2026 World Cup And NFF’s Approach To Rescue S’Eagles
Nigerian Players Must Show More Commitment To National Team
Stakeholders have condemned the abysmal position of the Super Eagles in Group C since the commencement of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign.
Such condemnation is stemmed from the fact that in a group that has Lesotho, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Benin Republic and South Africa as Nigeria’s challengers for the sole Group C ticket, the Super Eagles are reeling in the fifth position after four rounds of matches. They are of the opin- ion that if form, exposure and experience are translated to reality, perhaps the leadership of the group should have been a direct battle between the Su- per Eagles and Bafana Bafana.
Surprisingly, Rwanda is topping Group C with seven points after four rounds of games, only better than sec- ond-placed and third-placed South Africa and Benin Republic respectively on goals difference while Lesotho is fourth with five points before Nigeria who are on three points. The last team is Zimbabwe on two points.
“This is unbelievable, to say the least,” ex-international, Sam Sodje, said in a monitored radio programme.
“No one will believe this that a team which should be boasting of at least ten points in this kind of group are struggling at the fifth spot.
“Something needs to be done urgently because this is not the Super Eagles we know. NFF must urgently intervene and see areas of help otherwise another World Cup miss is likely,” he said.
In what looked like answering the clarion call, the Execu- tive Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has risen to the occasion. After what many called emergency meeting following the appalling performance of the giant birds of prey, the committee
agreed to ring instant changes in not only the national team but the technical department of the football house, as well as any other department that had tended to undermine the growth and development of the national team. Among the decisions reached was to instantly engage an expatriate coach to recover what is left of the quest for a place in the 2026 World Cup to be hosted by the trio of the United States, Mexico and Canada.
A statement from the NFF said the committee held the meeting in hybrid mode to deliberate on important is- sues in Nigeria Football and resolved after apologising to Nigerians for the dismal out- put and subsequent very poor returns of the Super Eagles, pledged to work assiduously and put necessary measures in place to ensure a better prepared squad ahead of the AFCON 2025 qualifiers in September this year and the resumption of the World Cup
qualifiers in March 2025.
The Committee also resolved to employ an expatriate technical adviser for the Super Eagles in the coming weeks, ahead of the AFCON qualifiers and the remaining FIFA World Cup qualifying matches. The NFF also resolved to beef up its technical department with more qualitative hands. Equally, the Technical and Development Sub-Com- mittee will be rejigged with
immediate effect. “Notwithstanding the challenges that attended the team’s preparations for the match-day three and four of the FIFA World Cup qualifying matches, owing to a 38-hour nationwide industrial action, the board expressed displeasure with the poor attitude of some of the players to the national assignment, and unanimously decided in favour of a more robust scouting programme of outstanding Nigeria-eligible players from across the four corners of the universe, who can add tremendous value to the nation’s flagship team.
“The Executive Committee also resolved that a stakeholders’ forum be convened in a few weeks’ time to deliberate on amendments to the current NFF Statutes, in conjunction with world football-governing body, FIFA.”
These, among others, were reached at the meeting which was primarily convened to en- sure that the Super Eagles pull out the burning chestnut out of fire for Nigeria to berth at the next World Cup.
While Nigerians have hailed the decision of the NFF to shove aside the UEFA Champions League winner, Finidi George, Christian Chukwu, former coach of the Super Eagles, harped on the commitment. He said while Finidi May take the knock, there is the need to at the commitment of the players and the authorities, saying also having the right people at the helm and reorganising the national team would the magic.
While in a chat with our correspondent, the 1980 Africa Cup of Nations winner said the solution to the problems of Super Eagles isn’t foreign coaches but doing the right thing and ensuring committed players are engaged.
He, however, said that if the football house had opted for an expatriate manager, they should support the person to achieve result.
“Foreign coaches do not know our players more than us and they cannot do wonders if we do not do the right thing.
“However, they know the kind of coach they want to hire and it is left for them to support him in whichever way they want for him to succeed.
“I have no say in their choice of a coach but let it be known that foreign coach is presently not the solution to Super Eagles challenges but reorganisation of the national team and allowing committed players and administrators handle things will change all these,” he said.
Another ex-international, Bright Omokaro, called for concerted efforts, pointing out that whether local or foreign coach, there is the need to ensure that the players get more blending and attachment to one another and the national team in order to breed syner- g y.
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“The boys never had time to play together, that’s what happened to them during the matches,” he said.
“They need more together- ness, commitment and rigorous training to qualify for the World Cup.
“There shouldn’t be an automatic shirt for any player for now. They should make the national team competitive in order to ensure commitment.
“Their performance should be the determinant to feature in a match, as there must be competition in the camp to allow the best players to perform.
“Hiring a foreign coach may not be the solution but since they have agreed on this, they should go for the best,” Omokaro said.
Ifeanyi Udeze also threw his weight behind NFF’s decision, saying much as Finidi is a good manager, this time isn’t for experiment, also blaming the players for falling short of giving their one hundred percent in those matches.
He said, “I think what they’re (NFF) trying to do is to see if they can salvage the situation. We all know how Nigerians felt losing to Benin Republic and drawing to South Africa.
“It’s kind of difficult to see if we’ll qualify for the World Cup now and what they’re try- ing to do is see if someone can inject new ideas into the team.
“Finidi is one of us and I think he’s a good coach who will come perform but this isn’t the time for experiments, whatever they need to do, they should to get us the World Cup ticket.
“Finidi not winning his first two official games doesn’t mean he’s a bad coach and bringing someone to oversee him isn’t a bad idea either.
“I also don’t think it all falls down on Finidi, the NFF and the players, who aren’t giving 100 percent, are also part of it. So, I think there needs to be more change beyond management.”
However, while some Ni- gerians agreed with NFF on foreign coach as the recipe, some other ex-internationals have said such move is wrong, noting that it was wrong to replace Finidi who is barely two months on the job.
Friday Ekpo, former Super Eagles midfielder, said foreign coach is not the solution, chiding NFF for the move.
“So, what will they do if the foreigner they are bringing loses or draws his first game? Sack him? They are not serious, they should allow Finidi to build for the future,” he said.
“They should think about the long term, bringing an expatriate as a technical adviser is a wrong thing to do. When Peseiro was here and was losing, did they employ a technical adviser for him?
Yougavehimajobtodoand in less than two months you are bringing someone else to boss him. Something is wrong somewhere.
On his own, Azubuike Egwuekwe, an AFCON winner in 2013, kicked against the NFF’s move.
“How convinced are they that the foreign coach will win the remaining six games?the retired defender queried.
“I am very disappointed because we don’t need a foreigner. Finidi just played two (competitive) games, he drew and lost one. They should have stuck with him for a longer time. I feel he should have gotten more support. This will also affect the home-based players as foreign coaches rarely look at the NPFL.”
While speaking on this, president of Guild of Sports Editors, Tony Ubani, described NFF’s decision as a “pretentious move.
“Yes, that’s not the right move, they just exposed them- selves that they never believed in indigenous coaches. What they’ve done is going back to what they wanted to do in the first place,” Ubani stated.
“But the problem isn’t coaching, it’s administration. If you bring Carlo Ancelotti right now, he won’t qualify this team for the World Cup. What they are doing is tantamount to administering pain relievers on a cancer patient. It can’t work.”
Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).