₦airaland Forum

TheSuperNerd:
As long as Ola Aina returns before Afcon Kickoff in same december, I am fine.

But the reality is this: Unlike the left side where we have quality in Bruno or Felix Agu or even Zaidu, the right only has Aina. Osayi is unreliable. Sodiq "Arnold" is not it abeg.

This is why I shared news of that Samuel Isife kid now at Slavia Prague. We need quality options on the right, upgrades on Osayi and Sodiq "Arnold" Ismail.


The Afcon is now 100 days away.

BankyGee:
I swear 😂

TheSuperNerd:
Attention seeker, what unbeaten run? Rohr lost to SA in Uyo. SA's first competitive victory over Nigeria came under Rohr. Rohr oversaw losses to minnows just before Afcon 2021. His decline with us was obvious and you talk of 32 games unbeaten run.

I trust u must be the agent yourself hired to come sow discord and discredit true thinking fans who operare independently of anyone. So shut up already with your conspiracy nonsense. It is soooo off tangent.

TheSuperNerd:
Emmanuel Uchenna at Sparta Prague. Remember the name. Solid CB.

NIGHTMARE0O7:
I just read somewhere that FIFA hav awarded 3 point the people 1 country left their group

Philosopher1979:
1. The issue with the Nigerian team is bad coaching. I mean just bad choices of players selection and formation. The ekong error stuff. Peseiro insisting on francis uzoho. Those things cost us around 7 points.
2. Chelle seems to be learning how to use his players. His uses if benjamin franklin shows it. We are fund of emotional decisions. In fact, owngoalnigeria said the players convinced chelle that he should use ekong against South africa. Chelle is gradually learning the hard way.
3. One thing I like about chelle is that he is not afraid to use new players.
5. Chelle should be left alone no matter what happens until after the nations cup. This nations cup will make us see what he can do. Its only a few months away.

mank1234:
No official communication on this yet.

This is also a possibility. All teams in the group awarded 6 points. But this is unfair to other groups. If matches were played no guarantee they would have won both leg.

charlesemeka85:
Nerdy you forgot to add

Sodiq Ismaila and Tanimu 😎😊

NIGHTMARE0O7:
I just read somewhere that FIFA hav awarded 3 point the people 1 country left their group

Kog45:
Yes poor decision...just see how Benjamin Frederick gave us balance cuz he is a real ball playing defender,now the big question why are we always having issues in keeping good possession against smaller football countries?it's simple lack of real ball playing midfielders.....yes Iwobi is good but has his limitations,now we are having Akinsanmiro and Eletu coming up,the two are home grown talent just like Frederick.... Frederick has not had played 10 professional matches but see the way he solved our CB issue...do we need to wait for Akinsanmiro,Eletu and the likes....in real sense these guys are better ball playing midfielders than what we have....Ndidi,Dele Bashiru and Onyeka will never give us balance and reason why we're struggling....till date I don't know why Onyedika will always be on the bench., Onyedika carry ball very well and does it with ease.

Coming Afcon, Chelle just need to be brave and integrate players like Ogbu, Akinsanmiro,Eletu and time for Onyedika to start ahead of Ndidi.

TheSuperNerd:
Emmanuel Uchenna at Sparta Prague. Remember the name. Solid CB.

Kog45:
Yes poor decision...just see how Benjamin Frederick gave us balance cuz he is a real ball playing defender,now the big question why are we always having issues in keeping good possession against smaller football countries?it's simple lack of real ball playing midfielders.....yes Iwobi is good but has his limitations,now we are having Akinsanmiro and Eletu coming up,the two are home grown talent just like Frederick.... Frederick has not had played 10 professional matches but see the way he solved our CB issue...do we need to wait for Akinsanmiro,Eletu and the likes....in real sense these guys are better ball playing midfielders than what we have....Ndidi,Dele Bashiru and Onyeka will never give us balance and reason why we're struggling....till date I don't know why Onyedika will always be on the bench., Onyedika carry ball very well and does it with ease.

Coming Afcon, Chelle just need to be brave and integrate players like Ogbu, Akinsanmiro,Eletu and time for Onyedika to start ahead of Ndidi.

Truidstarr:
Greetings to everyone who has been holding this thread down!!! Una dey try!!! Since Tuesday I be like person wey Malaria bring down. My personal battery don run down.

charlesemeka85:
bros me no dey too carry 9ja football matter for heart anymore. Now na just normal leave to me whenever the worst happens 🤣🤣🤣

Try find chilled beer with better food knack u will be fine 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Kog45:
All teams in the group awarded 6 points?I no understand bro

TheSuperNerd:
As long as Ola Aina returns before Afcon Kickoff in same december, I am fine.

But the reality is this: Unlike the left side where we have quality in Bruno or Felix Agu or even Zaidu, the right only has Aina. Osayi is unreliable. Sodiq "Arnold" is not it abeg.

This is why I shared news of that Samuel Isife kid now at Slavia Prague. We need quality options on the right, upgrades on Osayi and Sodiq "Arnold" Ismail.


The Afcon is now 100 days away.

Truidstarr:
Greetings to everyone who has been holding this thread down!!! Una dey try!!! Since Tuesday I be like person wey Malaria bring down. My personal battery don run down.

Truidstarr:
Greetings to everyone who has been holding this thread down!!! Una dey try!!! Since Tuesday I be like person wey Malaria bring down. My personal battery don run down.

elyte89:
It’s never over until it’s over

Darkprime:
At this point, we need to do something about the NFF. We just have to. It's glaringly obvious that they are the absolute rotten core under the disasters that keep surrounding our national teams. I think it's very easy to get distracted by little flashes of brilliance like our recent win at the Women's AFCON, or our Unity Cup victory, or our AFCON finals finish two years ago. These are just flashes in a pan that ease the symptoms of a core disease that we still haven't recovered from for a mighty long time. Sure, even the biggest teams have their ups and downs, but over the past 5 years at least, it's clear that we're on a drastic decline. For those of us who have lived through the dizzying highs of the Super Eagles, the present reality is a source of profound heartbreak. It's not fun watching the slow, painful decline of a team with such a rich history and an endless reservoir of talent.

What happened to our national pride?

The draw with South Africa was just another bout of the endless frustration we're used to. I was fully expecting us to lose, so I'm even thankful we got a draw. We can talk about a lot of things here that made us not alto achieve a victory that day. We can complain about the players. We can complain about the pitches, we can complain about the coach. But if you want to get to the root of the problem, you have to look at the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF). These bunch of clowns are the weapon fashioned against us, and I wonder how long they'll keep messing with us before we take decisive actions as fans. Who is really competent in that organization that deserves his spot there? Where are the technocrats? Why is there so much political interference? If you're not a professional with mandatory sports-related qualifications, you shouldn't have any business with the NFF! And this pervasive political culture is directly responsible for the federation's financial mismanagement and lack of transparency. They keep relying on government subventions like a crutch. There have been so many serious allegations of financial impropriety that would make your head spin.

That's why I don't blame private investors who look at us and turn away their faces. Anybody who sees this opacity and the pitiful state of our stadiums that fail to meet CAF and FIFA standards, has little incentive to invest in our domestic league. Instead, they’d rather spend their money on expensive sponsorship deals with European clubs. Can you blame them?

Just imagine NFF's own communications department issuing statement blaming our own players, Troost-Ekong and Dessers, for a crucial 2026 World Cup qualifier draw! Just imagine the rubbish! Okay, some of you will say they later disowned the statement. But of what good is that denouncement when it perfectly illustrates a culture that is quick to single out individuals and lacks professional conduct? It's no wonder our players and fans are left feeling frustrated and unsupported. There's no motivation. No passion for the team.

First of all, the NFF is not supposed to be focusing solely on the senior national team because it allows the very roots of Nigerian football to rot. In a normal world, the NPFL is supposed to be our engine room for talent. But how can talent be produced when the state of our football infrastructure is catastrophically inadequate? Imagine teams playing on pitches that would shame amateur clubs in well-organised leagues. We keep patting ourselves on the back over substandard facilities that not only compromise the quality of play but also serve as a major deterrent for corporate sponsors. Dem swear for us? We keep celebrating mediocrity. Nepotism everywhere. It's like the Nigerian brain is wired for short-term processes instead of prioritizing long term gains through hard work and dedication. Nobody wants to put in the work and it's freaking sad.

Clubs are financially unstable. You don't even pay your freaking players. Yes, we need private investors, but who'll realistically want to invest in this mess?

I remember when we had vibrant school championships at both secondary and tertiary levels. These competitions used to be crucial pathways, identifying and nurturing young players who would later graduate to professional football. The systematic dismantling of these school sports programs has created a talent drought that the NPFL has stubbornly refused to address. Consequently, the league is now left with a shrinking pool of players who are technically deficient, tactically naive, and psychologically unprepared for the rigors of international competition. You need to look for no further evidence than the treacherous results we keep getting with our Super Eagles B squad (CHAN). This is a damning indictment of a system that has allowed its most fundamental structures to crumble.

Why should government be having over 80% ownership of football clubs in Nigeria? How can you be the regulator and the major financier at the same time? That's why the gross inefficiency, nepotism, and abuse of power we are used to in everyday Nigerian politics have manifested in our sports as well. The mindsets of the players, coaches, and even some of the fans, have been deeply shaped by this dysfunctional system.

The media keeps pointing to an "entitlement mentality" among footballers who reportedly boycott training over delayed allowances or bonus disputes. But let me be frank: this mentality is not a moral failing. It's a direct consequence of a broken system. Nigeria lacks the robust unionisation and structured athlete transition programmes that are commonplace in other footballing nations like Morocco or South Africa. In the absence of a formal safety net or institutional guarantee for their future, players are paid in bursts of ad hoc generosity. Obviously they will feel compelled to "get theirs" while the opportunity lasts, as the system provides no assurance for their financial well-being after retirement. Who can blame them? The lack of a professional structure fuels the very mindset it critiques.

Things need to change. Things MUST change. Look at Senegal and South Africa. There was a time when facing these two teams was a guaranteed 3-points. Facing these teams nowadays feels like a death sentence, or a struggle for dear life. The only teams we used to fear in African football were Egypt, Cameroon and on few occasions Ghana. Now we'll be lucky to get a win over Cape Verde. Yes we have Osimhen, yes we have Lookman. Of what use are they when the team as a whole lacks structure and identity?

I no go fit talk this talk finish because Nigeria's problems are overwhelming. We need action. In my humble opinion, these are some game-changing decisions that I believe will be a solution to the decline that is currently plaguing our football. This one na my 6-point agenda for what I believe we need to do to get things right. And patience is key to achieving it. That's the biggest problem we have. Even the fans too. We lack PATIENCE.

Anyway, I'm calling this one the Things Must Change (TMC) Agenda:

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Agenda 1: Scrap the current NFF and restructure it completely from the ground up. Out with the old and in with the new. No ifs, buts or howevers. I propose a new name here: The Nigerian Eagles Football Foundation, or the NEFF, and it MUST be an autonomous body led by qualified technocrats with dynamic progressive football knowledge and philosophies. They must also have mandatory sports-related qualifications. And its leadership MUST be held accountable for competition results, with clear consequences for failure to meet performance benchmarks.

Agenda 2: The domestic league must be unshackled from government control and a new, autonomous NPFL board, with a clear mandate for commercial viability and professionalism, must be established. Of course it will require a clear roadmap for the privatization of clubs, with the government offering clear policy incentives and tax breaks for private investors and corporations to acquire and run clubs professionally. This will not only address the financial instability and salary issues but will also create a more competitive and attractive product for sponsors and fans.

Agenda 3: Nigeria must adopt a dual-track system, like they do in Japan, where school sports are revived as a central pillar of talent development.

Agenda 4: It's high time we developed a consistent, scientifically grounded football philosophy that dictates a clear tactical identity across all our national teams, from the U-17s to the senior side. Some will argue that we already have a philosophy, but its clear from the last decade that it's not properly defined. I'm tired of endless back-passing, selfish football and ball-crossing without defined objectives. Every player who comes through the system should be trained in the same style of play, from attacking principles to defensive organization. Our local coaches must be trained in this philosophy too. It will definitely eliminate the need for constant coaching changes and the tactical confusion that has plagued the team for years.

Agenda 5: The unsustainable reliance on government bailouts must end. Nigeria should expand and formalize models like the Nigeria Football Fund (TNFF). It would be dedicated to investing in infrastructure, club financing, and grassroots development. Government can contribute. Investors can contribute. Even the fans can contribute.

Agenda 6: The NEFF will also implement a mandatory program for all national team players to lecture them on financial literacy, investment training, and career transition counseling, so that players are not only financially literate but also have a clear plan for their lives after their playing careers end.

I know I'm just one unknown fan typing endless words into a void, but whatever I the case, these aren't ideas that are entirely unrealistic or impractical. I know there are people here who have access to the chiefs and higher ups at the helm of affairs. The only thing this agenda I've written will require patience and determination to reap the rewards. We have to desist from this shortcut mentality or "I'm just after the money" mentality. That's our biggest problem.

Well, like they say, he who has ears....

lovewins:
Good points raised but your suggestions sadly aren't practicable for a few reasons.

1. Government sadly can't dissolve the NFF and FIFA is largely responsible for this. President Goodluck Jonathan tried to do this but he reversed course after 2 weeks. Sequel to the poor showing at the 2010 world cup, He had announced Nigeria's withdrawal from all competition for at least 2 years with the aim to rebuild from the ground up. FIFA intervened and threatened suspension. So you see, even if a government has great intentions, they'll need the buy in of the "corrupt people" managing the NFF for it to work because that's sadly how FIFA wants it because FIFA itself is corrupt.

2. The only incentive government really has is to totally divest from football. Stop giving them your money since they don't answer to you. It doesn't necessarily change anything, but it at least disincentivice crooks who vie for NFF office because of the free money they'll get from government. They are then limited to FIFA grants and money from sponsors which comes with some sense of accountability.

3. What government can again do is leverage on the money NFF collects from them to make certain demands top of which is to increase the NFF Congress to at least 100 voting members. That's the only way you can wrestle power from the politicians that manage the NFF currently. Let me explain further:

Out of the 44 members's vote that determine the leadership of the NFF, 37 of them are state chairmen (that is politicians) because the governors almost always choses them (even though they have a flawed election too). So there's really no way for any competent outsider to become president of the NFF because the majority of the voting bloc are politicians. It's just not possible.

What government can do now is find a way to influence these same corrupt people to change the constitution to accommodate non partisan voters. Increase the voting bloc to at least 100 to dilute their influence by giving more votes to journalists, ex players etc who are more likely to tow the line of competence than politics in choosing a leader. That's the only way change can begin to happen. Once the foundational issues are sorted, the other points you highlighted are easily achievable.

NIGHTMARE0O7:
I just read somewhere that FIFA hav awarded 3 point the people 1 country left their group

BankyGee:
Olakunle Olusegun GOAL and ASSIST in 2 minutes!
🇳🇬🦅🔥