Shuaibu Amodu: The `CRUCIFIED ONE`, a review

In loving memory of former Super Eagles Coach Late Shuaibu Amodu, this article reviews his place as the `Crucified One` on the list of past Super Eagles handlers.

BIRTH AND EARLY FOOTBALL JOURNEY

Late Shuaibu Amodu was born on April 18, 1958. Amodu played football as a striker for Dumez and Niger Tornadoes. His career was cut short by Injury.

THE CRUCIFIED ONE ON THE LIST OF SUPER EAGLES COACHES

Inspired by the story of good Friday, Caretaker scanned through thoughts for anyone who was always ready to give his all for the growth of football in Nigeria but was always met with unending criticism despite meeting set targets. There and then memories of Amodu`s emergency appointments as Super Eagles manager and eventual sacking just before the World Cup tournaments in 2002 and 2010 popped up for review.

It is common knowledge that a key module behind sacking of football coaches is failing to deliver on set targets and a poor run of form, but for Amodu, it is worthy of a `cruxifixion` tag that he was laid off on two occasions after qualifying his country for the FIFA World Cup.

Every Coach dreams of featuring at the FIFA World Cup which is the grandest stage of football and so Amodu will definitely have rued missing out on two occasions.

If not in 2002 where the `Mafia` talks from the 2002 Africa Cup of Nations tournament contributed to his dismissal and subsequent drafting of Chief Adegboyega Onigbinde to handle the team to the tournament in Korea/Japan, Amodu, Caretaker adjudges Amodu was crucified with the sack in 2010.

After what he described as ” unfair sacking ” in 2002, Amodu was reappointed as Super Eagles Head Coach in 2008 with a mandate of rescuing the country`s turbulent qualification journey to South Africa 2010 FIFA World Cup, a task he delivered on.

Immediately after qualifying Nigeria for the World Cup, talks of a foreign manager to lead the team to the World Cup surfaced and eventually, the Nigeria Football Federation stated that Amodu was under pressure. 

Of-course it is expected of every coach to be under pressure and so that excuse was just a flying gist. In Febuary 2010 the Football Federation announced the sack of Amodu. In his place, the NFF appointed Swedish manager Lars Lagerback to lead Nigeria to the 2010 FIFA World Cup Cup.

The story did not end well as the Super Eagles failed to go beyond the group stage at the tournament.

Despite the odd memories from 2002 and 2010, Amodu accepted to serve as Technical director of Nigeria`s National teams in 2013 during this time, the former BCC Lions of Gboko gaffer took temporary charge of the Super Eagles in October 2014 and 2015 before the appointment of his captain in 2002, Sunday Oliseh.

IT IS FINISHED

On June 10, 2016, Nigeria`s most appointed and sacked Eagles manager passed on in Edo State.

Coincidentally, this happened just three days after the demise of the only other Nigerian coach who has qualified the country for a FIFA World Cup tournament, Stephen Keshi. Unlike Amodu, Keshi graced the fruit of his labor at the Brazil 2014 FIFA World Cup tournament.

That he never had the opportunity of coaching at a FIFA World Cup tournament despite being Nigeria`s most successful Coach per World Cup qualification (2) is synonymous with crucifixion.