Sunday Oliseh: African teams can rise even higher

Super Eagles legend and former Borussia Dortmund midfielder Sunday Oliseh has challenged African to adopt football development models in use in European countries if teams from the continent are to win major tournaments globally.

The Nigerian, who is in the country to conduct football clinics courtesy of Pay TV service operator Star Times,  told reporters in Nairobi on Tuesday that inadequate facilities can no longer be an excuse for non-performing clubs and teams, adding that Africa has huge potential in football but must borrow good  practices from European football powerhouses and established leagues to succeed.

“With all due respect, the English who invented football have won nothing apart from the 1966 World Cup. But countries like Spain and Germany have done much better over the years.

“If we can’t buy success then we can create it. These leagues (European leagues) are based on buying players but that is not the picture in the German Bundesliga where a huge percentage of players are developed from the academies,” Oliseh said.

The former defensive midfielder said: “What’s lacking in Africa is creativity. We are not being creative. The finances are left to the government which controls every aspect regarding money. We need to change that attitude, and federations must look at ways of augmenting this."

“We must have the hunger to succeed. There are facilities in Africa which Europe will never have but those which they have we can get by developing them here,” he said, explaining that it’s only in Africa where players get “the natural experience of playing barefoot on the streets” which hardens them. “What we have (as African players) doesn’t have to be taught but it comes from the streets of Nairobi, Lagos and Johannesburg,” he added.

Born and bred in Abavo in Delta State, Nigeria, Oliseh went to Belgium at 16 and went on to play for European giants Borussia Dortmund, Juventus, Ajax Amsterdam as well as Koln, VFL Bochum, Genk and RFC Liege.

He is alive to the challenges African footballers face in Europe before finding their footing.

“When I went to Belgium, I was only 16 and mum always said ‘no, he’s not ready’ but my father said ‘let him go. He’s a man, he’s bull, let him go’. And looking back, that was the best decision I made because it changed the Oliseh family,” Olise said.

“We won everything for Nigeria except the World Cup. We won the Olympic Gold, Africa Cup of Nations and qualified for three World Cups and for me that was good enough,” Oliseh added.

OLISEH'S FACT-FILE

Full Name: Sunday Ogochukwu Oliseh

DOB: 14 September 1974 (age 42)

POB: Abavo, Delta State, Nigeria

Height: 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)

Playing Position: Defensive Midfielder

Clubs: B. Dortmund, Juventus , Koln, Ajax, VFL Bochum,Genk, RFC Liege

Honours:

Olympic Gold Medal: 1996

Africa Cup of Nation: 1994

Bundesliga title: 2001-2002

Eredivse (Dutch league title): 1997-98