LAGOS, June 25: Nigeria’s President Olusegun Obasanjo has ruled out a foreign coach for the national soccer team by arguing that the country’s own coaches could do the job, state television reported on Tuesday.

Obasanjo said: “For anybody to say that unless we have an expatriate coach we cannot win...that is unacceptable to me.

“If we are to train our Nigerian coaches — we will make sure we train them — and they will lead us to victory.”

The president was speaking in Abuja at a reception for the Nigerian World Cup squad, although most of the foreign-based players — 20 of the 23-strong group play club football abroad — were absent after rejoining their clubs.

Sports minister Steven Akiga had urged Nigeria to revert to a foreign coach after the team’s first-round exit from the World Cup, sparking a national debate. “We have to hire a foreign coach to reorganise and restructure the team,” said Akiga.—Reuters