REVEALED: 2002 World Cup, I took a big risk fielding Enyeama – Onigbinde

More than 13 years after the Japan/Korea 2002 World Cup, former Coach of the Super Eagles, Chief Adegboye Onigbinde has revealed how he ignored intense pressure from “all quarters” to give former national team goalkeeper, Vincent Enyeama the opportunity to stand in between the sticks for Nigeria in the last group game against England.

Onigbinde told Sports Vanguard in Abuja that he decided to give the former Enyimba International of Aba the big break after the team lost its first two group matches against Argentina and Sweden because he knew that the young players were hungry for success.

Adegboye Onigbinde

According to him he recruited some young talents including Vincent Enyeama, former internationals Femi Okpabunmi, Bartholomew Ogbeche, Justice Christopher, Joseph Yobo and Julius Aghagowa because he holds the opinion that a good coach should look for talents and not stars.
“For me to field Enyeama in that game against England was a huge risk because I was receiving phone calls from different quarters accusing me of selling the match to England. They were asking me why I decided to field people like Enyeama and other younger players like Femi Okpabunmi but I stood my ground even after the threats that I will be dealt with if we lost the game.
“The truth is that a good coach should always look for talents and not stars because it is the duty of the coach to now sharpen the talents to bring out the best in them. The hallmark of a good coach is the ability to take risks. In fact when I mentioned my list and named Enyeama as the goalkeeper he started shaking but then I did my job of giving him courage and reminding him that the World Cup is for him to excel and I am happy they all did so well and that was the only game we drew.”
The former member of the FIFA Technical Study Group also added that Nigeria will do better in international matches when they develop a unique way of developing their coaches technically.