Paseiro – leaving when the ovation is still loud!
The news of Jose Paseiro’s exit as coach of the national team of Nigeria comes in a potpourri of little criticism, plenty of relief and appreciation, and huge new expectations.
The Portuguese Coach must be the luckiest gaffer in the world. The confetti of gifts showered on him for coming second in the AFCON 2023 by the federal government of Nigeria must be a world-record in rewards – mouth-watering bonuses, a house and a plot of land in Abuja, and a national honour – Member of the Order of the Niger, MON.
In return, he leaves behind a memento of almost 2 years of unconvincing football at national team level, no impact on the domestic game, no silverware of any sort, and in the last 6 weeks of his contract, results from AFCON 2023 that took Nigerians from the depth of hopelessness to the peak of expectations, and a shuddering halt to a wishful dream at the end. 6 Nigerians died as a direct result of the pressure-cooker tension they were taken through!
A former Chief of Naval Staff of Nigeria, Admiral Jubril Ayinla, was a first-hand witness at the climax of Nigeria’s odyssey at AFCON 2023. He may be sharing his nerve wracking experience with me.
From this weekend, athletes in almost 30 sports events from countries all over the African continent will start to converge at the University of Legon, Accra, Ghana, for the start of the biggest sports event in Africa, the 13th All-African Games.
One of the athletes of the earliest years of the All-African Games, probably the most influential and successful female coach in Nigeria’s athletics history, Armelia Edet, shares her experiences, vision and expectations with me.
One of the recipients of the 4th Sportsville Special Recognition Awards taking place tonight joins me to discuss the significance of these recognitions.
