Coach Anthony Ushurhe

A U.S. based Nigerian; Oladayo Anthony Ushurhe, has said that foreign coaches, especially the whites, are better off than the Nigerians.

Ushurhe, who was a former coach of Lagos-based Messiah Football Club before leaving for the U.S. in 2014 to study Sports Coaching, Fitness and Health at the America Sports University, San Bernardino, California, said his sojourn in America has exposed him to a lot of things in modern day football coaching, which have made him come to the conclusion that coaches on the black continent, especially Nigeria, have a long way to go before they can catch up with their foreign counterparts.

Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, will soon announce three shortlists among 20 foreigners who applied to coach the country’s senior male team, the Super Eagles.

According to Ushurhe, who had played with clubs in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Jordan and Nigeria, Nigerian coaches and indeed players are good physically, they are always delights to watch on the field of play, but when it comes to techniques in the game, it has always been difficult for them to measure up.

Soccer team of Colton High School, California, USA with Nigerian coach, Oladayo Anthony Ushurhe

“The whites like black coaches and players because we are always good at whatever we do. The reason they respect us here in U.S. is that we are coming from a football nation and they believe we know how to play physical football.

“Unfortunately, we lack one ingredient to make our football complete and perfect. We don’t know the techniques of the game. This is a major deficiency.

“Our coaches need more training. What National Institute of Sports (NIS) in Lagos trained for three months was what I was taught here for two weeks intensive training. We don’t have licensing school in Nigeria, we need to upgrade before we can meet up with these whites.

“Our coaches need to understand what technique is in football. There is no magic to success in the round leather game,” Coach Ushurhe, who holds California State Soccer Association South E and F certificate licence. He also has National Soccer Coaches Association of Nigeria-Level 1 Diploma.
According to him, before a coach will get a license, he must pass through a lot of process which include fitness and health procedures.

“I had been in the US since October 2014 at the University for a four-year Course. I’m into two years in the course. I have obtained US coaching Licence E and F and other health certificates. With this I was able to get a coaching job with Colton High School in California where I’m assisting Head Coach Amando Ponse.

“Before I went to the US, I handled Messiah FC between 2010 and 2014 where I won Ikeja Divisional Football League, Eko League and maiden Extra Joss Football Championship,” he said.