The thorny and cloudy path to the 2026 FIFA World Cup now looks bleak for Nigeria as the situation was further compounded Monday, June 10, 2024, after the qualifying match between Republic of Benin and Nigeria hosted in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire.
It was a dismal performance from the Super Eagles of Nigeria, who lost 2 -1 to Benin Republic.
Nigeria remain fifth on the table of Group C with 3 points from 4 matches, it has never been so bad.
But how can Nigeria Football make progress with the current governing structure?
Winning games with all strata of the National Football teams and development of any federation’s domestic football is a collective responsibility.
The collective responsibility is two-fold – managerial and technical.
Why crucify Finidi George? What did he meet on ground? What is the composition of the NFF technical committee? Who are the Nigerians who make up the technical committee, and what are their qualifications?
The technical committee is the heart and engine room of any football-playing nation and their duty amongst others is to draw up long-term development programmes for the National teams and domestic football development.
This will include road maps for continental and global championships for the technical crew to adopt.
On the managerial side, a working and responsible federation must take the welfare of its players and technical crew including backroom staff as its first priority.
In the last 10 years, the Super Eagles have had no reputable team manager – a man of means who relates with the players to ensure their needs are met – this was the norm in the past.
Then how does the NFF prepare for these Championships? Are the right Indices applied?
Nigeria used to have standing National teams and it worked positively towards preparing the national teams for continental and global championships. Even the invited foreign based players competed for shirts upon arrival in camp.
How many match bonuses and allowances are outstanding to be paid to the Super Eagle Players?
What happened to the intervention fund from President Tinubu in January 2024 to clear all backlogs of allowances owed to the Super Eagles?
Has the intervention fund been retired?
Anyway, this is a story for another day as this writer is coming soon with details on the intervention fund.
Coach Finidi George should not be singled out for attack on the fortunes of the Super Eagles, we simply have a system that is defective due to the clueless and incompetent people who hijacked Nigeria Football administration.
These guys have nothing to offer other than looting the treasury, 2014 – 2024 has been the same old game.
No coach in the world has the magic wand to turn the fortunes of Nigeria Football around without managerial and technical input from the NFF.
Finidi George that came in barely two months ago is not the problem of Nigerian Football, the real problems are the square pegs in round holes.
It is too early to crucify Finidi George, he did not hire himself, the NFF did and should take full responsibility for his actions and inactions for now.
By HARRISON JALLA
