SCORENigeria can exclusively report today that the Presidency has halted the announcement of a new Super Eagles coach.
It was gathered that the Belgian Tom Saintfiet was to have been announced by the NFF as the new Super Eagles coach Wednesday.
However, the Presidency was very uncomfortable with the most recent record of Saintfiet and so ordered that the announcement be called off.
The former Gambia coach has endured a miserable run with The Philippines, losing all seven matches, including four 2026 World Cup qualifiers, with his team failing to score a goal, while conceding 18 goals.
It is understood that a former NFF president is among the major promoters of the 51-year-old Belgian coach.
Saintfiet was shortlisted by the NFF technical committee for the top Super Eagles.
However, he was one of four shortlisted coaches, but was not under serious consideration by the NFF after top officials refused to meet with his representatives during the Paris Olympics.
But in the last few days after top-choice Herve Renard finally turned down an offer to be the next coach of the Super Eagles, the NFF tabled an offer to Saintfiet in a massive U-turn.
“The NFF have not covered themselves in glory as regards the appointment of a new coach for the Super Eagles,” a top official told SCORENigeria
“What we have now is a disaster as with less than a month to our opening AFCON qualifier against Benin, we still don’t have a coach.
“If this does not prove gross incompetence, tell me what it is.”
How on earth can you compare Philippines to Nigeria – have you ever heard a Philippino play on the premiership or any other top league – once again it shows the stupidity of the NFF- A coach is as good as his players . His yard stick should be the Gambia at least . Nigeria want the best but dj t want to pay for it . Moreover they expect the coach to dance to their selection tune and have assistants thrown at them – it’s clear there is too much politics and outside influence so any coach has an uphill task – you want the best pay for it and let the coach be
Nigeria, as a whole, is an utter mess, and has been for a while. Gusau will go down as probably the worst NFF President in history,. Might be tied though with his predecessor Pinnick who still continues to meddle with Nigerian football. Maybe it’s time to have foreign Sports and football administrators as well, considering how incompetent these dunderheads, including the Sports Minister (whom Tinubu needs to replace ASAP btw) are. Sainfielt or whatever his name is has no business anywhere near the Super Eagles!
There is only one coach to get us out of the tight spot we are in presently — Herve Renard. No other coach being considered comes close presently. Zambia could hire and pay him and he delivered AFCON TROPHY to them. Cote D’Voire hired and paid him, he not only delivered AFCON TROPHY to them, he qualified them for World Cup, took them and did impressively. He also took Saudi Arabia to 2022 World cup and caused some upsets. If we have our priorities right we should not be heard complaining we can’t pay him. Let the Federal Govt do that for Nigerians, and to its positive image too–because Renard will make the masses of Nigeria happy and united even in hunger.