By Godwin Bamigboye.

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has tendered apologies to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Federal Government and the people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on the failure of the Super Eagles of Nigeria to pick the only ticket to qualify for the intercontinental play offs for the FIFA World Cup in 2026.

Apologies is the only option at this moment that Nigerians are grieved to their bones and marrows. Nigerians, in the midst of difficult economic, social, security and other trying events were looking forward to finding solace in this very important and uniting national factor - Football. They waited in anxiety in anticipation of reprieve to their trials and tribulations. They only waited in vain as their hope was dashed when the Super Eagles lacklustre performance against the DR Congo led to their exit from the World Cup qualification efforts. It was and it remains a sad development which will haunt us for a long time.

Now that the NFF has taken the bold step to tender apologies, what next is the question that comes to mind. So, what next NFF?

Spectator is among the grieving Nigerians. I shall therefore not hide my feelings which I must present with a high sense of responsibility. There is therefore  the need to take a holistic approach to what next to do. Permit me to take on the actors in the Football Family.

 *1.  Administration.* 
Administrators, Presidents or Chairmen of Associations at the Federal, State and Local Government level, Presidents or Chairmen  of Clubs, Secretaries, Managers or whatever they are called are seen as the people at the helm of affairs of the Football Family. This level of leadership can be considered to have failed the Nation because they are the head of Football Management at their various levels. Yes, Gusau has apologized for the failure of the Super Eagles. What next? What is the NFF doing that is not right? Are priorities misplaced? Are there weak links in the day to day running of the Secretariat? Are Technical issues promptly attended to? What is the technical capacity of handlers of technical issues in the NFF? What technical attention has been given to the various leagues? Does the NPFL, NNL, NLO, NWFL have technical Units? What is the staff strength of the NFF Technical Department? I can comfortably say that the NFF Technical Department needs special attention. It requires reinvigoration. The Nigeria Football Coaches Association (NFCA) is supposed to be a pressure group that should insist on the maintenance or observance of minimum technical standards. Whether the Association is doing it or, it is grossly inadequate. The NFF must go back to the drawing board to re-strategize  and bring forth a system or structure that will improve the management of Football in Nigeria. Please, take note that I have skipped administrators at State, Local Government, Clubs, Academies and Associations. I may be discussing them in due course.

 *2.  Players.* Let me go straight to the Super Eagles. I really don't know why some players are still in the Super Eagles. Are they really having the backing of some influential members in the leadership of NFF or other influential members outside the NFF? Why must players called professionals go on boycott of training at a crucial period and asking for more money when some of them are strong enough to bankroll the Super Eagles? Where is their patriotism?I hold the players responsible for this failure. Don't blame anybody. Instead of calling for the resignation of NFF officials, please call for the disbandment of the Super Eagles and bring forth a new Super Eagles. Why did they  boycott training when they know that they are the major beneficiaries? They are the ones that will go to the World Cup, get all the exposure, get all the benefits, get higher profiles at their Club level, bring economic benefits to their Clubs and National Team, get economic benefits and many other things. Yet they have the tendency, except for a few, to play as if they are doing Nigeria a favour, whereas they are beneficiaries of most of the favours.
I think it's time to bring competitiveness to the Super Eagles. Let every person that wears the Nigerian jersey wear in on merit and not to be seen as a right. We need players as hungry as Victor Osimhen, Calvin Bassey, Nwabali, Benjamin Frederick and a few others to play for Nigeria. I think  Ekong who was the arrow head of the boycott of training should come out and tender unqualified apologies to Nigerians. Let me stop here for the players.

 *3.  Coaches.* I really don't know why it has always been difficult to get our Coaches recruited at the right time. Eric Chelle so far has done his best looking at how he met the Super Eagles and what he has been able to achieve. We got to where we are because of the indecisiveness of the NFF to recruit Chelle at the right time. Is there mystery surrounding the recruitment of Coaches that we don't know? Is the Technical Committee of NFF not competent enough to know who to recruit as a Coach and when to recruit him or her? I guess that the NFF is not paying adequate attention to technical issues. Let me also pause on the issue of Coaches for the Super Eagles.

 *4.  Management and* *Staff of NFF.*
You are the Technocrats on ground? What kind of advice or guidance are you giving to the Board of the NFF some of who are not experts in Football Management? Are you simply "yes" officers even when wrong decisions are taken? Do you resort to gossip or backbiting when you need to call a spade, a spade? I know that the NFF is run as or like a Parastatal of the Public Service of Nigeria. I am not encouraging insubordination but I think a competent and wise employee can subtly guide his superior in taking right decisions. Let me add that I have heard that some employees who dared to give right directions in the past were sidelined and left without responsibilities. Let me also draw a line here.

 *5.  Associations.* There are a number of Associations which are core Football Stakeholders. Let me name them. The Nigeria Football Coaches Association (NFCA). The Nigeria Football Referees Association (NFRA or NRA). The *Nigeria Players Union* (Don't ask me which one). The Amalgamated Supporters Club (I guess you know that there are factions). Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN). These core stakeholders have the capacity to cause a turnaround in the diminishing fortunes of Football in Nigeria but they have been caught in the web of disagreements and loss of focus. They are cumulatively operating as lame ducks that are incapable of making the necessary changes. I challenge them to wake up, not as oppositions but as partners in progress for the growth of Football in Nigeria. Let me add that the Media has been doing a lot but you cannot rule out the issue of those for and those against. It will also be difficult for everyone to see things from the same perspective. Maybe the previous arrangement of the Board of the Nigeria Football Association (NFA), whether defunct or not, where the President of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria represent the Association on the Board of the NFF could give sports journalists a united voice that could adequately correct the position we find ourselves. I guess somebody understands my position.

 *6.  State Football Associations.*
A higher percentage of State Football Associations are liabilities to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF). They capitalize on their majority in the NFF Congress to decide the leadership of the Football governing body. I learnt that they struggle for tickets to go to the World Cup. They look for lucrative match commissioning appointments while waiting for another election to receive some benefits. When you go to their States, there are no visible achievement. No Local Football Councils  in place. They have nothing to  show and yet they are members of Congress of NFF. These non performing State Football Associations are indeed liability to the NFF and when nothing is forthcoming, agenda setting comes into play. Let me also stop here.

 *7.  The Nigerian Public.*
These are passionate Nigerians who are not directly in Football Management but are involved either for their interest as football lovers, business individuals, football betting participants, etc.
Quite a number of them I have met at newspapers stand have deep knowledge of football especially the European league but with little knowledge of Nigeria Football. Some of them argue a lot. I would have suggested that they have an Association so that they can contribute their quota to football development but on a second taught they may not really add the values envisaged.

 *8.  Federal Government/State Government.*

I don't really know where to start and what to say about Government intervention in Football. The NFF or NFA is captured in the Federal Budget. This is intervention but I don't know if there is interference in the spending of such funds. I know that the Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC) is a great football stakeholder and has been magnanimous since he assumed office. Please correct me if my observation is wrong.
The State Governments on their part tilt towards their football Clubs, not as commercial entities but as social responsibility. I think they can do better. Each time I see how easily government owned Clubs suffer defeats during the CAF Champions League and the Conversation Cup, I am dumbfounded. Spending money without good results.
I think the Federal and State Governments have their roles to play in making football great again in Nigeria.

 *Conclusions.*
The task of managing football and its accompanying problems are as diverse as those associated with running  Nigeria as a Nation. Whoever must be in the helm of affairs of football in Nigeria must be strong, intelligent, knowledgeable, decisive, proactive, firm and competent in managing people and resources.
With the World Cup fallout, I hope the NFF will re-strategize by properly articulating its activities and executing them according to given timelines.

After the apologies, these and other issues should be handled with utmost importance. Let's see the changes coming as soon as possible.

 *I am Spectator.*