Former captain of the senior national team of Nigeria Austine Okocha has taken another swipe at the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) saying Nigeria football won’t experience any progress under the current board, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.
In an interview with the Guardian, the famous Super Eagles number 10 gave his reasons by citing the incompetence of the current NFF board led by Ibrahim Musa Gusau as why the Super Eagles won’t be successful until they are gone.
“The Super Eagles may not win any trophy until the current NFF officials are dissolved or reformed,” he said. “Appoint new officials who know more about football, who have interest in football, who loves football, whose lifestyles represent football.
“You can’t appoint politicians to manage football. They will turn it to politics and that’s what is happening today. We have the best players in the world, yet we have no trophy to lay our hands, not because of the players, absolutely not”, he stated.
He went further to say he won’t apologize over his criticism on the appointment of Eric Chelle as coach of the Super Eagles saying his appointment will derial the team in their quest to be at the World Cup 2026.
“When you change a coach, you have changed a dream, a vision, and a mission, in short, you have changed a generation.
“Changing of a coach isn’t just as it sounds to the ear. It’s harmful to the players, they will lose focus, except the players on their own demand for a better coach. Before you consider changing a coach, get some key players and interview them, seek their opinion because most of the players’ performance is based on the good relationship they share with their coach,” he stated.
Okocha further stressed that he is not in anyway going to apologize for his call for the NFF to be reformed, because he only stated the obvious as a stakeholder in Nigerian football.
“If their decision is taking me to the court, so be it. “We can’t continue to keep quiet while things continue to spoil.
“I have received series of messages to apologise to NFF, and my question is, ‘for what? For demanding a better committee?’ No, I can’t apologise while I just made my own personal opinion. Don’t we have right for freedom of speech again in Nigeria?”
“Football is the only ties that keep Nigeria going as one. It is our only source of Joy. If you politicise it what will be our hope tomorrow? We must be free and allowed to express our minds.”
Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman
