Icheoku says it was the late literally giant, Chinua Achebe, who once quipped that 'one of the truest test of integrity is its blunt refusal to be compromised'; and on this note, Icheoku commends the former Nigerian Eagles goal-tender, Vincent Enyeama, for resigning from the national team rather than being made 'to look like a slavish beggar.' Nothing is worth losing one's honor for; as without honor, no life is worth its living. Therefore rather than take the recent double whammy maltreatment of being demoted from the captainship of the Eagles and also being forcefully removed from the Eagles' training camp like a destitute criminal, Vincent Enyeama was right in simply walking away from the team while still retaining whatever was left of his honor in the service of his fatherland.
Icheoku agrees with former Eagles captain Christian Chukwu that as a captain, Vincent Enyema deserved some respect. That regardless of whatever shortcoming he might have, the greenhorn coach of the national side, albino Sunday Oliseh, should have handled both incidents in a more matured, civilized manner that would have avoided the ruckus just generated. But to simultaneously demote Enyeama from the captainship of the side and also physically instigate his forceful removal from the training ground was simply too much for anyone with any modicum of honor to bear. The treatment was rather too over-broad and was not done in good faith, but rather to humiliate the goal-tender. Query, why invite Eneyama to the national side training camp only just to humiliate him in this manner, asking security men to physically remove him, tearing his clothes in the process. A man who has dutifully served the country for so long as to become the most capped player of the national side, at least, deserves better.
Icheoku says Nigeria, not Vincent Enyeama, would be the biggest loser of this development. Vincent Enyeama is doing greatly, Vincent Enyeama has done greatly and Vincent Enyeama will do greatly in the future, however long that future might last. Vincent Enyeama is a good goalkeeper, Vincent Enyeama is a very patriotic Nigerian and Vincent Enyeama is committed to the national team. It is only albino Sunday Oliseh who knows what his beef with Vincent Enyeama is, that would so recklessly force this issue to such a head, leading to the goalkeeper's resignation from the national side. Icheoku says Vincent Eyeama will be just fine, with or without the Oliseh managed national side; and being not a beggar, should not be made to look like one. To Vincent Enyeama, Icheoku says, all the best with all your future endeavors; and thank you for your service and for being man enough to walk away rather than allow yourself to become anyone's shriveling slave to be subjected to such a demeaning treatment. To Sunday Oliseh, Icheoku admonishes that you got this one really screwed up big time; and for triggering the resignation of Vincent Enyeama from the national side, SHAME ON YOU.
Enyeama returns to Eagles
ReplyDeleteOCTOBER 11, 2015, ORGE ALUO
Super Eagles first choice keeper and captain, Vincent Enyeama, who Thursday, October 8 announced his retirement from the team has agreed to stage a comeback.
Enyeama’s decision to return was taken yesterday in Belgium after a three- hour meeting with the president of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Amaju Pinnick.
Pinnick told Sunday Sunsports exclusively after the meeting that the good news he has for Nigerians is that Enyeama has assured him that he would rescind his retirement decision, even as he added that he succeeded in getting Enyeama and Oliseh to talk on phone.
“I had a very fruitful meeting with Enyeama. Our meeting lasted for three hours and I must tell you that all is well now. Enyeama will return after the game against Cameroon tomorrow (today). He spoke with Oliseh on phone after our meeting. He (Enyeama) is not in camp at the moment but he is likely going to watch the match against Cameroon from the stands,” Pinnick disclosed.
It would be noted that Enyeama decided to quit the Eagles over Oliseh’s decision to strip him of the skipper’s band. The new Eagles gaffer has since named Ahmed Musa new captain of the team with Ogenyi Onazi as vice captain.
Oliseh has come under fire from many soccer fans over the decision which they reason will polarize the Eagles as they chase Nations Cup and World Cup qualification tickets.
Fashanu, Kwande blast Oliseh over Enyeama 0
ReplyDeleteOCTOBER 12, 2015
From Ikenna Emewu and Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
FORMER Aston Villa player and football administrator, John Fashanu yesterday descended heavily on Super Eagles coach, Sunday Oliseh for sacking goalkeeper and captain of the team, Vincent Enyeama.
Fashanu in a discussion with Daily Sun argued that: “I don’t want to sound like taking sides, but it is just improper for a greenhorn coach to sack a seasoned captain of a team on flimsy excuse of reporting late to camp or having disagreement with him.”
He described the action by Oliseh against Enyeama as a demonstration of poor leadership and hasty. He noted that: “I can’t understand the reason a coach who just resumed would sack the captain of his squad that way because a coach that wants to succeed should not be the one destabilizing his own team, and it is just unthinkable that you would sack a key player a day before a crucial match. That didn’t sound mature enough.”
Fashanu explained that in teams, there are players that don’t agree and never friendly with each other. “In my playing career, I knew of players that never spoke to each other in training and in the match. Sometimes, for six months they don’t stop to say hi to each other, but immediately they cross the line into the pitch, they drop all those and blend as a team.
“It also happens between a coach and some players, but so far as the player is what you need to win your matches, you cope with him, not as a friend, but professionally as one that makes your work succeed.”
He noted that although in words it is often said that all players should be treated equally by the coach, in practical terms, that is not possible. A player like Enyeama who has been there and has been the backbone of the Eagles must not be treated with disdain the way Oliseh did.
“For instance Enyeama wanted to opt out of the team in retirement like Oliseh said, the best way to handle his case and take the captainship from his is not the degrading approach. If Enyeama is treated that way as a senior player, then Oliseh is sending wrong signals to the younger ones that look up to Enyeama.
“Even if Enyeama should be dropped as the captain, with the years he has served the nation, Oliseh would have demonstrated leadership to ask him, for the sake of breeding a cohesive squad, to come to the teammates and name his successor even after he and Oliseh must have on their own agreed to that. To strip him of the badge and give it to another was disrespectful and a way of telling him he doesn’t matter or that leadership in the team is not respected.”
In the same vein, Chairman Media Sub-committee of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Hon Suleiman Yahaya Kwande, has declared that Super Eagles first choice keeper and captain, Vincent Enyeama, deserves to be treated with respect by the team’s new gaffer, Sunday Oliseh.
Fielding questions from journalist after the Falconets trashed their visiting DR Congo counterpart in Abuja, the member House of Representatives Committee on Sports maintained that the Lille goalkeeper deserves to be given a heroic and glorious sent forth if he must retire from the team.
Asked if he is worried about the crisis rocking the team, he responded: “I am worried just like every other patriotic Nigerian over what is happening in the Super Eagles but the good thing is that we are trying to see how we can tackle it. It will be as soon as possible God’s willing.”
“The way forward is that the president and his two vices are in Belgium to see how they can tackle the situation. If you ask me, I would say that Vincent deserves better treatment. I don’t have full details of what transpired in Belgium between him and Oliseh, I have read some sketches of what happened but we should not forget Vincent is a player who has served Nigeria very and by my own consideration, he deserves better treatment than this.