Ex-international, Sunday Oliseh, on Thursday resigned from his position as Super Eagles coach in the “interest of the nation”.
Oliseh, 41, who replaced Stephen Keshi July last year, boasts of an impressive record, losing only once in 14 competitive games.
But his seven-month stint at the summit of Nigerian football was characterised by rumpus, discontent and controversies.
We take a look at those moments that defined his reign as head of the Super Eagles.
- Pep Guardiola of Africa
Oliseh troubles started from day one when he was compared with Bayern Munich coach, Pep Guardiola, by Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) President, Amaju Pinnick.
“Let me tell you that we are just presenting to you the Pep Guardiola of Africa, we are very excited because we know as a federation that Sunday Oliseh will deliver,” Pinnick said in July.
The expectations from Nigerians which came along with the numerous promises made during his unveiling however surged while Oliseh himself failed in that regard.
- Enyeama conundrum
Oliseh’s first major controversy was his handling of the case involving former skipper and most capped player, Vincent Enyeama.
Both ex-internationals were involved in heated exchanges that led to the latter quitting and immediately replaced by Ahmed Musa as skipper of the national team in October.
“I have fought a good fight for more than 13years. Henceforth, I am no more the captain of the Nigerian senior football team, I am no more the goalie of the team,” Enyeama announced to a shocked football crazy nation.
The Lille goalkeeper was subsequently joined by Fenerbahce star, Emmanuel Emenike, who also quit for “national peace”.
- Woeful CHAN outing
Nigeria endured a disappointing group stage exit at the African Nations Championship (CHAN) last month in Rwanda.
Rather than apologise for his team’s ouster, Oliseh immediately downplayed the importance of the competition blaming every other person for his inadequacies.
“It was not a question of the tactics we chose for the game. What did not go right is the fact that I think somewhere inside it was difficult for the players to overcome some moral difficulties they have come across.
“With all due respect, CHAN is the least of important tournament in the calendar of CAF and it is a tournament that measures the strengths of leagues against one another.”
- Power tussle with NFF technical committee
Oliseh was hired by the NFF on the recommendation of its technical committee chaired by Chris Green.
But Oliseh on several occasions snubbed the group saying “I personally have nothing to do with the (NFF) technical committee”.
Members of the groups immediately threatened to quit after Pinnick neglected their proposition to sack the coach.
“They cannot be treated with levity. They are heavyweights on their own and they are not paid a dime for their services,” Green said.
- Verbal attacks on critics, NFF and players
The Oliseh saga took an odious twist when the former international went on rampage on YouTube to launch a staggering attack on his critics.
“You must be insane to ask questions on the future of the Super Eagles because we lost CHAN. The usual critics have brought out their fangs again. I’m addressing this constant insanity; this is madness that has befallen some of our critics,” he declared.
He also had words for the media: “No matter what these critics say, as long as I am coach of the Super Eagles, I won’t pay anybody to write positively about me in the media as some of these critics have asked me to.”
