‘They don’t always succeed'—Super Eagles legend Yobo opens up on national team coaching experience
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Yobo opens up on national team coaching experience || imago

‘They don’t always succeed'—Super Eagles legend Yobo opens up on national team coaching experience

Stephen Oladehinde 14:18 - 23.09.2024

Super Eagles legend Joseph Yobo has acknowledged that his time as the national team's coach did not go well for him.

Yobo had a successful career with the national team and was part of the Super Eagles squad that won the 2013 AFCON tournament under the guidance of Stephen Kechi.

The 44-year-old announced the end of his international career in 2014 when the Super Eagles lost to France in Brazil at the FIFA World Cup round of sixteen.

The former Norwich City player was then named as one of the Super Eagles assistant coaches in February 2020 after he had retired from playing football. 

Yobo laments about national team 

The 2013 AFCON champion has disclosed that his time as the national team's coach wasn't enjoyable.

According to Brila, Yobo said, “It’s always an honour to represent the national team in any capacity, but the only reason I hesitated to join the coaching crew was because of how coaches are treated. 

Joseph Yobo || Credit: Joseph Yobo Instagram
Joseph Yobo || Credit: Joseph Yobo Instagram

“It’s not encouraging. When I finished playing, some of my mates were venturing into coaching, but I wasn’t impressed. 

“The way coaches are treated in Nigeria, they don’t always succeed, so I thought, why should I join them?

“When the opportunity came, it was an honour, even though I was skeptical, but as I continued, I realized I had it in me too. 

“I enjoyed it and saw it as an opportunity to grow. I was even told I could be the next Stephen Keshi, I was a project, but when we failed to qualify for the World Cup, they dropped all the coaches. 

Joseph Yobo captained the Super Eagles for several years || Imago
Joseph Yobo captained the Super Eagles for several years || Imago

“I was told I was a project for the future, but I was highly disappointed when everyone was told to go, even though they had assured me ‘no shaking.”

Yobo and the other coaching staff members were fired after they could not secure a spot in the FIFA World Cup in Qatar in 2022.

The former Super Eagles defender acknowledged that, despite his experiences, he wouldn't rule out going back to coaching. But for now, it's not his first focus.

Meanwhile, Joseph Yobo has opened up on the best man to take over from Ahmed Musa as Nigeria captain.

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