We have bungled the process of securing the sole qualification ticket for the 2026 World Cup due to the administrative tardiness prevalent in the Dankaro House in Abuja. What is imperative now is how we use the lessons learned from our shambolic outings so far to guide us in winning all our home matches ahead of the 2030 edition. Super Eagles have played four home games in this series without any victory, despite parading a former Africa Footballer of the Year, Victor Osimhen and the incumbent holder of the African diadem, Ademola Lookman. If the Eagles had won three of their four home games, the country wouldn’t be requiring us to do any permutations in nicking the sole qualification in Group C.
New Zealand, Japan, Iran, Argentina, the United States (US), Mexico, and Canada have already qualified for the 2026 World Cup, with the last three nations (US, Mexico and Canada) qualifying as the co-hosts of the competition. Not for the first time is FIFA toying with the co-hosting competition for the most prestigious soccer tournament in the world – the senior World Cup. If it had her plans correctly executed, the Eagles would qualify for the 2026 Mundial, having two or three matches left as we did at the 1998 World Cup qualifiers with the White Witch Doctor, Phillipe Troussier as the Head Coach.
The first lesson learned from our pre-World Cup games is that the NFF chieftains refused to get the Super Eagles a top-rated foreign coach befitting of our players’ stature. We have thus far used five coaches not forgetting the dictum of too many cooks spoiling the broth. How could the NFF have committed this flaw knowing that for qualifying for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar all the participating countries received over $12 million as qualification bonus? Don’t we know that with the next edition being co-hosted by three nations that the logistics during the competition would be much? Common sense tells us that the qualification bonus would almost be hitting the roof. What a huge loss in the event that the country fails to qualify for the Mundial.
The pedigree of the new Eagles foreign coach to be recruited would determine the quality of international matches the Super Eagles would play in the next five years. Nigeria has been slated to play three international friendly games in Moscow against Russia on June 6 and the United Cup tournament in London later in June and the NFF and Coach Eric Chelle are up in arms over the kind of players to pick for the matches. When will these people ever be serious, dear reader? You tell me.
Sadly, these matches won’t attract any points for Nigeria in FIFA’s monthly rankings, making it imperative to ask to what intent and purpose are these arranged friendlies? Which European club would release their players for such meaningless games? No player would risk his career to play such games only to be injured. What are the security and other guarantees in place for the game against Russia in Moscow on June 8? A non-FIFA ranking game for that matter. How safe is Moscow? Isn’t this another case of failure of leadership?
How much are the organisers offering if the results of the matches won’t improve our FIFA ranking? Those federation members angling for domestic league players to be included in the squad to prosecute these games certainly have a hidden agenda. Have they considered the difficulties associated with securing entry visas for first time travellers out of the country? Did I hear the whisper of Notre Verbal? Perish that thought with the federation’s way of doing things? Shouldn’t Chelle be allowed to pick those he wants other than having his hands tied to his back?
Wait a minute. Where in the world have we heard of coaches being paid their wages upfront for close to ten months? What is so special about such a sinister method now that we know that the European season is heading towards a close with many countries set to take stock towards a successful 2025/2026 season?
This is the second time one would be writing about the need for the NSC boss to stand aside and allow the NFF chieftains to run their show. This way, the NSC can play its supervisory roles when the need arises.
Imagine the NSC boss telling us that Super Eagles Head Coach, Chelle would be paid upfront until October. The questions the NSC boss ought to have asked those who introduced that style of payment would be what Chelle would be doing after May 31, if he isn’t already in Nigeria? The other questions would be to ask which country does that and why we chose to pay a man for doing nothing simply because he is a football coach? Who cursed Nigeria like this? Did Nigeria beg Chelle to coach Nigeria? Wasn’t he one who applied for the job and went through the screening exercises before he was selected? What is this upfront payment meant to achieve? Pity! We don’t learn from history.
“It’s not the commission paying directly, the support group is providing relief so the NFF can focus on other critical needs,” Shehu Dikko said in an interview on Eagle 7 FM Sports Radio.
“We are processing his payment upfront. The idea is to settle him completely, so he can concentrate on getting the team to the World Cup.
“We’re not part of the contract. But we’re committed to ensuring the coach has all the support he needs. After all, this is about Nigeria. If we can help, we will. And we are doing just that.
“The bonuses were paid immediately. While the players were still at dinner, before they had even showered, the money was already on the table. That level of organisation shows respect and commitment,” he said.
What a pity! My dear chairman, when would we stop this rubbish of showing the world that we are a wealthy country? Did Mali pay Chelle upfront when he was their coach? Certainly not. Is this upfront clause contained in his contract? If yes, who signed such a document on Nigeria’s behalf/ If no, why pay a coach who lives outside the country watching our boys during their club games to guide him in picking the country’s best for international assignments?
For the 2030 edition to be a stroll in the park, the leadership at the Dankaro House must go pending the outcome of the federation’s election which would be the most controversial, except the incumbent board implements the changes as espoused by the 10-year development plan committee headed by one-time NFF Chairman, Alhaji Ibrahim Galadima. The leadership has failed in all ramifications as it appears the last NFF board was better than this, unfortunately.
A leadership which would have cost Nigeria her passage into the 2018 World Cup by their administrative tardiness in fielding an ineligible Shehu Abdulahi in a deadpan last game against Algeria in Constantine, ought to have been sacked. Not so in Nigeria. He has since then been granted two extensions to his contract. Yet, we expect changes. No chance.
