By Emmanuel Thomas l Friday, Dec.12.25
ABUJA– NIGERIA football chiefs have issued a dramatic battle-cry to the Super Eagles, ordering them to forget their World Cup qualification flop and win the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco.
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Executive Committee met on Wednesday in Abuja and laid down the law for the three-time African champions.
In a fiery comminuque, the NFF charged the players to “completely forget the unfortunate ending to the FIFA World Cup playoffs” and instead use the North African kingdom as the stage to “write a new story about themselves and their abilities.”
The 35th AFCON finals kick off in Morocco on December 21st, and the pressure is now piled high on the squad after their humiliating failure to make the grade for the World Cup.
ROTTEN REFS SHAMED!
In a stunning admission, the NFF also launched a furious attack on the standard of officiating in their domestic leagues.
After assessing referee performance across all major competitions, the Committee expressed “deep-seated disappointment” with the vast majority of officials.
They warned that “even sterner measures are on the way” to curb a plague of incompetence, collusion with club bosses, and “bare-faced manipulation of matches to favour certain teams and interests.”
It’s a clear sign that Nigeria’s football leaders believe the beautiful game is being “ripped off” by crooked officials.
NEW DAWN PROMISED
The NFF also made big promises for the future:
- LIONESSES DEMAND: The NFF mandated its secretariat to secure “quality friendly matches” for the 10-time African Women’s champions, the Super Falcons, as they hunt for their 11th title in the Women AFCON and a spot in the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
- GRASSROOTS REBOOT: Following a dismal run by youth teams, legal and technical chiefs have been told to draw up “fresh guidelines” for football academies to clean up the grassroots system.
- HOSTEL BOOST: Work is flying ahead on the new NFF-FIFA Players’ Hostel and Training Pitches in Abuja, with the complex expected to be ready within two years.
What’s Next?
The Super Eagles must now respond to the NFF’s demands and prove they have the mental toughness to conquer AFCON and regain the respect of their nation
