to the players before arranging a meeting at a bar in central London with his assistant coach.

However, while Moses turned up, Mikel allegedly failed to attend and did not respond to his WhatsApp message.

“I did the same thing for Obi Mikel. With my own money, not the NFF money, I went to the UK, sent a message to the clubs, sent a message to him (Mikel), sent message not only to him but also to Victor Moses, gave them an appointment at a bar that was accessible in the heart of London, with my assistant coach, for two of them to come and have meeting.

“Now, of the two of them, who did not come to the meeting? Obi Mikel did not come to the meeting. Victor Moses came. Obi Mikel did not even respond to the WhatsApp message,” he said.

Oliseh speculated that Mikel might have believed his position at a major European club made him more important than the national team coach.

“Maybe because he’ll say, ‘I play for this big club now,’ but you see, that’s why they say sometimes Sunday (Oliseh) is direct. Where did you play that I did not play? What did you play that I did not play?

“Even though the coach was not a footballer or not as big as you, the fact that they’ve given him that title ‘national team coach’, means you have to respect the position he’s holding,” he added.

The former coach described Mikel’s absence from the meeting as one of the biggest insults he had experienced. Nevertheless, he maintained that he did not take the matter personally.

Oliseh said Moses, who attended the meeting, used the opportunity to explain his concerns about the national team. Some of the experiences Moses discussed were familiar to the former coach, he added.

Oliseh Says Emenike Was Misunderstood

While recounting the NFF’s warning, Oliseh offered a different assessment of Emenike, saying his experience with the former striker did not match what he had initially been told.

He described Emenike as a gentleman and a respectful footballer, ranking him among the greatest players he had worked with.

Oliseh further highlighted Emenike’s contribution to Nigeria’s triumph at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations, describing his influence as an important factor in the team’s success.

Why Super Eagles Are Struggling, According to Oliseh

Oliseh also criticised the quality of the current Super Eagles squad, arguing that Nigeria’s recent difficulties in football stem from a decline in the standard of players compared with previous generations.

“The reason why we are failing is so obvious that I am embarrassed when I hear people don’t talk about it.

“We are failing because we are not good enough,” he said.

To support his argument, Oliseh pointed to former Nigerian stars who played for established European clubs during their careers.

His examples included Finidi George, Rashidi Yekini, Emmanuel Amuneke, Victor Ikpeba, Taribo West, Celestine Babayaro, Ben Iroha and Tijani Babangida.

He mentioned European sides such as Ajax Amsterdam, Borussia Dortmund, AS Monaco, AC Milan, Inter Milan and Chelsea when comparing the achievements of previous generations with those of today’s internationals.

The former Super Eagles coach then challenged listeners to identify current Nigerian internationals playing for clubs capable of competing for the UEFA Conference League title.

“Which of the Nigerian players in the national team now is playing at a team that starts this season to aspire to win the Conference League?” he asked.

Emphasising his concerns, Oliseh said he was not even comparing the current players with those competing for the UEFA Champions League.

“I’m not even going to Champions League or E. Conference League, which is the smallest European title,” he said.

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