On Sunday, The Three Lions of England lost 2-1 to Spain in the final of the 2024 Euros. Two days later the manager, Gareth Southgate, announced his resignation and the search for his successor has begun in earnest.
The same cannot be said of the NFF and the Super Eagles.
It is now a month since Finidi George quit as coach and the last we have heard on this matter was when they immediately rushed out a communiqué that they will appoint a new foreign coach for the Super Eagles for the 2025 AFCON qualifiers in September.
The NFF leadership has continued to be as secretive as a cult, indecisive and as a matter of fact lacking the initiative to move Nigeria football forward.
Why has the NFF president Ibrahim alongside his top executives had to always dash to the Sports Minister as it concerns the appointment of a coach for the Super Eagles?
The NFF do not have the financial independence to pay for a foreign coach and so like a spoilt child, Gusau has always had to run back to daddy at any little excuse.
That was why it needed the special intervention of President Bola Tinubu to clear a backlog of 13 months’ salaries of Jose Peseiro earlier this year.
It will remain a matter of cash in respect of the engagement of a foreign coach that the NFF board has unanimously voted for.
This was just weeks after the same NFF had maintained they do not have the cash to hire an expatriate.
Where did the money come from?
What is their budget for a new foreign coach?
Are they still hoping on the Federal Government to pay for the new coach?
What are they doing on their own to foot the bills of the new coach?
What is clear even to those who are supposed to run our football on our behalf is that the four shortlisted foreign coaches will not take the 15 Million-Naira-a-month that Finidi George was on.
Herve Renard representatives have already demanded for $180,000-a-month, while former England boss Steve McClaren will not be much cheaper.
The other shortlisted coaches, Eric Chelle and Tom Saintfiet, will be affordable.
Both men have deep roots in African football, are keen and available for the job, have proven themselves in tougher terrain and will sign a short-term contract to cover the 2025 AFCON qualifiers that run till November 2024 with an option for an extension thereafter.
It appears that in the whole of Nigeria it is only the NFF board that does not see the urgency in the appointment for a new Super Eagles coach.
Whether they have the cash or not, it is high time they stopped fooling around.
NFF will keep everything secret to present a front as if they are thinking.It is a lie.You will see the unintelligent decision they will take again.
If this isn’t true 🤣
Good day, saying NFF is fooling around is an insult to d Nigeria football Federation. Also saying d president dash to d minister like a baby is another insult. Do u realize NFF is a parastal under ministry of sport. Is like saying NTA should not report to ministry of communication. There are modalities in governance. Wen u serve as a public office holder u will understand. I believe dey will make d best decisions given d circumstances. NFF will be fine our glory shall be restored. My own personal opinion though. We have more than qualified coaches in Nigeria to coach d team. Let’s get one whom can do d job & give him a good pace to work.
Malama khadija please try and understand wat the writer is saying, is a straight forward expression, the writer is very correct, any delay in decision making is not good for the team preparation, NFF should be proactive on there decision based on wat they can afford, time is not on they side already nigeria is third or fourth on the table world cup qualifier, who ever be the next coach need much time to understand the team.
The plain truth is that this isn’t the first time they delay appointments only to end up with misfits like Finidi. Not appointing a new coach on time precipitates another disaster.