₦airaland Forum

nerdjared:
How did former dss son abba bichi got into u17 team if not corruption

BluntTheApostle:
Picnic, or whatever his name is, has destroyed our football beyond words.

robosky02:
Nigeria miss 2022 World Cup: Who's to blame and what's next after crashing out vs. Ghana
Nigeria have had an incredibly disappointing start to 2022

The dust has settled, and the reality has kicked in. Nigeria are going to miss their first World Cup since 2006. It's their second missed World Cup since 1994, when they reached the knockout stage. In actuality, it should not shock anyone that Nigeria are missing out on the 2022 World Cup. The signs were there, the cracks were papered over and now Nigeria has slipped, hard.

On Sept. 30, 2014 Amaju Pinnick took over as president of the Nigerian Football Federation. He oversaw the disaster that was not qualifying for the 2015 (two years after Nigeria won AFCON) and 2017 AFCON tournaments. He went on to hire Gernot Rohr, who saw a successful period of Nigerian football. Rohr, however was disrespected and eventually fired.

So who's to blame? And what's next for Nigeria after a disappointing stretch. Let's sort it out.

Playing the blame game
Who is to blame for Nigeria not qualifying for the 2022 World Cup? It's a large pie, everyone can get fed. Let's start with the obvious: it was horrible goalkeeping for the Thomas Partey goal in their 1-1 draw against Ghana on Tuesday. The players looked like they were waiting for a third and fourth leg. Victor Osimhen was trying things he should not have. You get the point -- the players did not hold their weight.



The coaching. Manager Augustine Eguavoen was the assistant coach when Nigeria did not qualify for the 2006 World Cup, he is a legend on the pitch, but off of it, he has failed to replicate what Aliou Cisse and now Rigobert Song have done for their country. The tactics, player selections, the substitutions or lack thereof were not up to par. Eguavoen and his staff need to take a long look in the mirror.

The football federation. There are way too many egos and not enough humility within the NFF and the sporting authorities in Nigeria. From Amaju Pinnick to the rest, there seems to be no plan, just vibes and a lot of talking. Cameroon has Samuel Eto'o, arguably is the greatest African football player ever, in charge. Eto'o so far has taken no prisoners and has revived a Cameroonian side that was looking lethargic. Nigeria need a game plan from the men's side to the women's to the youth, even down to how the stadiums are managed.

Finally, the media in Nigeria. They hunted Rohr and he was fired. There are a lot of egos within Nigerian football, everyone seemingly wants the best but in reality it seems the other way. A lot of Nigerian media members advocate for local-based players and coaches, but when it comes down to it, there are not that many players or coaches who can take Nigeria to that level. Rohr should have been allowed to see out of the AFCON tournament in January. If he failed, fire him. That's how Cameroon, Tunisia and Ghana did it (you know, countries who qualified). The influential Nigerian media members need to ask themselves what exactly do they want? Do they want to continue driving agendas for their own gain or do they want to be genuine?

A head-scratching decision
Before we get started let's be real. Outside of 1994, Nigeria have not won much. In 1996 there was an Olympic gold medal, and in 2013 an AFCON title. It was not a pretty sight after the AFCON win. Pinnick took over Nigeria in 2014. What has been done since then? There have been two missed AFCON's, the loss of an Adidas sponsorship, court cases and corruption allegations. It is not all bad, though.

Nigeria have very gorgeous Nike kits and gear, they finished third in AFCON 2019, qualified for the 2018 World Cup in a group that had Zambia, Algeria and Cameroon. They ushered in a generation that is one of the most gifted on the continent, and brought in some diaspora talents. This was done mostly under the tutelage of Rohr (you know, the manager who Nigerian media and football heads ended up getting fired).

While football wasn't the most attractive under Rohr, Nigeria had their most successful period under Pinnick's reign with Rohr in charge. Should he have been fired? Maybe. But there was no plan to find anyone after he was gone, which is why firing him was a very unserious and now costly decision.

What is next?
Egos and pride need to be checked immediately. Some people need to quit, get fired, leave, whatever it is. There needs to be people who are doing what is best for the footballing of the country. That means not calling up eight wingers and four midfielders. That means hiring the best coaches, fixing the stadiums, paying the coaches and players on time, recruiting and calling up the best players, whether that is domestic or foreign-born.

Nigeria is a very tough country to live in and people want some sort of escape, pride and joy. When the national team does well, people connect to it. When they are not playing well, it adds to the pent-up frustration. Being Nigerian, there's a sense of pride and joy, the "giants of Africa" need to figure out who they want to be on the football pitch. Do they want to be Beautiful Gowns FC, or an actual football powerhouse?

The talent is there. The core is young, some players need to be moved on and some will retire (possibly Leon Balogun, Odion Ighalo, Ahmed Musa and maybe William Troost Ekong). For the most part this core will stay together, but the players need coaches who are sharp, witty and know how the modern game is played. You cannot rely on the ghosts of yesteryear to fuel players who were born after your glory days. Eguavoen has tried for years, but it is time to move on. Move on from the 1994 era, they had their chance. It is time to usher in a new generation of Nigerian football. If they want to be great, people like Pinnick need to put their hands up and say they have tried.

Eight years in charge, one third-place finish, a ton of scandals and mismanagement of talent and funds is not a good legacy to have. Nigeria should be back at the 2026 World Cup, 32 years after winning hearts in the USA, they will be back in the United States, Mexico and Canada. Can the powers that be develop a squad, coaching staff, and stadiums fit enough to make 200+ million people proud? All we can do is hope and believe

lexy2014:
Ol boy, Wetin happen? E be like say this Nigerian football matter don de your mind for many years. See the plenty epistle one and two wey u write

VEHINTOLAR:
That Pinnick guy with his weird mustache is a curse to the Nigerian football !

robosky02:
Nigerian football under amaju pinnic has suffered enough...And they must not be elected again for 3rd tenure


Read this we posted sometimes ago and the worse just happened




Once Africa’s number one ranked football country, Nigeria has plummeted so badly in recent times, no thanks to the current Nigeria Football Federation led by Amaju Pinnick

The present board of the Nigeria Football Federation, led by its president, Amaju Pinnick, was elected into office in September 2014 and ever since, the game has steadily declined due to poor running. football affairs by this board.

When they were elected some years ago, Nigeria was ranked 37 in the world, just few months after a Round of 16 finish by the Super Eagles at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

But ever since, the Eagles, who have failed to qualify for two Africa Cup of Nations (2015 and 2017), And managed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup. And the 2019 AFCON. Were they manage to come 3rd. But till now are still celebrating that 3rd position as if we have never won the cup. To the point of asking to keep Rohr as life coach.

The fall of the Eagles and the general decay in Nigerian football has been adduced to several blunders committed by the football body under the leadership of Amaju Pinnick some of these are:

1. No blue print for the development of the game on the home front.
Whereas FIFA have always advocated for the local development of the game in the native countries of affiliate members and even gone ahead to periodically give grant to that effect.
The Amaju Pinnick led board from inception till date do not have any plan to develop football in Nigeria. Rather we always see Amaju Pinnick travelling to Europe to convinced young stars with Nigerian descent to come play for Nigeria.

2. Inability to produced local players for the national team
In the past Nigeria league was the bedrock of the national team. But today the league under Amaju is so degraded that not a single player is seen fit to even smell the camp of the national team.
Whereas in the past players like Finidi George, Omokachi, Vincent Enyeama from Enyimba featured prominently in the super eagles.
As at the last count Sunday Mba from ifreanyi Uba FC scored the winning goal for Nigeria to win AFCON under Keshi.

3The deterioration of the Nigeria Premiere League
The Nigeria league itself under this NFF has even deteriorated so badly that our league doesn't have a calendar.
The league resumes anytime and to end they have to do abridged or just choose anybody to represent Nigeria in CAF champions league.
In the past the league use to attract lots of foreigners especially Africans from Ghana, Togo, Cameroon, Ivory Coast etc.
But today our League is in shambles. Every player is running out even to Benn republic.

4.Lack of transparency in the administration of football
In the past before a coach is appointed the position is announced and interested parties apply for it. But under Amaju how Genot Rohr became Nigeria's coach is a mystery. And worse off is to know that he can't be sacked due to a bogus clues in his contract is very annoying. And while stake holders are calling for the removal of Rohr. The NFF is already plotting to replace him with someone who on paper is even worse than Rohr. What has happen to allowing competent coaches applying for the job whether local or foreign?

5 the dwindling future on the super falcon's

The super falcon's in the past reigned supreme in Africa. Produce players year after year and winning almost all the editions of the women AFCON. But instead of this present NFF to improve our rating by making the falcons a force outside Africa. We have today became a shadow of ourselves.

I) back to back elimination from qualifying for the Olympics in 2016 and Tokyo 2020

ii) losing to South Africa in competitive game for the first time

Before now South Africa has never won a game against Nigeria but today not only that they won, they did it in style here in Lagos

iii) the female league like the male's can no longer produce players for the national team. That is why we now over rely on few tired legs and even scouting for Nigeria descents to come home and play

What has happen to our female football? The league is no where the players we produce the likes of mercy akide, perpetual Nkwacha, Cynthia Uwak etc were not born in England or USA. They all started from Nigeria

Why does Amaju led NFF killing football in Nigeria.

iv) the just concluded women CAF champions league everyone expected Nigeria's representative Rivers Angels to sweep it. But alas they were knocked out. Am not surprise South Africa organized their women league like their men and the result.. They won.
Gone are the day you wake up and defeat other teams. They are catching up.
And we without a league sent a match rusty team to conquer Africa. It doesn't work that way

5 the super eagles are no longer super.
In the past the super eagles game wasa delight were we look forward to how many goals will be scored not just the winning. The team was feared by Brazil, Italy, Argentina etc. But today even in Africa we can hold our own. The likes of Sierra Leone can come here to play 4 - 4 and we will be celebrating a drew with Cape Verde. Not just that the team scramble to stay afloat the team likes pattern and ambitions.

Having seen Nigeria win Olympics at Atalanta and reached quarter finals before. This NFF should take us higher and Amaju can do it.
If South Africa can look inwards then we can do better because we have the natural talent.
All out league and football needs is better organization. Aka packaging

Omodua:
robosky2 God bless you for this write up. You have spoken the minds of millions of football lovers all over the Country. Nothing to add.
You deserve a medal for this write up.
Keep it up. Nigerian football shall triumph over evil of Amaju Pinnick and his officials.
Kudos!

Sleekfingers:
How about the useless players? They played as if nothing was at stake. Look at the Ghanaian, they came all out .....those players and eguavon need to be beheaded in public.....

Mr pinnick need to be strip naked , parade in all the states in nigeria.....

JOemmy:
That warri corrupt man is a complete total failure he has absolutely no business running football in nigeria he achieve absolutely nothing in eight years in office. If not for the money from uduaghan the former governor of delta that he used to bribe his way to the nff top office there's absolutely no way he would have smelt that office. The fed. govt should force him to resign if he refuse football is the only thing that unites nigerians.

buckeyemedia:
You know it all, a bad tree can never yield good fruits, he got their by corruption & bribery from Delta State, Giwa Amu won the election, he was robbed openly, Amaju Pinnick is Uduaghan’s wife’s brother.
kindly shut up, thank you very much

VEHINTOLAR:
You're right bro,so painful !

buckeyemedia:
Iceberg3 no dey jealousy me na? We know people hate what they respect of course,like you afonjas do to the Igbos 24/7

Btw,good riddance to the zoo eagles from Qatar'22

robosky02:
OK
Let them step aside