Some ex-Eagles coaches served as players’ managers, says Odemwingie

Osaze Odemwingie, retired Super Eagles forward, says some former coaches of the country’s national team were involved in player management.

The 38-year-old was speaking on the back of the recent spate of allegations against coaches who had allegedly asked players for bribe before featuring them in the national team.

In an Instagram live interview with the Eagles media team, Odemwingie admitted that some coaches would rather select a weaker footballer over a quality one — in an attempt to market their own player.

“Some of our coaches did get involved in a bit of player management, they had management companies. Shaibu Amodu for instance had a management company,” he said.

“Some picked a weaker player over a stronger one who played in a better club because they wanted to market their player.

“He was in and out as a coach and an agent, but he was a great man. I used to talk with him whenever I could about it. I loved Amodu.

“We used to fall out at times with him when they changed our hotels to a very poor one in Abuja.

“I would raise questions because it was disgusting and downgrading.”

His statement comes days after Chinedu Obasi, his colleague in the national team, had revealed that his refusal to pay bribe denied him the opportunity of making the squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

Odemwingie, a former Lille, Lokomotiv Moscow and West Bromwich Albion, forward had represented Nigeria on 63 occasions, netting 10 goals.

He appeared in four African Cup of Nations (AFCON) and two World Cups with the Super Eagles and was also part of the 2008 Olympic silver medal winning squad in Beijing, China.