Former Super Eagles coach, Monday Sinclair watched a good number of matches in the just-concluded 2012/13 Nigeria Professional Football League season (NPFL) and he has passed a damning verdict on the quality of football on display in the Nigerian top flight.
Sinclair is shocked at the “poor standard of football displayed by Premier League clubs” and believes footballers on the books of the 20 top flight clubs need to “be educated.”
“I watched many games this season. I was shocked at poor standard of football displayed by Premier League clubs. You see a player with the ball and his teammates failing to spread out for a pass. They instead run towards the opponents. It’s shocking. Our players need education,” Sinclair told supersport.com.
The veteran trainer also discussed the issue of coaching insisting that the country’s new generation coaches must step up their game and “acquire keen observational skills, diagnostic abilities and judgmental capacities.”
“The coaches must acquire keen observational skills, diagnostic abilities and judgmental capacities.
“I have discussed with fellow veteran coaches and we are willing to assist the coaches in this regard.
“We are ready to tour the country, visit clubs and impart our ideas to them,” he said.
A talented professional footballer in his time, Sinclair was feared across the land as one of the most potent strikers in the country.
He played for the Nigeria Tobacco Company, Ibadan Lions, Electricity Corporation of Nigeria (ECN) and the Nigerian national team.
He was discovered by the Late Ayo Adeniji (former coach of the legendary Ibadan Lions), Sinclair, now 75 years old, is still going strong as he has returned to his first love of discovering young talents.
He is credited to have discovered players like Richard Owubokiri, Benjy Nziakor, Peter Rufai, Finidi George, Taribo West, Emmanuel “waist-breaker” Ebiede (Inikior), Davidson Owumi, Idah Peterside, Binebi Numa, Imama Amapakabo and many others.
Sinclair played for Nigeria’s senior national football team, the Green Eagles, between 1963 and 1964.
His finest moments in the green and white were recorded when Nigeria played against Swedish club, Malmo and the Kwame Nkrumah Gold Cup that involved teams in the West Africa zone.
Strangely, Sinclair’s role was altered by Nigeria’s coach at the time, Dan Anyiam and the feared striker metamorphosed to became the no-nonsense defender.
Albert Onyewuna, Paul “Wonder Boy” Hamilton, Asuquo Ekpe, John Egbuonu, Emmanuel Ezekwe, Victor Iyamu, Sebastian Brodericks Imaseun and many others were Sinclair’s teammates at the national team.
The soft-spoken Sinclair is one of the few men to have played for and coached Nigeria.
His reign as Super Eagles Coach lasted three years (1997 to 1999).
During that period, the exciting young striker, Kenneth Zeigbo shot to prominence in the Super Eagles.
Sinclair's coaching philosophy especially at Sharks meant he was light years ahead of his time as Arsene Wenger and Pep Guardiola would have been pleased to watch his teams keep possession.
He also coached Iwuanyanwu Nationale (now Heartland), Niger Tornadoes and Bayelsa United.
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