‘Eagles need peace more than foreign coach’

Former Super Eagles assistant coach, Ben Duamlong has said what the national team needs urgently to succeed is lasting peace in the Nigerian Football Federation and not any expatriate coach.
Speaking against the backdrop of the position of the NFF to hire a foreign coach for the Eagles, the former Plateau United and Kaduna United gaffer said going by the present crisis in Nigerian football, even the best coach in the world will not succeed with the team.
He said instead of going in search of a foreign coach, the NFF should first find lasting solution to the problems that have bedevilled Nigerian football.
“I have no doubt in my mind that what the Eagles need urgently is genuine reconciliation and peace in the NFF. There is no peace in the federation and without peace, nothing can be achieved.
“There is too much bickering in the NFF. If the problems hindering the growth of Nigerian football are not addressed, even the best coach in the world will fail with the Eagles.
“So my advice is that they should first restore peace in the NFF before they begin to talk about hiring a coach for the Eagles,” he said.
Duamlong also said given the right atmosphere, an indigenous coach can achieve more than a foreign coach.
According to him, Stephen Keshi did not get half of the support that Clemence Westerhof enjoyed in his days, yet he succeeded.
“I don’t agree with those who feel a foreign coach is the solution. We have good coaches. All they need to succeed is the right atmosphere.
“Although he was not given the magnitude of support that Westerhof received, Keshi also won the Nations Cup just like the Dutchman.
“In my opinion, if local coaches are given just half of what foreign coaches are paid, they too will be motivated to succeed,” he said.