In a rescue bid to help resuscitate the dwindling fortunes of Nigeria in the round leather game of football, Coach Jasper Israel Benfelix, of Liberia’s Earth Angels FC has put himself up for any available coaching job in Nigeria. The highly travelled and currently CAF B licensed coach who hails from Imo State opens up to The Point’s, ANDREW EKEJIUBA, in an exclusive interview on his career rise as a player-turned coach and capacity to uplift Nigerian football from its sorry state. Excerpts:
Share with us a brief background of yourself and football career?
I’m Coach Jasper Israel Benfelix, a Nigerian and Liberian. Actually, I hail from Oguta LGA in Imo State, Nigeria. I’m 41 years old and currently a CAF B licensed coach working in Liberia. I was born in Lagos State, grew up in Ajegunle area and Ifelodun to be precise. I schooled in Lagos also at Ojo Military Boys School.
My parents had nine children, two girls and seven boys of which I’m the 7th. Most of my brothers played football but they we’re not successful and I happened to be the only one that got to this level of football administration in my family.
Presently, I am the Liberia Football Coaches Association Deputy Secretary General and Liberia FA home-based National Team scout. I’m also the Head Coach, Earth Angels Football Club which is a female football clubside.
How did you come into the beautiful game of football, and share with us your experiences both as a player and coach?
I started my football career with a First Division team in Benin Republic by name, Assaco Football Club, in 1998. Then I moved back to Nigeria to play for NEPA FC of Egbin, in Ikorodu, Lagos, in the year 2000. Later I joined Julius Berger during the 2003-2004 season.
And it was from Berger that I moved to Liberia to play for Fulani United in2007.
How about your coaching career, how did it all start?
I started my coaching career in 2011 with Fulani United in Liberia. Like I said earlier, I played and retired there as a player before moving forward to coach Mighty Barrolle AS from 2013 to 2016.
The next club I coached was Keitrace FC in 2019-2020 and currently I’m with Earth Angels from 2020 till date.
Earth Angels is a female team and the most successful female football club in Liberia. Presently the club is the FA Cup champions in the female category.
Is that the only female team you have coached?
No, no. I also had a short stay with another female team called Pro- Sisters FC.
Kindly share with us your achievements both as a player and coach?
Actually, as a player, I didn’t achieve much, but I won the league and the FA Cup with Assaco FC in Republic of Benin. I also got Fulani United promoted to the First Division of the Liberian League.
As a coach, my first achievement was taking Mighty Barrolle back to the First Division in the Liberia League which I successfully executed.
I won the FA Cup with Earth Angels in 2021 as coach and I was nominated as one of the best female football coaches in Liberia for the year 2021.
Which organization nominated you as one of the best female football coaches in Liberia?
Not organization, but associations of coaches, football captains and Sports Writers. So, due to my superlative outings with my team, Earth Angels, I was nominated for the upcoming Liberia FA Award Night holding on the 28th of August 2021.
Why did you finally stay back in Liberia instead of returning back to Nigeria to help develop our football?
I actually relocated to Liberia while still playing active football and then retired in Liberia. So, I got an offer from a Liberian team by name Invisible Eleven, but, it never worked as planned, so I ended up signing for Fulani United.
To prepare myself for the arduous task of coaching after my playing career, I immediately enrolled in the LFA Coaching School and thereafter, I was employed by my former team, Fulani United. Till now, I am still in Liberia because I have a job at hand. If I get a job in Nigeria, I will definitely return home.
Have you ever made any attempt to coach in Nigeria?
Actually I have tried getting a club, but again it bows down to the question of whom do I know and how do I get to those clubs. Last time I contacted the Media Officer to Abia Warriors, nothing came out of my efforts.
Another guy tried getting me to Gateway FC of Abeokuta; again nothing came out at the end. However, I want to reiterate that I have the magical wand to uplift Nigerian football in any capacity.
Have you at anytime made effort to apply for a job with the Nigeria Football Federation?
Actually, I have not done that, reason being that I do not have anyone to get me there, and that’s why I am trying to see if I can be given a chance this time.
If given a chance, which Nigeria club or national team can you effectively handle?
I think any of the clubs in the Nigeria Professional Football League and any of the second-tier of the Pro-league is fine for me. Also, maybe one of the junior National Teams or the female National Teams is okay for me.
Please can you be specific in the choice of the national teams you prefer?
The U-17 teams like the Golden Eaglets or the Flamingos for the female junior national U-17 team.
Then, coming to clubs I’m used to the South and Eastern teams. So, any team from those areas will be fine. I like Gateway FC a lot, alongside Shooting Stars FC of Ibadan.
Why do you think you can achieve success with these teams?
I don’t doubt my abilities as a coach. Nigeria has a lot of talented footballers that any good coach can harness and achieve success with them. Again, my man-management I hold it in high regard. If I can achieve what I’ve achieved in Liberia with what’s been provided here, I don’t see why I can’t achieve in Nigeria with such avalanche of talented stars. Trust me I won’t disappoint!
Can you open up more on your abilities to deliver as a coach?
I’ve got this psychological ability in changing players mentally and pushing them to perform beyond even more than they do expect of themselves.
If I can play the entire league and FA Cup with just one game lost, I want to assure you that I can do same with Nigeria national female teams.
I won the FA Cup without losing any game. And that’s what I’m going to bring to the national team if given the opportunity.
What are the major problems militating against the development of Nigerian football you may wish to correct?
I will want to correct this belief that coaches don’t pick players on merit. Every good player deserves to be picked for selection. I’ll also create a good and understanding atmosphere between players and officials.
What are the major qualities or attributes that stands you out as a good coach?
I have the ability to motivate, push players to go the extra mile in our quest to getting good results in matches.
Some clubs in Nigeria do owe coaches and players for months, how are you going to cope with such a scenario in Nigeria; even up to national team level, players and coaches are owed?
All over the world, clubs do owe even national teams included. But, what matters here is the relationship between both parties. I face the same scenario here in Liberia, but I make sure in my little capacity to be a middle man between both parties. I foster a common understanding between both the players and administrators of the game.
Can you close your eyes and share with us ten topmost past and present Nigerian players you so much admire their style of play and achievements?
Ooh yes. I love Kanu Nwankwo a lot, Mikel Obi, Jay Jay Okocha, Yakubu Aiyegbeni and Obafemi Martins; not forgetting the present generation of players like Victor Osimhen, Samuel Chukwueze, Wilfred Ndidi, Kelechi Iheanacho and so on.
You said earlier that you hailed from Imo State and Oguta LGA to be precise, how often do you visit home and when did you visit last?
Once every year I do visit home, but since the Covid-19 pandemic began, I have not visited Nigeria.
The English Premier League began this weekend, what are your expectations this season?
I don’t see much deference from the last season. Probably we may see few surprises.
And what are the top-four teams to watch out for?
As I said earlier, we may see few surprises but the big names will surely not miss out. Chelsea, Man City, Man United, and maybe am looking at Arsenal as one of the surprises.
What of Liverpool?
Honestly I’m not seeing Liverpool up there. That’s my opinion anyway.
What reason can you say is responsible for some Nigerian players who are playing abroad that are doing well in their various clubs in Europe, but cannot replicate such forms playing for the Super Eagles?
Thank you for that big question. This is where passion comes in and I think the NFF has a lot to do here. I believe that the gaffers equally have more to do in terms of having that will to motivate and push up the players psychologically and fine tune them before games. The passion to play for somebody’s fatherland should be there.
A peep at the Super Eagles shows that we have more foreign-based players than home-based players. Does it mean that our home boys are not good enough?
You see, I’m not going to say we do not have good home-based players. But again I believe that the selection of players should be by merit. If the National Team coaches believe that foreign-based players will give them the positive result they want, then I think that’s what they wanted. Don’t forget, if anything goes wrong they’ll be the ones that’ll be sacked not the general public.
Finally, are you not worried about the absence of both our male and female National Teams in the football event at the just concluded Tokyo Olympics?
I’m very much worried. Not a good development at all. That’s where merit comes first. Honestly is unacceptable!
