Last year December, Enyimba Football Club officially announced the departure of its head coach, Yemi Olanrewaju, with immediate effect.

That announcement was made in a short statement on their X platform with the People’s Elephant expressing their gratitude to the coach for his services and, in the end, wishing him well in his future endeavours, Footballrover reports.

However, coach Yemi Olanrewaju has finally broken his silence on the struggles he endured, particularly the deep-rooted biases that hindered his career at the Elephant Park.

His story sheds light on the harsh realities that local coaches face in Nigeria’s football environment.

The struggles of Yemi Olanrewaju and being a local coach in Nigeria

Yemi’s departure from Enyimba remains a ‘shock‘ to him, but he is fully ‘hopeful‘ for the future.

In his exclusive interview with elegbetetv, he shared that being a local coach in Nigeria is an uphill battle.

The coach explained that local coaches, especially young ones, often struggle to gain the respect they deserve.

The Nigerian football environment, he believes, fosters an atmosphere of doubt and disrespect, particularly when the preferred candidates for coaching positions are overlooked.

Coach Yemi emphasised that this stigma impacts all local coaches, creating a cycle of mistrust and disillusionment.

His frustration wasn’t only rooted in being a local coach but also in the age bias he faced.

Despite his experience and achievements, Olanrewaju revealed that it took a “miracle” for people to believe in young coaches like him.

He claimed that no matter how much success they achieve, young coaches are always doubted and never fully trusted with the opportunity to prove themselves.

Trust: The real issue behind Nigerian coaches’ struggles

Olanrewaju firmly disagrees with the prevailing belief that Nigerian coaches lack exposure or experience.

He questions how any coach can gain the necessary experience without being given time in the role.

For him, the core issue lies in the lack of trust placed in local coaches. He pointed out that until Nigerian football clubs and federations trust their local coaches, they will never have the chance to demonstrate their true potential.

“I’ve been doubted and disrespected, not just because I’m a local coach, but because I’m young. It takes a miracle for people here to believe in young coaches. No matter what you achieve, they’ll always find a reason to doubt you,” he explained.

When asked about the broader picture of coaching in the Nigerian league, Yemi explained that it takes more than just knowledge of the game.

Coaching in Nigeria, he says, requires passion, an understanding of the local culture, and an in-depth knowledge of the players.

However, these qualities alone do not guarantee success. Success in Nigerian football, Olanrewaju believes, depends on how well coaches are supported and trusted by the system.

In reflecting on the new Super Eagles coach, Yemi expressed mixed feelings about the appointment of Eric Chelle.

While he acknowledged that Chelle could bring fresh ideas to the Eagles’ camp, he couldn’t help but feel that it shows the ongoing disregard for local coaching talent.

He also weighed in on former coach Augustine Eguavoen’s performance, particularly after the Rwanda match.

Olanrewaju appreciated Eguavoen’s decision to rotate the squad and test players in less critical games, a decision he believes was crucial for long-term success.

Despite these efforts, Yemi Olanrewaju noted that not all players lived up to expectations, and ultimately, Eguavoen had to shoulder the blame for the team’s underperformance.

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Last Updated on January 15, 2025 8:03 am by Sir Kris