Super Eagles’ Failure: President Tinubu must intervene now — Toro

•Yusuf Ali: Players’ boycott didn’t show patriotism, commitment

•Kojo, Amesiamaka call for return to grassroots sports

•Jay Jay Okocha, Aiyegbeni say off-the-pitch issues cost Nigeria W/Cup ticket

By Jacob Ajom

Nigeria began and ended her 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign in the worst manner possible. From a 1-1 home draw against Lesotho on November 16, 2023 in Uyo to a disastrous 5-4 penalty shootout loss to DR Congo in the CAF World Cup playoff final in Morocco on November 16, 2025. The shootout scoreline didn’t accurately reflect the Eagles’ poor performance.

Congolese deserved to win in regulation time or during the extra time.

The Nigerian team left many wondering how bad it has already gone for Nigerian football. But the rot did not start today. The indicators have always been there, except that those in charge of Nigeria football have either been ignoring the signs or mischievously overlooking them. Analysts are of the belief that the present NFF had no answer.

When the Super Eagles failed to qualify for the World Cup in 2022, one thought, it would never happen again. It was also assumed that lessons were learned. The NFF apologised to the nation and went back to the Glass House with their heads bowed. Soon afterwards, the situation normalised and it was business as usual.

In the past twelve, or so years, the Nigeria Football Federation appears to have lost its compass as the ship they are navigating has since run aground. The football house has lost it all.

Nigeria now trails other countries in almost every facet of football. Even in our traditional strongholds like the U17, U20 and U23, it has not been easy of late. No Nigerian fan watches a football match involving Nigeria with a settled mind.

DR Congo exposed Nigeria’s underbelly as the Eagles looked lethargic, formless and unprepared. Nigerians have been speaking on how to improve the situation. Some have called for President Tinubu to intervene.

Former Chairman of the defunct Nigeria Football Association Alhaji Yusuf Ali said Nigeria’s campaign was chaotic as both players and their coaches went on strike in Morocco instead of focusing on qualifying for the World Cup. “Those players who boycotted training did not show patriotism and commitment to the cause.,” he said, emphasising, “that was highly irresponsible.

They should not be owed but they are not poor. Playing at the World Cup will pay them probably more than the county.”

He said the players did not play well and we lost everything.

He called on Nigeria to enrich the domestic league. “We must find a way to enrich our league so that it can become a production line for the national team. The coaches have to make Super Eagles shirt more competitive

Toro: Calls for immediate Presidential intervention

A former Secretary-General of the defunct Nigeria Football Association, (now NFF), Mallam Sanni Toro described Nigeria’s performance against DR Congo this way, “It was shambolic. I don’t think we really planned or strategized very well to earn a World Cup ticket.”

Toro, under whose tenure the Super Eagles won the AFCON, first time on foreign soil, pointed to the frequent changes in the technical crew of the Super Eagles as evidence of an unstable and incompetent football house. Nigeria ran a ten-match campaign with three coaches. Indiscipline was also rife in Super Eagles camp. “Remember the Finidi/Osimhen spat, the NFF did not do anything to bring discipline to play,” Toro remarked, saying, “I saw the playoffs as extra punishment, It was a big torture. We had a lifeline; I call it a second chance, we threw it away, I want to ask, what is really going on with our football?

I think it’s time Mr President himself beamed his searchlight and found out what is really going on there.

See our football league itself, we are nowhere. Only Rivers United is carrying Nigerian flag in CAF Champions League this year. Are they(NFF) ready to make these clubs grow? What are they injecting into the system to make these clubs thrive?

Where NFF got it wrong

He said the absence of.a functional, vibrant, knowledgeable and competent technical committee was at the heart of Nigeria’s failure. “Secondly, they should have created the enabling environment for the team to excel, get players who are ready to fight for their country; not the ones that after playing in Uyo, and knowing that they were being owed couldn’t resolve the matter in Uyo but waited till they got to Morocco before disgracing Nigeria. Yet he questioned the NFF, “Why were the players being owed when the money had been made available by government?

Questions on NFF sponsors

Nigerians are told a company bears the tag of official beverage of the Super Eagles, official network of the national teams, etc, but what is the worth of their sponsorships? They must make us know how much these companies are paying them. Do you know the jerseys players were during matches are bought by NFF? What is happening? When we were there we made it open. Mr President should go there, I am calling on the President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu to go there and make enquiry.

He should not send anybody. He should go there himself and call all of them to give account of their stewardship and explain to Nigerians why they have put us in this embarrassing situation.

Kojo; Let’s return football to the schools

Former chairman of the defunct Nigeria Football Association, Kojo Williams said the problem with Nigerian football and sports generally is fundamental. “Go back to school sports where you can get the appropriate age for age group competitions. When you catch them young, it is easy to follow their progression as they graduate from one stage to the next.

“The NFF has refused to develop our football. Look how we struggled against DR Congo. What pattern were we(Eagles) playing?”

Overall, he observed that the Eagles were very poor and likened them to a team of four stars and seven farmers. “They were playing like farmers, except for a few of them.”

He however blamed the NFF for owing the players and was also critical of the standard of the hotel Super Eagles were camped in Morocco. Why would you put players of your national team in such a despicable hotel?” he questioned. Although he said he was not enthusiastic about talking about Nigerian sports again(after so many years of saying the same thing without any effect), Kojo argued strongly for a return to “the basics” for any meaningful progress to take place. If not, we will continue to grope in the dark.”

Adokiye Amiesimaka: Poor foundation

Former Nigeria international and 1980 AFCON winner, Adokiye Amiesimaka agreed with Kojo, when he identified lack of a foundational framework for development as the bane of Nigerian football. “The foundation is faulty. The players did their best to qualify but their best was not good enough. They all wanted to go to the World Cup, but they were not just there.

The domestic league must be revamped. We must not continue to depend on Europe to train our children. School sports must be activated from local government level to the state, then to the regions and ultimately to the national level.

The second most important thing, is the provision of infrastructure at the various levels in according with the needs for each level. Here nobody wants to plan but we want to win. We live for the moment. After winning, nobody sits down to take a retrospective look at the result.

Although he holds the NFF responsible for the disastrous outing of the national team, he did not back the call for former internationals to take over the NFF. He said, “it does not mean that because you were a great player, you will be a good administrator.” He said. ex-international or not, whoever is running for the NFF Chairmanship must have the intellectual capacity and management skill to manage Nigerian football and give it a new direction. If you have the capacity and the experience as a former player, it puts you in a better stead, it gives you an advantage. It mustn’t be automatic.”

No quick fixes in football – Jay Jay Okocha

Former Nigeria midfield maestro, Austin Jay Jay Okocha also spoke on the Super Eagles failure. He called for patience. It’s like putting a proper structure in place and watch that structure grow.

In Nigeria, we always believe in quick fix. In football there are no quick fixes. Nigeria can never lack talent because of our enormous population. We have a fantastic squad right now but why are we not consistent? Why are we not winning back-to-back games?

I don’t think the problem is entirely the players. It might be connected with off-the-pitch issues because you prepare off the pitch before you get onto the pitch.

Owing players is a normal thing in NFF – Aiyegbeni

I think these boys(Super Eagles) are nice guys. You can’t play 31 games stretch in over 3 years and you still want to play without asking questions. This didn’t start today, it has been there for years. It’s like a tradition to owe players their bonuses.”

He told his story, “once we exited a tournament and we flew to London. At the airport, I asked for my ticket refund. I was told to go, when next I was called they would settle me. I thought over it and asked myself: What if I was not called up again? Would that have meant a forfeiture of my money? I dragged the official by his waist and demanded for my money. We then sat down and signed all the relevant papers after which he gave me my flight ticket refund.”

Super Eagles have de-marketed Nigeria, themselves – Izamoje

Veteran sports writer and owner of sports radio Brila fm, Dr Lary Izamoje asked, “What are we having in our country? The U17 is not going well, U20, U23, the Super Eagles. It’s been a big shame. I am greeting those who have served this country very well and I think it is time to tell some to rest. We should be teaching our players the rules governing every competition. If these boys knew what to do early enough, we wouldn’t have had a late rally.

So you throw in your very best from the onset and teach them how to endure and really go for it, make the extra mile for every match. That involves gangsterism. There is effectiveness in gangsterism. The Congolese did not parade the kind of names we had but they were able to play like a gang against us. That was how you found them fighting for each other and we were chasing the ball.

A lot of planning is required. What kind of balls, the grass, what do they eat and if the weather changes what is our plan B, so many things involved, just missed it. We are going to suffer as sports writers, they too are going to even suffer more because they have just de-marketed themselves.

The country too is losing economically because the kind of money FIFA will give to nations that qualified for the World Cup will not get to Nigeria. As a country generally, we have been battered in terms of image.

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