Nigerian coaches are tactically deficient –Turkish-based ex-footballer

Francis Ugbomah is an ex-footballer who is based in Istanbul, Turkey. He quit active football and ventured into business. He spoke exclusively with our correspondent in Istanbul, Turkey on so many issues concerning the Nigerian league. Excerpts:

Can we meet you?

Francis (left) with a scout

My name is Francis Ugbomah. Before now, I was a footballer. I played in Nigerian league between 1992 and 1995. I played for Makwada Football Club, Central Bank of Nigeria, Union Bank, but my last club was NITEL FC. In 1995, I was invited to the U-20 camp but two weeks after my invitation, I was very ill, so I couldn’t make the team that went to Ecuador. After that season, I was not happy with myself because it was my dream to play in the national team of my country. So I decided not to play any league match for that season after the illness.

So what happened after that period?

My teammates were disturbing me to return to playing. For instance, Kanu Nwankwo was my teammate; I also played in the same team with Emmanuel Amuneke, Dele Bob-Manuel, amongst others. They tried to encourage me to keep playing. They advised me to seek for a club outside the country if I don’t want to play in the Nigerian league again.

How did you go out of the country?

I told them that I don’t have a manager that can take me out of the country. Dele Bob-Manuel then introduced me to somebody, who brought me to Turkey. The manager gave me a letter to give to Austin Jay-Jay Okocha then because Okocha was one of the biggest Nigerian players playing in Turkey.  He was playing for Fenerbache. So when I met Okocha, he said he doesn’t know anybody but everybody knows him but he promised to help me because he respects the person that gave me the letter; not knowing that that year, he was leaving for Paris Saint Germain, PSG in France.

So what happened when there was no response from Okocha?

As I was expecting response from Okocha, I was told that he has left for France. So I was stranded because I didn’t know what to do. So I was in the ghetto where I was living then when one of my friends came and told me that some managers from Sweden were looking for players to take to Cyprus. He introduced me to them, they asked if I can play but I confidently told them that my action on the pitch will speak for me. So I told them that I was going to organize a friendly match for them to watch me and if they are satisfy, they can take me to anywhere they want. The scout looked at me and was convinced because of the way I spoke. He was convinced that I would be a good footballer, so he told me to go ahead with the friendly match.

With ex-teammate in Turkey

What happened after the match?

I organised a friendly match with one of the universities in Turkey and after that match, two of us were picked to Cyprus. I was very happy because I said from there I can go back to Nigeria and return to the national team again not knowing that when you are thinking your own, God also has his own plan. I didn’t know I was going to have injury the same season. I had a waist injury, so after the operation, I discovered I lost so much strength. So I just managed to play two seasons and three seasons in one of the premier league in Turkey. We were planning to go to Nigeria for my transfer certificate when the management of the club has a problem, the president of the team resigned. The new manager that came was planning to push all the players that the former president brought into the club out, and I was among them. I just decided that I was not interested in football anymore; maybe God does not want me to continue hence I lost interest in playing football.

What happened after you quit active football?

As an ex-footballer, I started organizing young players to play the African Cup of Nations in Turkey. From there, I got a business I am presently doing now. Every summer, we play the competition. We have players from different African countries playing a tournament. Nigeria has won the tournament about nine times since we started and so many players have been picked by scouts in and around Turkey. Actually, one of the reasons why we organize the tournament is because we discovered that there are so many African players that are stranded in Turkey and so many of them have been spotted by scouts.

Football fans during the opening ceremony of the African Nations Cup in Turkey

What type of business are you into?

We are into cargo business; we ship goods to all African countries.

Since you got fame through football, one would have expected you to take up any job within the football circle like coaching, scouting, management, etc

I was not happy with myself because my dream in football was to be amongst the best players in the world but my dream did not come through. So I wasn’t happy to think of football anymore. But my prayer has always been that since I couldn’t achieve my dream; let my children go to that stage so that I would be watching them and be happy and by the grace of God, my children are big artistes in this country (Turkey).

Is any of your children in any football academy?

My boy is registered with Galatasaray football academy, he schools and plays football there too. My daughter is a film actress too; even my son is a film actor. They are both popular in Turkey, so that one gives me joy.

Would you allow your child to play for Nigeria?

I cannot decide for him, anywhere he feels like; he can play and have good treatment. Sometimes ago, I asked him where he would like to play when he becomes a big star, he said he would like to play for Nigeria.

You have played and saw Nigerian football in yester-years and now, even though you are away, if you watch on cable, what is your impression of the level of the game and what do you think is the problem?

I think the problem of Nigerian football is that those managing the league are not serious unlike before because I could remember when we were playing those days. Most of the players coming from Nigeria to Turkey, when they mention the clubs they play for, it baffles me because of the kinds of football they play and incidentally, they mention big clubs in Nigeria. If the names they mentioned are true, it means the game of football is going down because I still remember when I first came to Turkey, the caliber of players we parade especially from African countries. We didn’t have the opportunity they have now because in Turkey, they don’t encourage young players. They believe in old players, those that have made names. When I was playing in Cyprus, I helped so many of them because they were good. Some of them are now in Europe but as for Turkey, it is difficult to get club here if you don’t make name before coming here.

What is your advise for the Nigerian players?

I want to see most of them are not training much before travelling out of the country because of the kind of football they play is like school football. In Nigerian league, they play school football, there is encouragement.

What would you say is responsible for it?

I will blame the people handling the players. They are not sound tactically. Then some of the players are also not tactically discipline. Why I said this is because some of the players who came to Turkey to look for clubs did not play in any league in Nigeria. If you ask why, they will complain to you that if you don’t know anybody, you cannot play in the league. If you don’t give bribe, you can’t get a club, such things bring somebody down.

How was it during your time?

Like when I was playing in Nigeria, I played for the lowest league up to the premier league. So things are like this now, there is no way football can improve again in Nigeria. When you see good players, you sacrifice them for bad ones because you collect money.

Lastly, you saw the Flying Eagles played in the last FIFA World Cup in Turkey, what is your take on the team?

Those boys are good but there is no coordination. There is tactical football. Do you watch Spain how they play football? Nigerian players are better than them but there is no coordination in the Nigerian team. The Spaniard coordination is far better than the Nigerian team. So, the coach needs more tactical work to have a good team in future. If Nigeria has won the U-20 World Cup, it would have been a miracle; it means God was on their side.