Super Eagles can get World Cup ticket — Mutiu Adepoju

Ex-international, Mutiu Adepoju, fondly called the Headmaster, in this interview with OLAWALE OLANIYAN and JOHN OYEBODE, expressed hopes that the Super Eagles can still qualify for the 2026 World Cup, among other issues. Excerpt:

How was your experience as General Manager of 3SC?

Well, it was quite a rewarding experience. I have always cherished the opportunity given to me by the Oyo State government to administer Shooting Stars. Lest I forget, I started managing 3SC in January 2008 and left in October 2012. I’d say Shooting Stars remain the best club in Nigeria, a club with history. It was a very nice experience working as an official of 3SC.

What do you think is the main problem with 3SC in recent times that has denied them playing on the continent?

Well, I wouldn’t be able to say specifically. As I have always said, things change constantly and we’ve seen new clubs springing up. The way things are being done and teams are being run, it requires innovation to get the desired results. Even look at all these big clubs in Europe like Real Madrid, Barcelona, and so on, they change with time and innovate to do special things that will make their clubs continue to be relevant, and I believe we can do that here too.

What is your advice to the new management of 3SC?

Well, I think it’s going to be a gradual thing from the look of things and from what I’ve read, I think new ideas are coming into the club which I believe will be sustained. When you do things differently, you are also going to get a different result, not the previous one that gives you a headache.

Can you remember a memorable day then as a player of 3SC?

There are so many memorable outings I can remember right from when I was a player of the club before moving to Spain. I was part and parcel of Shooting Stars that got promoted in 1988 from the National Division Two League to Division One. Though, I only spent a season with 3SC and that one year was a memorable one.

I was able to make the integral part of the team which got promoted to the first division. I can also say boldly that I was the highest goal scorer in that team that year, 1988. So I have so many memorable things about the club, about the fans, being at the Liberty Stadium now the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium. The stadium used to be filled up with passionate fans and supporters of the club from every part of the state and beyond.

I can still remember one of the most difficult matches that I played in the colours of Shooting Stars. It was against First Bank of Lagos at the then Liberty Stadium before we moved to the Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba, and the only goal we had came at the last minute of the match.

I happened to score the goal, a beautiful header, which brought us up on the league table. It was a very difficult match because the rivalry between First Bank and Shooting Stars, and other clubs then was very fierce. I still remember vividly how happy our fans and supporters were after each of our games. Those are memorable moments which I would always cherish.

How was your experience at the 2002 World Cup?

I made the Super Eagles’ squad to the 2002 World Cup. Yes, definitely one would feel disappointed that I could not feature in any of the matches, but it is the job of the coach to choose players. A number of players will be registered for a tournament and some players did not get to play, and I was among the players who didn’t play then.

Definitely one would feel bad that I did not play, but didn’t bear any grudge against our coach, Chief Onigbinde. He was the one that put me in the team in the first instance, so why will I complain? The only thing I did after the game against England was going to him, because that was supposed to be my last World Cup game before retirement from international football. So, we just talked about it and that was all, nothing like grudges or bad feelings against anybody.

Did you experience racial harassment when you returned to Spain after the 1998 World Cup?

Well on my return to Spain, I didn’t suffer any racist abuse because I scored against Spain. Even one of my teammates in Real Sociedad then was in the Spanish team.

There wasn’t anything such as racist abuse. Yeah, they felt disappointed that we won but we were happy that we won. Even Real Sociedad fans congratulated me after our first game and the other games at the World Cup. When we go out, they’ll just remember that you were the one that eliminated us and scored against us and all that, there wasn’t anything serious about it. In fact, I didn’t suffer any racist abuse throughout my career abroad.

Do you nurse the ambition of leading the Nigeria Football Federation someday?

Well, I don’t know, and I’m not crazy about being NFF president. I believe if there is an opportunity to serve in any capacity, I will gladly do it, but I’m not desperate to become the president of NFF.

Based on Justin Madugu’s success with the Super Falcons, do you think we need more local coaches to handle our national teams?

Well, it is subjective, it depends on the belief of the authority and who they think can handle the job. Aside Super Falcons being led by a Nigerian to win the WAFCON, we’ve had that before, even a former Super Falcons player had led the team to win it so, it’s not anything new. I believe if any coach in Nigeria is given the opportunity of serving he will do it well, it depends on what the authority wants at a particular time. Definitely, I believe we have capable hands in Nigeria to handle our teams even if it’s the Super Eagles.

Do you think the Super Eagles can still qualify for the 2026 World Cup?

It is going to be difficult but it is not impossible in the sense that, mathematically, we can qualify if we can win all the remaining games, I mean all the qualifiers. And we have South Africa and other teams ahead of us in the race. Yes we still have an opportunity to get the World Cup ticket, but it’s not going to be an easy task. We need to win our rest games and also pray for luck to see us through; because the results posted by other teams in our group can determine our fate.

How do you combine the role of a traditional chief with your daily activities?

The title, Asoju Amuludun of Yoruba land was given to me by the Ooni of Ife, and it doesn’t affect my personal activities. Football is part of what makes people happy, and I’m happy to be honoured by his royal majesty. I owe a responsibility to contribute my quota towards developing youths and I enjoy doing it.

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