Terim eyes for Amodu’s job

Former Turkey coach, Fatih Terim is ‘open’ to the idea of coming in as Technical Adviser for the Nigeria national team, as the country looks for support for current coach, Shaibu Amodu. Other names under consideration are Russia coach, Guus Hiddink and Republic of Ireland coach, Giovanni Trappatoni.

The last two are contingent on their respective countries failing to secure a spot in South Africa after the conclusion of the UEFA qualifying playoffs this Wednesday.

The Super Eagles qualified for the 2010 World Cup last Saturday, but Head Coach Amodu, who has a two and half year contract, has not enjoyed the support of the local media or the fans, and has been under fire for most of the qualifying campaign.
The situation led to the Nigerian government setting up a Presidential Task Force to help deliver the World Cup ticket.

With that is in the bag, it is understood that the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) have now been given a directive ‘from above’ to ensure that a ‘Technical Adviser’ is in place by December at the very latest.
The former AC Milan, Galatasaray and Fiorentina coach, is not only interested in the job, but has been suggested to the top hierarchy of Nigerian sports.
Terim boasts of an impressive CV in European football. The only black mark in his managerial career being his five-month stint at AC Milan.

In 1996, he qualified Turkey for the European championships for the first time in the country’s history.
Following Euro 96, where Turkey failed to win any game, he joined Galatasaray, and led them to four consecutive league titles, two Turkish Cup titles and the UEFA Cup in 2000.

With Fiorentina, he reached the Final of the Coppa Italia, eliminating AC Milan in the process and in his unhappy stint at Milan, he won the TIM Cup.
He returned to the Turkey job in 2005 and qualified them again for the Euros, this time, reaching the semifinal of Euro 2008.
But he was forced to resign when Turkey failed to even make it to the playoffs of the 2010 World Cup qualifier, finishing third, 15 points behind group winners, Spain and 4 points behind second-place Bosnia and Herzegovina.


Sun News