The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has come out with a bold statement that it “will never beg any player” to play for any of the national teams of Nigeria, www.aclsports.com reports.
The statement came after what the NFF perceived to be a lack of dedication and commitment among some players in their attitudes towards national team call-ups.
Rising from a meeting of its Executive Committee held at the NFF Secretariat in Abuja on Monday, the NFF stated in clear terms that it will not condone such attitudes that make people feel too big to honour international call-ups.
The NFF Communique released on Tuesday afternoon conveyed the boards discontentment in the strongest possible manner.
“The Board expressed distaste with recent results of the Super Eagles and the U23 Boys, and fully endorsed the NFF President’s stated position that the Federation will never beg any player to wear the nation’s colours.
“It added that whoever is not motivated for one reason or the other to represent Nigeria should always be bold enough to state this at the point of invitation. Any perceived lackadaisical attitude by any player wearing Nigeria’s colours at international level will no longer be treated with kid gloves,” read the statement released by NFF Spokesperson Ademola Olajire.
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During the period reviewed by the board, Nigeria’s Super Eagles lost to Guinea Bissau in a 2023 AFCON qualifier in Abuja while the U23 were eliminated in the qualifying series for this year’s U23 AFCON by Guinea.
Also in the communique, the NFF Executive Committee led by its President Ibrahim Musa Gusau stated that it will constitute boards for the country’s football leagues within the next one month.
“In order to further rejuvenate the domestic game, the Board took a decision that within the next one (1) month, the Federation should, through its governing structure best practice and as enshrined in the Statutes, constitute boards for the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), the Nigeria National League (NNL), the Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL) and the Nigeria Nationwide League One (NLO),” the statement read.
