A former Nigeria national team goalkeeper trainer, Coach Amusa Adisa, has decried the absence of a reliable goalkeeper for the Super Eagles in the forthcoming Africa Nations Cup in Ivory Coast this month.
Amusa spoke on Wednesday shortly after he delivered a lecture at the annual get-together of Fabulous Sparkling Sparks F. C held in Ilọrin.
Going down the memory lane, the former Green Eagles player recalled that bias and impartiality were never allowed to intrude into the choice of the goalkeeper and the other outfield players, during his time.
“There is no team, either at the club side or national levels, that can be great without a good goalkeeper.
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“When the goalkeeper is dependable, the outfield players will be confident to showcase what they have been taught by the coaches,” he noted.
The former Eagles goalkeeper tactician said “The 1982 Brazilian team is, till date, one of the best teams ever assembled in the world. But they could not win the world cup, because their goalkeeper Vladimir Perez let in goals that ousted the team.
“When I got to the limelight in the early 1960s, Inuwa Lawal Rigogo was the best goalkeeper in the country. When Peter Fregene started to show high quality, he took over. Then I had my chance after I had shown my ability from 1964-1969, when we defeated Warri 5-1 in Challenge Cup final and also when I stopped Godwin Achebe’s penalty in 1971 for Ibadan Lions to win the cup. Cyril Okosieme, Joe Erico, Emmanuel Okala, Best Ogedengbe, Peter Rufai, Patrick Okala and the others too, in that succession came to give great attention to themselves later,” he added.
