Oliseh Vs Enyeama ; The battle for supremacy

Just days before the international friendly game between Nigeria and Congo Democratic Republic  schedule to be played in Belgium. News broke out of the Super Eagles camp that their was a heated confrontation between the newly appointed chief coach Sunday Oliseh and the Lille goal keeper Vincent Enyeama who just reunited with the team after the burial of his late mum.

Many received the news with great sadness and were quick to join the bandwagon of people that supported the goal keeper when they got to know that the reason for the confrontation was because Sunday Oliseh stripped Vincent of his role as the skipper of the national team and handed it over to the most in form player in the squad in the person of Ahmed Musa. Stating that the coach should have respected the goal keeper enough to have discussed with him before making his decision public while the team where at table. 

Vincent Enyeama

After making inquiry into what transpired between the two, sources provided us with the real gist. 

Trouble started when they had a meeting after the Tuesday training session, which Enyeama did not participate in because he was busy talking with a member of the crew
even though he knew that only Carl Ikeme is the goalkeeper available. So Oliseh called a meeting and said he'd like Ahmed Musa to captain the team for the Congo clash. That was where trouble erupted. Enyeama would have none of that. He stood up in front of everyone and was said to have rudely interrupted the coach's speech at this point, the Lille keeper insisting that he was the captain, not Musa. Enyeama was even fighting for Mikel, most senior player in the team to be captain for friendlies not Musa when it became obvious that he would not be playing.

This interruption apparently riled Oliseh, who ordered Enyeama to let him (Oliseh) address his players in peace. But Enyeama continued talking, raising his voice at the coach.

When Oliseh could not take it any more, he ordered that Enyeama leave the venue of the meeting as he felt the keeper was undermining his (Oliseh's) authority. 

When Enyeama refused to leave, Oliseh asked for the goalkeeper to be forcibly removed from the Verviers Hotel camp by security men.

Sunday Oliseh

Enyeama was quoted to have made a lot of caustic statements.

Enyeama said this words "Who is Oliseh?" So Oliseh sent him out of camp to show him who the boss is.

Enyeama told Oliseh what have you done that I have not done for the Super Eagles, what did you win that have not won,who are you? #Crazy

Enyeama told Oliseh how long were you in the national team? This is my 13th year you can't come in here and start misbehaving #Crazy

Few hours after  the confrontation the former skipper unceremoniously announced his retirement from the Super Eagles through his instagram account saying "he has paid his due and it was time to bow out". 

Most soccer loving Nigerians attributed his actions to the ugly incident he had with the national team coach in camp. 

For myself I feel Nigeria football is finally heading towards the right direction where no one is above the coach. The coach is boss, he should be able to dictate what happens in his team. The coach should be given the liberty to appoint his captain whenever, however and wherever . The coach should also in-bide the spirit of discipline in his players to let them know that it is no longer business as usual. The team should be run in a "my roof, my rule" mode.

According to managers who have succeeded in the game of football, the only way to remain in control of your dressing room is to prove to the players that you are totally in charge and you know exactly where you are taking the team to.

Vincent Enyeama should have looked up to former Eagles skipper Nwankwo Kanu who was captain of the team even when he was not playing, he never complained but simply teamed up with the then technical team of the Super Eagles team to ensure that the country achieved their set goal. Kanu Nwankwo was often seen at the touchline dishing out instructions to his team mates whenever he was not on the pitch playing. It was never reported he had any issue with a member of the coaching crew. He did not have any difficulty in handing the armband to a much younger player in Joseph Yobo.

As Sunday Oliseh leads his team to the third game since his appointment, he will be hoping that the whole squad put this ugly incident behind and put a good performance against the Congolese, not just a good performance but also crown it with a victory.