Eagles:Daniel Amokach Will Act As Assistant chief Coach

It has emerged that Daniel Amokachi may pick one of the Super Eagles coaching job slots as a way of reflecting the nation’s federal character.
Twelve individuals including Stephen Keshi, Samson Siasia, Sunday Oliseh, Aloy Agu, Shaibu Amodu, Fatai Amoo and Amokachi among others were yesterday interviewed by the Nigeria Football Association (NFA) technical committee for the national job.
But there are other interests to be factored in by the NFA board ahead of tomorrow’s meeting where it will look at the recommendation of the technical committee.
And one of the factors which the board will weigh in is the federal character which will reflect the diversity of the country at the highest level of football affairs.
Indeed, former international striker Amokachi could be the biggest beneficiary if the NFA seeks to activate federal character in appointing coaches under the present arrangement.
It was to uphold that principle that Amokachi, Austin Eguavoen and Ike Shorounmu from the three geo political areas of the country were appointed as Eagles coaches in late 2005.
The proposed scheme would see Amokachi rejoin the national team as an assistant coach, in the same capacity he functioned under Berti Vogts until he resigned to register his abhorrence at coaching crew’s sitting arrangement during matches.
He is believed to have had audience with National Sport Commission (NSC) Chairman Hassan Gimba on his proposed return to the national team.
THISDAYSports understands that football officials from a particular section of the country are displeased with the lopsided make up of the national teams which has seen players from the area overlooked from squad lists.
They expressed concern that no player of northern extraction was in the national team to the last Nations Cup in Ghana.
Amokachi, who played for Everton and Besiktas among other clubs, represented the Eagles at the 1994 and 1998 World Cup finals. He was also a member of the victorious Dream Team at Atlanta 96.
Meanwhile, Jay-Jay Okocha has reiterated his willingness to help the rebuilding process after his country's disappointing display at the Africa Cup of Nations.
Okocha, who was part of the Super Eagles team that won the sole continental crown in 1994, says on the FIFA website that he believes he could now have a role to play following the resignation of the German coach.
“I said after the 2006 Nations Cup in Egypt that I wasn't going to play any more for the national team, but that if they needed my help I would be willing to consider it. My position has not changed - I would always help my country.”
Okocha said he also regarded the appointment of Vogts as a mistake and welcomed signs that Nigeria are set to turn to a home grown coach. With Vogts in charge, Okocha says that at the very least a Nigerian go-between to ‘bridge the gap’ should have been on board.
“You would need someone to let them know what the coach wants from them and to encourage them and to get the best out of them,” said the veteran playmaker.
“They know what it takes to get the best out of the players instead of getting someone in that treats the players like children because they have given him the impression that they are undisciplined - that is all rubbish.
“It is not a question of talent; we have talent. It is just a question of getting the boys organised and getting them to be at their best for tournaments.”
Okocha, capped 75 times and a three-time FIFA World Cup campaigner, insists Nigeria’s poor showing in Ghana was partly down to Vogts’ limited affinity with the culture of the country.
“I think we always like to learn the hard way and we keep making the same mistakes. I wasn’t surprised at our performance because we struggled from the group stage and it was really a miracle that we got through.
“Football for us is like part of our religion, it means more to us than just a game, because so many poor people get unbelievable joy from the players winning a game, it gives them so much pleasure.
“You can not imagine the effect that we have on the people. If you go to some villages and call our President's name and then call a footballer’s name, I guarantee they all would know the footballer and not the President.”