Enyeama: Oliseh must thread softly, ex-midfielder warns

Former Nigeria midfielder, Etim Esin has urged coach Sunday Oliseh to thread softly in his dealings with his players should he intend to achieve positive results.

Oliseh had a faceoff with goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama on Tuesday in the Super Eagles’ Verviers camp in Belgium, but the timely intervention of the Nigeria Football Federation helped rescue the situation.

Esin feels the national team handler must learn to manage his players’ differences properly towards achieving desired results, while insisting that it would be a wrong call for the Lille goalkeeper to retire from international football.

“It would be wrong for Enyeama to quit now because he has many years to serve the country,” Esin told Goal.

“Oliseh was once the national team captain, he knows the pressure and with what he went through on the eve of the 2002 Fifa World Cup, he should be able to balance the ego of his players which could be a big problem here.

“Aside from balancing the team by managing their ego, he should show Enyeama some respect if he wants respect in return.”

“Captaining the national team is not an easy feat. He (Oliseh) has has been in that position before and definitely will understand what I mean here,” he continued.

“My adivise to Oliseh is to go extra length in balancing his players’ ego because he has no time for wrangling. What Nigerians want is result and there will be no excuse.

“We have a technical coommittee in place and this matter shouldn’t have been in the press in the first instance.

“They should have handled the issue quietly and peacefully before it comes out in the media. They still have a lot to do here because they must ensure this matter is resolved amicably,” he concluded.