The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has announced plans to hire a foreign technical adviser in a bid to revive the fortunes of the senior men’s national team.
The decision was disclosed in a communiqué issued after an executive meeting on Wednesday.
“The Executive Committee 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 statement read.
The Super Eagles face a tough challenge to qualify for the next FIFA World Cup, having secured only three points from four matches. Recent performances, including a 1-1 draw with South Africa and a 2-1 defeat to Côte d’Ivoire, have cast doubts on coach Finidi George’s leadership.
With the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers scheduled for March 2024, the NFF is keen to avoid repeating its World Cup qualifying struggles.
Read full communique:
The Executive Committee of Nigeria Football Federation held a meeting on Wednesday, 12th June 2024 in hybrid mode to deliberate on important issues in Nigeria Football and resolved as follows:
1) The Executive Committee wholeheartedly apologized to Nigerians for the dismal output and subsequent very poor returns of the Senior Men National Team, Super Eagles, in four out of 10 matches in the ongoing qualification series for the 2026 FIFA World Cup finals, and 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.
2) Further to (1) above, the Executive Committee 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.
3) Still further to (1) above, the Committee resolved to beef up the NFF Technical Department with more qualitative hands. Equally, the Technical and Development Sub-Committee will be re-jigged with immediate effect.
4) Notwithstanding the challenges that attended the team’s preparations for the Day 3 and Day 4 games 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.
5) 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.
6) While appreciating the fact that preparation of teams involved in the Olympic Games fall squarely within the purview of the Federal Ministry of Sports Development, the Executive Committee stated unequivocally that it will provide robust support, within the room allowed it, to the Senior Women National Team, Super Falcons, to adequately prepare for this year’s Women’s Olympic Football Tournament, taking place in France 24th July – 11th August.
7) In order to ensure an impressive performance of the U20 Women National Team, Falconets, at this year’s FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup finals in Colombia, 31st August – 22nd September, the Executive Committee mandated its Technical and Development Sub-Committee to diligently and swiftly consider the programme submitted by the Head Coach for the team’s preparation. The Board approved a two-phase camping for the team, with a four-week camping in Nigeria to be followed by a two-week final camping programme in Colombia before the commencement of the tournament.
8) Impressed by the performance of the U17 Women National Team, Flamingos, so far in their FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup African qualification series, the Executive Committee charged the Secretariat to ensure total readiness of the team for its final round, final leg encounter against their Liberian counterparts, scheduled for the MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja on Friday, 14th June 2024.
