By Salifu Usman, Abuja
Following Super Eagles’ recent abysmal performance including the dramatic 4-4 draw and drab goalless draw against the Leone Stars in the 2021 AFCON double header in Benin and Freetown respectively, the minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, has given the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) the marching orders to hold the team handler, Gernot Rohr to higher standards contained his contract.
He gave the charge yesterday at a meeting with NFF officials to review the technical report of the Nigeria/Sierra Leone AFCON Qualifiers and other matters.
A source who attended the meeting, said the minister was visibly upset with the Amaju Pinnick-led NFF indifferent to technical assessment of national team coaches, said the football body must take necessary steps beyond Rohr to protect Nigeria’s football fortunes.
“The recent dismal performance of the Super Eagles in their AFCON qualifiers against Sierra Leone has raised a few concerns and brought to fore the need to do a quick critique.
The Government, while concerned about the dismal performance and non discernible pattern of play and team harmony in the Super Eagles, is looking beyond the outcomes of the Nigeria versus Sierra Leone matches.
“We are looking at the present and future administration of football that speaks to the development of the front room and backroom.
The NFF must tightly hold the Technical Adviser to the KPIs in his contract. Thus, we cannot wait for those conditions to come to life, before we tighten the screws or demand a higher or better performance, better technical depth, better player mix and team harmony and a functional national team, else Nigeria and football lovers in the country will be the greatest losers.
In this area, NFF must take necessary steps and actions beyond Rohr to protect our football fortunes,” Dare said.
He said the federal government is determining to ask the tough and relevant questions, saying football is now both business and politics.
“The federal government will ask the tough and relevant questions. The NFF should do the same. The right of Nigerians to ask the Government and indeed NFF for explanations over the dismal performances and football administration cannot be simply characterized as interference.”
