The president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Ibrahim Musa Gusau, has expressed his satisfaction with the Super Eagles’ performance at the recently concluded Unity Cup in London, describing it as a significant step towards rebuilding a formidable national team under new head coach Eric Chelle.
Speaking on the sidelines of the tournament, Gusau stated that the event achieved its primary objective: providing the newly appointed coach with an opportunity to assess fresh talent and begin shaping the future of the national team.
“First and foremost, that’s the essence of this type of tournament,” Gusau remarked. “It took us several months to organise this, and it was aimed at giving the coach a chance to see some new players. As you know, he was appointed less than a month before the World Cup qualifiers, so he didn’t have many options but to work with the players he inherited.”
The Unity Cup, which featured four teams playing two matches each in London, allowed Coach Chelle to test new players and tactics. According to the NFF President, the matches provided a clearer picture of the potential within the squad.
“With what we witnessed in these two matches, we are pleased and excited. We saw hope,” Gusau stated. “I believe every football-loving Nigerian witnessed what transpired in London. It gave us a glimpse of the hard work the coach is investing in building a Super Eagles team we can rely on.”
He assured that the NFF would continue to provide full support to the coach, emphasising the importance of patience and sustained development.
“By the grace of God, we’ll provide him with all the support he needs to achieve his goals. The key thing is that we have fulfilled the main purpose of participating in this kind of tournament.”
Gusau also confirmed that the Super Eagles would proceed to Russia for another Grade A international friendly, which he believes will offer further insights into the emerging players.
“As I mentioned earlier, we are excited. We will do everything necessary to support the coach and ensure he builds a team we can have full confidence in,” he concluded. “With this foundation, we have hope — and God will see us through.”
