Sports

Oliseh Worst Manager I Played Under — Mikel Obi

Published

2 years ago

January 14, 2024

Chelsea legend, John Mikel Obi has described former Super Eagles head coach Sunday Oliseh as the worst coach he worked with during his career.

Recall Oliseh had a short stint as the Super Eagles head coach after taking over from late Stephen Keshi in 2015.

During his tenure, Oliseh endured a torrid time as he complained of poor treatment from his employers, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

One of the major talking points of his seven month career as coach of the Super Eagles was his misunderstanding with Vincent Enyeama, which eventually forced the goalkeeper to quit international football.

Mikel Obi, speaking on his ObiOne podcast, described how Oliseh caused chaos in the Eagles’ camp on his first day.

He said: “I remember the first day he came into the camp. Then we reported to the camp for International duties, then he came straight at me and Vincent Enyeama, the goalkeeper, who also was very powerful back then.

“He came straight at us and Elderson Echiejile, and he said a few things. He said he heard there was a lot of player power with us.

“Then Enyeama was like, ‘What’s wrong with you? Where are you getting all of these from? We are a nice group, and you just come in, and the first thing is to attack us?

“He was like ‘I heard about you guys.’ And then Enyeama stood up and told him he couldn’t say that because we had been here for so many years. They started arguing, and literally, they were going to have a fight.

“He took Enyeama out of the team, and he came at us saying he was going to take us out of the team. He said he was going to take us out of the team; he said he was going to make sure we didn’t play anymore.”

“Enyeama could not take it, and despite my pleas, he left the camp angrily and never came back.”

Mikel Obi also remarked about his competence as a manager, saying he was clueless as a Super Eagles coach.

Obi said, “He (Oliseh) had absolutely no clue of how a manager is. He was a fantastic guy in his playing days, but as a coach, he was very terrible. He had no clue what he was doing.

“The players never understood anything he was doing, and he did not know what he was doing. He was just confused because he just came in and destroyed the team’s togetherness.

“His excuse when he got fired was that the people and FA did voodoo on him not to succeed. He was easily the worst manager I played under.

“He was so bitter with everybody, jealous with everybody, and had no respect for speaking to anybody, whether the physio or anybody,” he added.

Sports

2026 World Cup: All You Need To Know About South Africa Vs Nigeria Match

Published

2 days ago

September 8, 2025

Editor

The Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein will take centre stage on Tuesday as South Africa’s Bafana Bafana host the Super Eagles of Nigeria in a crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier.

With Group C reaching its climax, both teams are under pressure to get a result. South Africa aims to solidify its position at the top of the group, while Nigeria is desperate for a win to keep its World Cup hopes alive.

Current standings

Bafana Bafana lead the group on 16 points after sweeping aside Lesotho 3-0 in their last outing. Nigeria trails in third with 10 points, just one shy of Benin Republic, who sit second. On Sunday, the Eagles narrowly edged Rwanda 1-0 to stay in the race.

Eagles under pressure

Nigeria’s inconsistent form—only two wins in five matches—means this tie could prove pivotal. Adding to the challenge, Hugo Broos’ South Africa are on a three-match unbeaten run at home and have won three qualifiers in a row.

Injury watch and key battles

The availability of Victor Osimhen remains uncertain after the striker suffered a knock against Rwanda.

Historically, Nigeria hold a slight edge in the rivalry with two wins in their last seven meetings.

Still, the South Africa team has been tough to beat on home soil, avoiding defeat in their last three games against the Eagles, including a 1-1 stalemate in 2024.

Rivalry

Nigeria’s last away win against South Africa came at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations. Securing another statement victory on Tuesday would provide a huge boost to their qualification hopes.

Kickofft

The clash kicks off at 5 p.m. Nigerian time on Tuesday, September 9, 2025.

Fans can follow the action live on SuperSport, SportyBet TV, and AfroSport.

Sports

Why I Won’t Let My Siblings Play In NPFL —Ex-Eagles Midfielder Haruna Lukman

Published

2 days ago

September 8, 2025

Editor

Former Super Eagles midfielder, Haruna Lukman , has stated that he will never recommend any of his siblings to play in the Nigerian league.

Speaking during an interview on The Abu Azeez Podcast and sighted by PUNCH Online on Monday, the ex-Nigerian international said the Nigerian league is characterised by match fixing, citing a recent match between Rivers FC against Ikorodu City.

“The Nigerian Premier League is very poor, I am very sorry to say. They do not respect the senior ones who played in Europe, because coming down to play in Nigeria, they need to show us some respect. It is not easy to win something abroad, and when you decide to come back home to play, they offer you peanuts.

“For me Nigerian league is out of it, because I don’t see the Nigerian league as a league. I watched a competition they played at Onikan, it was my first time witnessing it. I went to watch Rivers against Ikorodu City. I sat down at the VIP and witnessed all sorts of match fixing by the referees, favouring one team against the other. I can’t advise any of my siblings or any of my siblings to play in the Nigerian league, ” he said.

Sports

FULL LIST: 17 Nations Secure 2026 FIFA World Cup Spots

Published

2 days ago

September 8, 2025

Editor

As the excitement builds for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, 17 nations from around the world have officially secured their places in football’s most prestigious tournament. With the expanded 48-team format, qualification has taken on new intensity, and several countries have already emerged from their regional qualifiers victorious.

The three host nations—the United States, Mexico, and Canada—earned automatic qualification, setting the stage for an unprecedented North American joint-hosting.

This historic collaboration marks the first time the World Cup will be hosted across three countries, promising a diverse and wide-reaching celebration of the global game.

In Asia, Japan became the first team to secure qualification on March 20, 2025, followed closely by Iran on March 25. New Zealand clinched Oceania’s guaranteed spot with a decisive 3–0 victory over New Caledonia on March 24.

South America, as expected, saw heavyweights seal their places. Argentina qualified after a crucial draw between Uruguay and Bolivia on March 25. Later, Brazil, Ecuador, Uruguay, Paraguay, and Colombia booked their places between June and early September, ensuring strong representation from the continent.

Of the countries on the radar, Australia remains the only nation yet to confirm qualification. The Socceroos are still fighting for a spot in the Asian qualifying rounds.

Current List of qualified nations

USA – Qualified (Host)
Mexico – Qualified (Host)
Canada – Qualified (Host)
Japan – Qualified (March 20, 2025)
New Zealand – Qualified (March 24, 2025)
Iran – Qualified (March 25, 2025)
Jordan qualified from Asia
South Korea qualified from Asia
Uzbekistan Qualified from Asia

Australia – Qualified (June 5, 2025)
Brazil – Qualified (June 10, 2025)
Ecuador – Qualified (June 10, 2025)
Uruguay – Qualified (Early September 2025)
Paraguay – Qualified (Early September 2025)
Colombia – Qualified (Early September 2025)
Argentina qualified in early September
Morocco qualified as the first country from CAF

With qualification ongoing in several confederations, the focus now shifts to Europe, Africa, and the remaining Asian teams. Football fans worldwide eagerly await the final list, promising an exciting 2026 World Cup filled with new rivalries and thrilling showdowns.