Atlanta ’96 Olympics hero, Emmanuel Amuneke, talks about his best and worst moments as a footballer, government’s unfulfilled promises, his time with the Tanzanian national team and more in this interview with EBENEZER BAJELA (Punch)

How would you describe your experience leading Tanzania to the AFCON for the time in 39 years, in 2019?

My experience with the Tanzanian national team was a good one for me as a coach. It was a very good venture. I thank the players, the Tanzanian people and the federation for giving me the opportunity to coach their national team. I’m very happy that after so many years, we were able to collectively qualify Tanzania for the AFCON in Egypt. So, my experience was a good one and as a coach one needed such experience to continue to grow, learn and improve.

What led to the parting of ways between you and the Tanzanian federation after the 2019 AFCON?

Everyone would love to continue with what they are doing, but in football, you might have the job today, and tomorrow you’re no longer there. The most important thing is the privilege to have coached the Tanzanian national team and I thank them and pray they can continue to build on the success of the team and continue to grow. Coaching the Tanzanian team made me understand the African terrain.

Between leading the Golden Eaglets to win the 2015 U-17 World Cup and managing Tanzania at last year’s AFCON, which would you say was your best moment as a coach?

I think both moments for me were great. Coaching the U-17 was an experience, even though I had been involved in coaching in other areas as well as coaching in Spain at the youth level. For me, both the Golden Eaglets and the Tanzanian national team are all part of my best moments as a coach. They are parts of the important moments in my coaching career.

You have a wide experience coaching in Africa at both club and national team levels. How would you rate the development of the African game?

Africans, in terms of our game, have developed a lot, and that has given us a lot of opportunities, though a whole lot of things still need to be done. We have continued to see how we can develop our football and players, mostly at the grassroots level. We have to see how we can be able to build a style for Africa, like the Asians have done. In the early 90s, Asian football was not very recognised, but they created a solid platform that afforded them the opportunity to build and develop their football and it became an interesting area. If we can be honest with ourselves and our approach to the game, there’s nothing we cannot achieve because we have a lot of potential and players to become the world’s best and win the World Cup. But it all depends on our mindset and approach, and what we consider as priority in our approach to the development of the game.

You won so many individual laurels in your playing days, the highlight being named the 1994 African Player of The Year. How did you feel as Africa’s best player then?

I am happy that during my time as a player I was named Africa’s best footballer and winning laurels. We are grateful for the opportunity and occasion, grateful to those that are part of the success, grateful to people that supported us during our playing days and thank God for granting us the grace to achieve those things you mentioned.

You also scored the winning goals for Nigeria at the 1994 AFCON and the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. As a winger, was scoring in the final something you worked towards?

 As a player, you always want to score, help your team and contribute your best for success. So, scoring in the final for us as a team to achieve our objective in winning the AFCON in 1994 and winning the Olympics gold medal was a credit to the team. I’m just part of the team and I did what I needed to do as a player and contribute my part but I don’t know if it was something that I worked on. I can never say I worked for it, but the important thing is that as a player, you want to score, help your team and contribute your part and be a part of the success. I’m happy and grateful that I was part of the successful team during our playing time, when Nigeria was achieving important results in football. I am grateful to Nigerians for giving us the opportunity to serve them.

What was the atmosphere like in the dressing room after winning the 1994 AFCON?

The atmosphere was great for a team that just won the title. It was an exciting moment; everybody was rejoicing, celebrating and giving thanks to God.

After scoring the winning goal and winning the gold at Atlanta 1996, how did you guys celebrate the win?

The 1996 Olympics was one of the important moments in African football history. Winning that Olympics gave Africa more opportunities, more awareness and recognition all over the world. After scoring the goal, we were all happy, but we never knew the magnitude of what we had done until we came to Africa. We arrived in Senegal and slept there, the Senegalese rushed out to welcome us and when we arrived in Nigeria, it was a different scenario.

Some squad members still lament that they’ve not been given houses promised them by the government. Have you received yours?

We hope our government, people and our leaders can remember the house promises made to the 1994 team, because some of us have gotten theirs while some haven’t. But we are optimistic, hoping and believing that our government will see reason to give those of us remaining houses. It will be good that what was promised was fulfilled. Unfortunately, some of us are dead, while many are still alive. For the dead, I think it will help their families if they get the houses. We are optimistic and hope that one day God will touch someone’s heart and call us over to take our houses. We are praying, waiting and hoping this will happen.

Your ex-club Barcelona have been having trying moments in recent times. How does this make you feel?

In football there is a moment of good, bad and difficulty. Barcelona are going through a tough time because many players have left and they have to bring in new players who need time to adapt to the philosophy of the team. Like they say, nothing is permanent in life except change and Barcelona are going through that right now. I hope they can find their way and come back to what people used to know them as.

What are your best and worst moments as coach and player?

My worst moment was not qualifying the U-20 team for the Africa U-20 championship when I was in charge of the team. Though we learn from all those moments and experiences and move ahead, because that’s part of what we do. As a player, my good moment was having the opportunity to play for Nigeria and serve the country.