I didn’t apply for NFF technical director’s job, says Sam Okpodu

• Tasks Yobo, Amokachi
United States-based former Green Eagles winger, Sam Okpodu says he never applied for the position of Technical Director of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), contrary to some media reports.

Former Super Eagles assistant coach, Daniel Amokachi was reported to have sealed the job as NFF new Technical Director on Monday as replacement for Bitrus Bewarang.

Amokachi was said to have beaten former Chelsea and PSG Technical Director, Mike Emenalo, Austin Eguavoen, Ladan Bosso, Sam Okpodu and Mutiu Adepoju to the job, though the spokesman of the NFF, Ademola Olajire said yesterday that they were not aware of such appointment at the Glass House.

Speaking with The Guardian from his base in Newberry, South Carolina, U.S. yesterday, Okpodu, a mercurial winger, who led Bendel Insurance FC to defeat crowd-pulling Stationery Stores in the final of 1980 National Challenge Cup in Lagos, said he was surprised to read online reports that he applied for the job.

“I didn’t apply for the job as reported by some media organisations in Nigeria,” Okpodu said. “Four years ago, I sent my curriculum vitae to the NFF in respect of the job, but things didn’t work out fine in my favour. I did not apply for it this time as reported because I didn’t even know that the position was vacant.”

Okpodu, however, urged Nigerians to support Amokachi. “Amokachi represented Nigeria at the highest level of football and I will always support anyone who played for the country at that level. I also read about the appointment of Joseph Yobo as the new assistant coach of the Super Eagles. I am in support of him.“The only thing I want them (Amokachi and Yobo) to do is to improve on their coaching ability for them to have greater impact on our football,” Okpodu stated.