Oliseh Calls Out Attacks on Social Media Following Her AFCON Commentary Debut
A former captain of Nigeria claims that the backlash after the Super Eagles’ AFCON opening was caused by objective analysis rather than bias.
Following his debut as a color commentator during Nigeria’s Africa Cup of Nations opening against Tanzania, former Nigerian captain and coach Sunday Oliseh says he is “deeply saddened” by social media assaults casting doubt on his allegiance to the Super Eagles.
Online, Oliseh was widely criticized by viewers who said he was too negative about Nigeria, didn’t know enough about Tanzania, and was too boring or unlikable on television. Some supporters accused him of being biased against star striker Victor Osimhen, while others called his remarks “disastrous,” “depressing,” and excessively harsh.
Following the game, there were numerous memes alleging that Osimhen overpraised Tanzania’s performance and that “Oliseh hates Osimhen.”
In his social media response, Oliseh defended his strategy as professional analysis as opposed to partisanship. He wrote, “I have devoted my life and career to the advancement of Nigerian football for almost 40 years.” “My heart is still firmly with the players and Coach Eric Chelle, even though my professional duty demands objectivity and impartiality in critique.”
The former midfielder, who represented Nigeria in several AFCON competitions and two FIFA World Cups, won the 1996 Olympic gold medal, and the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations, also emphasized what he called conflicting criticism.
I was recently accused of being overly helpful to the coaching staff. He stated, “To now be accused of the opposite suggests a misunderstanding of my role as an analyst.” “Constructive honesty is a tool for improvement rooted in a desire to see our country succeed; it is not a sign of dislike.”
Oliseh, who captained the Nigerian national team and won 55 caps before taking over as coach of the Super Eagles in 2015, urged supporters to support the players competing in Morocco and stated that his dedication to the squad has not altered.
