Nigeria's Onigbinde believes team comes first

Festus Onigbinde laid his cards on the table as soon as he succeeded Shaibu Amodu as the coach of Nigeria in February. "We will crack down on indiscipline in the team," said the 64-year-old former schoolteacher. "Nigerians were not happy with the performance of the team in Mali [where they limped to third place in the African Nations' Cup], and the problems with the team were not technical in nature, but related to team management. My mission is to build a dream team that all Nigerians will be proud of. And to do this, we have to go back to the basics."

Those fundamentals have included a no-nonsense approach to big-name players, such as Sunday Oliseh and Finidi George, perceived as men who would fail to toe Onigbinde's party line. The pair, along with striker Victor Agali, were all involved in disagreements about expenses earlier this year and were viewed as reluctant "team players". The trio were the most conspicuous absentees when Onigbinde announced his squad last weekend. A stern, but open-minded disciplinarian, he had set out his stall, and not for the first time in his three-month tenure.

The coach's control over a squad traditionally hindered by off-field squabbles was also apparent before recent friendlies in London and Aberdeen. Reporters approaching players for interviews were politely told: "We're happy to talk, but only if the coach says okay first." A wary glance in the direction of the boss usually followed.

When Onigbinde was approached for permission, you wondered what all the fuss was about. "Fine," he said, every inch amiably avuncular. "Talk to who you like." And then he sat down and spoke quietly and at length about his own hopes for the summer.

It is this blend of calm, intelligent authority, backed by a single-mindedness that brooks no challenge, that could see him make substantial progress towards his stated aim. "Any nation goes into a tournament hoping to win," he said as he fine-tuned his squad. "When I was brought in as the coach I [was called upon] to share the ambition to win the World Cup for my country. I do."

Onigbinde will make history regardless of how his charges fare. He is the first Nigerian to lead Nigeria in a World Cup finals, following Dutchman Clemens Westerhof in 1994 and Yugoslavia's Bora Milutinovic four years ago. He will also become the first-ever African to manage a nation from black (ie sub-Saharan) Africa at football's showpiece event. The eight appearances prior to this year (one by Zaire, four by Cameroon, one by South Africa and two by Nigeria) were overseen by eight different Europeans hailing from Russia to France.

This year's World Cup will also see Senegal led by a Frenchman (Bruno Metsu) and Cameroon led by a German (Winfried Schaefer). Jomo Sono will be in charge of South Africa and, by dint of kick-off times, he will become the second African in charge of a sub-Saharan World Cup side two hours after Onigbinde leads Nigeria against Argentina in their first match.

Onigbinde is not new to international management, having led a young Nigerian side to the final of the African Nations' Cup in 1984. But his career since has mostly been in technical posts, with Nigeria and in Trinidad. His methods seem to be working so far, however. Nigeria are unbeaten in the five matches since he took over, including games against Scotland and the Republic of Ireland, both vanquished on their own territory.

Onigbinde's emphasis in Japan, tactically, will be on encouraging attacks via the wings. "We have fast players who should move down the flanks and cross the ball for the forwards to score," he said. "It is a simple system that has worked for us in the past and we started having problems when we abandoned it. I am a strong believer of wing play."

Above all, he is a strong believer in team play. If Nigeria are to succeed in becoming the first African side to win the World Cup, he believes that ethos must be adhered to. Playmaker Jay-Jay Okocha, for example, is almost certain to be made permanent captain, a move that Onigbinde is rumoured to believe could inspire the kind of rapid maturing that David Beckham underwent internationally when given the England armband.

With Okocha's attentions thus channelled, it is hoped his undoubted flair will be responsibly applied for the benefit of team he is leading rather than extravagantly employed to its own ends.

"Football is not lawn tennis, where you can display your personal exhibits," Onigbinde quietly insists. "Stars don't necessarily make a good team. We're now playing as a team. And my players will rise to the occasion."

Or else.