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Nigeria: Why Is NFF Struggling to Find Top Quality Coach for Super Eagles?

Harry November 13, 2024

None of the Super Eagles’ last 10 foreign managers have left office amicably due to huge amounts of wages owed, and the NFF has always been accused of interfering with player selection.

Nigerian Super Eagles’ search for a new coach has been long and arduous, with the position remaining vacant for nearly six months. Meanwhile, two other countries (England and Saudi Arabia) have recently filled senior coaching positions. England appointed Thomas Tuchel, Saudi Arabia took the job Nigerian Football Federation (NFF), Herve had hoped that Renard might consider, and saw Renard return to take the reins.

Despite its links to the likes of Bruno Labbadia and Renard, NFF has yet to make an appointment. This raises some questions: Where do the NFF’s coaches come from and what happens to them after they leave the Super Eagles?

To fully understand the issue, we need to examine the NFF’s history with foreign coaches. Since 1987, the Super Eagles have been managed by 10 foreign coaches whose careers before and after their tenure in Nigeria provide insight into how the job has affected them. Does ruling Nigeria serve as a stepping stone to greater opportunities, or does it negatively impact career trajectories?

A deeper dive into this model can show how the Super Eagles coaching position is viewed globally in terms of prestige and attractiveness.

For example, Renard, who until recently was the coach of the French women’s national team, shared his thoughts about a possible transfer to Nigeria with the French newspaper L’Equipe. “I almost went to Nigeria,” he said. “I weighed the pros and cons for several days, even weeks, before rejecting it. This is the best offer I’ve ever received; the rest didn’t suit me.” So what is this “rest” that he means?

Below is a table of the foreign coaches who coach the Nigeria men’s national football team, where they come from and what they do:

The ‘left behind’ may be lack of honesty, especially in the selection of applicants and applicants, short-term mentality, infrastructure deficit and lack of sufficient funds.basic problems

NFF’s reputation is a significant obstacle. None of the 10 foreign coaches mentioned above left their Nigerian posts amicably. Many of them owed months of wages and had to apply to FIFA to recover their debts. Recurring problems such as delayed payments and breaches of contract have tarnished NFF’s reputation. High-profile managers expect professionalism and timely compensation, but NFF’s track record suggests otherwise.

The NFF has also been accused of making promises to coaches about resources, support staff and player availability that are often unfulfilled. This has eroded trust and made it difficult to attract top talent into the role.

In an interview with South African broadcaster SABC, Peseiro revealed that he has decided to leave the Super Eagles even if the team wins the 2023 AFCON title.

Reason: “There was a lot of stress. I had the support of my staff and the best from my players, but it wasn’t enough. I wanted to win the AFCON for the fans, the government and everyone, even before that. I had already decided to leave the tournament, even if I had won the cup I would have left anyway. “

Was this stress related to salary?

He left his position briefly in mid-2023 due to contract and payment issues. The root of the problem was non-payment of salaries. It was reported that Peseiro owed several months’ salary and negotiations had come to a halt.

Following the controversy, Peseiro temporarily resigned but remained in contact with the NFF to continue his duties, subject to resolution of financial issues.

In September 2023, Peseiro returned to his position as head coach after reportedly agreeing to continue with the team on the same terms.

But former Super Eagles midfielder Mutiu Adepoju has disputed the notion that the Super Eagles manager has lost the luster and appeal of his position. What is there in the job of a Super Eagles coach that is not fanciful?” Adepoju asked rhetorically. “Every coach would love to manage the Super Eagles; It’s now up to the agreement made. I don’t think the Super Eagles business has lost its luster; “No, it didn’t,” he added.

Institutional instability and interference

NFF is disturbed by instability and leadership interference; Leaders often use the organization to support their personal agendas. Frequent leadership changes and interference in team affairs make the environment unattractive for coaches who value autonomy and long-term planning. Journalist Adeyemi Adesanya told Premium Times: “Even the uncertainties surrounding the NFF are a major reason why it has lost its appeal. Also, the lack of a permanent system without a clear football policy is another major reason for the decline.”

Lack of Infrastructure: The NFF does not currently have a Center of Excellence, which is a standard facility in many of football’s leading countries. The FIFA-sponsored Goal project in Abuja is in disrepair. Nigeria’s only first-class football ground, the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo, is owned by the Cross River State government. This infrastructure gap leaves national teams dependent on state governments to host matches and pay match bonuses; This is an extremely unpredictable and unstable situation.