Rescue mission: NFF to hire foreign Technical Adviser for Super Eagles

Following the poor performance of the Super Eagles in the 2026 world cup qualifiers, the NFF has decided to, as part of moves to change the fortunes of the team concluded to employ a foreign Technical Adviser for the team.

This was contained in a statement released by the NFF communication department on Thursday after its hybrid mode executive committee meeting which was held on Wednesday

The Super Eagles managed to secure only one point from a possible six, following a 1-1 with South Africa in Uyo and losing 2-1 to Benin Republic in Abidjan in its third and fourth game respectively in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying series.

NFF apologized to Nigerians for the dismal output and subsequent very poor returns of the Super Eagles.

Amongst other things, the football governing body has now concluded plans to beef up the technical department of the team ahead of the subsequent games including the AFCON 2025 qualifiers in September this year and the resumption of the World Cup qualifiers in March 2025.

The statement reads;

NFF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT

COMMUNIQUE OF THE MEETING OF NFF EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE HELD IN HYBRID MODE ON WEDNESDAY, 12TH JUNE 2024

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”

Nigeria Super Eagles have a high mountain to climb if they will have to qualify for the mundial. The team currently sits second to the last on the table with just three points from four games played so far.

It was understood that the decision of the NFF to employ a foreign coach in the technical department of the team had come upon the call for the sack of Finidi George as the Head Coach who was appointed in a substantive capacity last month amid the call for an indigenous handler for the team.