Former Nigeria international, Daniel Amokachi, is hoping a successful stint in Finland could pave the way for other Africans to pursue their coaching career in Europe.
Amokachi, 43, became one of the very few Africans to manage an European club when he joined Finnish second division side, JS Hercules, in January.
The former Super Eagles assistant and interim coach had previously managed several domestic clubs – including Nasarawa United and Enyimba – before moving abroad.
“It is my first experience as an African manager coaching in Europe and there are not many Africans who are head coaches in Europe,” Amokachi told FIFA on Monday.
“They are giving me a platform as an African to showcase what I can do and if I do well, it’s an open door for other African coaches.”
Three-time champions, Nigeria, failed to make it to the 2017 African Cup of Nations – their second successive miss in the last three editions.
And Amokachi, who won the 1994 edition as player and 2013 as coach, blames the lads for failing to find a balance between European football and the African game.
“The players when return to play in Africa on international duty forget to switch [mentally]. It’s something that we kind of struggle with – not only as Nigerians, but as Africans,” the former Club Brugge striker said.
“You play in Europe and everything you get is professional from A-Z and then when you come to Africa, the likes of transportation and accommodation can seem a distraction.
“The players forget to switch to being an African when they come back and that always makes them perform less than what they do at club level. I’m sure that has contributed to Nigeria not making it to back-to-back championships.”
He added: “Not qualifying for the tournament is not good enough for a country like Nigeria, but that’s football. It makes you sit up and say: ‘We have a lot of work that needs to be done.’”
Amokachi featured 44 times for the Super Eagles with 13 goals between 1990 and 1999.
He had a successful club career kiting for Club Brugge, Besiktas and Everton where he won the FA Cup in 1995.
