Opinions have been largely positive aboutthe impending announcement of ex-international Sunday Oliseh asTechnical Adviser of the senior national team, the Super Eagles, by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

Following confirmation of talks between the football house and Oliseh in London, imaginations have startedrunning wild about the prospects of the latter succeeding atthe helm of the technical team of Super Eagles coaches. Thereis a certain Barcelona and Pep Guardiola feel to things. Forone, like Guardiola was at Barca in his formative years ascoach, Oliseh is a young coach steeped in the knowledge of howthings were during the glory days of Nigerian football in theearly ’90s. As an active member of the playing staff of‘Dutchgarian’ Clemence Westerhof, it is expected that Olisehwill bring with him that famed discipline and love for hiddentalents for the Eagles.

However, as Goal.com writer Solace Chukwu recently noted in aninteresting piece, there are no guarantees that aninexperienced tactician, that the former Borussia Dortmundplayer is, can be a success in the national team.

And, of course, there’s the famed strong-headedness of Oliseh.Memory is still fresh in many minds of the unsavourycircumstances in which the ex-Juventus star and somecolleagues of his ended their national team playing career afteran ugly fallout with the football federation and the thenMinister of Sports. A fallout over bonuses and othertrivialities that eventually led to a dismal showing for theEagles in Mali 2002 Africa Cup of Nations had also cost therebelling players their place at the World Cup held in Japanand Korea later that year.

So, in bringing in Oliseh as the Super Eagles TechnicalAdviser, one hopes that the Glass House’s chair Pinnick Amajuand his team have done some proper due diligence. Thecoach must give assurances of a clear idea of an intendedplaying style for the Eagles and how it can be achieved. Astyle that would not only be as pragmatic as possible, but onethat would owe it a duty to provide entertainment in largeparts to the fans and the watching audience in general.

Beyond fashioning a winning and entertaining playing style forthe Eagles, there’s the important matter of how thecommunication lines between the new TA and the NFF as well asthe players and fans must always be kept in a healthy state.

This is a sure requirement for any meaningful success of thenational team to be achieved. There should be a (written or unwritten) code of conduct, inline with similar best practices in top teams, that shouldgovern the coaches’ behaviour towards the NFF, playersand fans. Gone should be the days of unnecessary publicconfrontations between the major players of the team.

Recently, the coach of the national under-23 team, SamsonSiasia, publicly chided some invited players who had allegedlyoverstayed the rest period he gave them. He complained oftheir ‘indiscipline’ in not returning to camp on time to pressmen. While this can serve as a happy fodder for news-seekingjournalists and also come across as an honest no-nonsenseattitude of the coach, it could have the unintended effect ofalienating the players and spilling over to a full-blowndisagreement with the talented stars. Does anyone rememberthe fallout between Siasia and some star players some fewyears ago that arguably cost the Super Eagles qualification tothe Nations Cup? Issues of discipline should be dealt with asprivately as possible between the coach and his players. Olisehwill do well to heed this.

Former Super Eagles TA Clemence Westerhoof has reportedlycriticised the choice of Oliseh citing his inexperience. Butmuch would rely on the clarity of his ideas about how toapproach things on and off the pitch. The NFF must, as part ofthe due diligence, seek the opinions of those highly placedfootball officials and players Oliseh has worked with (that isif they haven’t already done so) and listen carefully to whatthey have to say.

It’s a new era for the Eagles. A new experience with SundayOliseh. Those of us who love the national team, the SuperEagles, wish Oliseh all the best.

•Nelson Dafe is News Express Correspondent in Benin City. Photo shows Sunday Oliseh.