Super Eagles Legend Sunday Oliseh Identifies Individual Who Cursed Nigeria Football, Video
- Ex-international Sunday Oliseh has shed light on the reasons behind the team’s struggles in recent years
- Nigeria are currently on the verge of missing out on a second consecutive FIFA World Cup, following a series of underwhelming performances in the qualifiers
- The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has appointed three different coaches to manage the senior men’s national team in the last one year
Sunday Oliseh has shared his thoughts on the long-standing struggles of Nigeria’s men’s football team.
The former Super Eagles captain suggested that certain individuals have been maltreated over the years, and the consequences of those actions are now becoming evident.
Nigeria are currently facing a tough battle to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the USA, Canada, and Mexico.
Eric Chelle took over as head coach when the Super Eagles were in fifth place with just three points. Under his leadership, the team has climbed to third place with 14 points, following three wins and two draws, per Premium Times.
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Source: Getty Images
Erico cursed Nigeria - Oliseh
1994 AFCON winner Sunday Oliseh said the late Joe Erico placed a curse on the Super Eagles after he was unjustly disengaged as the assistant coach.
Speaking about Bet9ja Home Turf, the Olympic gold medallist explained that the trio of Amodu Shaibu, Stephen Keshi, and Joe Erico were engaged when the Super Eagles were struggling to qualify for the 2002 World Cup in Korea and Japan.
The former Juventus midfielder said that late Keshi also invested heavily in the 2002 team before the NFF terminated his contract. He said:
"Coach Erico made it clear before his death that because of what they did to us in 2002, he sat down in his room in the night (n*ked) and cursed Nigeria. Erico (great, lovely and funny guy), they took over the Super Eagles alongside Shuiabu Amadu, and Stephen Keshi.
"Keshi was looking for name as a coach, he invested so much to make sure Nigeria qualified for the 2002 Korea/Japan World Cup, always calling me to his room during the qualifiers.
"How can a man risk all this thing finish and was dropped for the World Cup? Carried players who did not prosecute the qualifiers and they said it was because Sunday is stubborn. Some even said we insulted a minister (this is another version I am hearing).
"They did all that and destroyed the team; I personally feel that was when the Super Eagles got destroyed."
Source: Getty Images
Legit.ng compiled some reactions to Sunday Oliseh’s comments on Joe Erico's curse on the Super Eagles. Read below:
@larakay850 said:
"There's no any curse, stop this. We just didn't do the right thing. Which curse, who's cursing? Is Sunday Oliseh Messiah, don't you know him when he was playing?
"Were we cursed in 2006, 1990,1977,1981 when we didn't qualify for World Cup? Were we also cursed in U17&20?"
@petrusmaria90 wrote:
"It's not really the curse that's the problem. it's just that 2002 truncated the super eagles succession system. It birthed new stars like Utaka, enyeama, nobody but the core was not there anymore. It will take a determined NFF to give a coach room of 4-5 years to rebuild it."
@Ayphilydegreat added:
"We’ve won AFCON after that time nah. Even though I believe what happened in 2002 was part of the problem because there was no real structure afterwards. Until Keshi showed up."
Oliseh exposes ex-teammates betrayal
Legit.ng earlier reported that Super Eagles legend Sunday Oliseh has heaped the biggest blame on the ongoing issues in Nigerian football on the former professional players.
Oliseh noted that the lack of unity in their midst is key to how they are perceived by others and treated by the government, citing the example of why he missed the 2002 FIFA World Cup.
Source: Legit.ng
