There’s no competition for Eagles’ shirts - Onigbinde

By Saliu Gbadamosi - 12.05.2008

Yakubu Aiyegbeni celebrates one of his two
goals with teammate, Lescott in Everton 3-1
win over Newcastle on Sunday.
Photo: Courtesy BBC Sport.AS Amodu Shaibu and other Super Eagles coaches begin a new era with the senior national team, former chief coach of the team, Chief Adegboye Onigbinde has said there is no competition for the Eagles’ shirts, insisting that the national team must be competitive.

Speaking with Tribunesports in Ibadan, Chief Onigbinde said part of the problems of the Super Eagles was that some players were sure of making the starting team, even if they walked into the camp some hours to any match.

"We had a situation where a player believed that if he shows up two hours to a match he would still wear the jersey. The major cause in that was that there was not enough competition for the Eagles' shirts.

"You close your eyes, you wake up in the night, you can say so, so and so are going to play. Look at what is happening about some of the boys Siasia selected, some people believe certain players are automatic irrespective with whether they conform with the coach's programme or not," Chief Onigbinde told Tribunesports, adding, "there is no adequate competition for the Eagles' shirt and that is why anyone can come out and bluff."

The former Technical Director of Trinidad and Tobago said that the Nigeria Football Association (NFA) had to take good care of the Eagles' general welfare with a view to getting the best out of the players, insisting that the players had to be well motivated.

"When you are talking about motivation, it goes beyond money. Money is important but there are other factors that are important like their general welfare and taking care of their social life and so on.

"That is why when you put players in camp, there are report that they abscond from camp. You have to make life in camp better than ouside, they are human beings, to keep them in camp. But when they have better things ouside, off course they will go out and look for those things. So, it goes beyond money," the Modakeke high chief said.