Our expectations for the new quarter (1)

At the Public Hearing by the Senate Committee on Sports and Social Development, one Distinguished Senator was truly amazed at the steps outlined by the NFF to move the game forward. He wondered how many of these could be achieved within the football year. I told him later on that we were determined to take […]

At the Public Hearing by the Senate Committee on Sports and Social Development, one Distinguished Senator was truly amazed at the steps outlined by the NFF to move the game forward. He wondered how many of these could be achieved within the football year. I told him later on that we were determined to take those steps.

I am happy to inform the Distinguished Senator this morning that we have already taken some of those steps. At the last emergency meeting of the NFF Executive Committee, on March 28, the exco endorsed the recommendation of the Technical Sub-Committee to appoint 39-year old

Belgian, Mr. Tom Saintfiet as the National Technical Director.

The position of National Technical Director, it must be clarified here, is not a creation of the Nigeria Football Federation. (I know there could be persons already sharpening their knives to have a go at the NFF over the position). The position was recommended by world–governing body, FIFA for all its affiliates, with a view to developing the game in each and every Member Association.

There have been arguments for and against the appointment of Mr. Saintfiet. Several persons wondered why the NFF went for an expatriate, while others argued that there were better-qualified Nigerian coaches.

While this is not a forum to start answering the critics, I wish to state that the Technical Sub-Committee did its work well before recommending him, and his youthfulness is an advantage as he will be required to travel round the country picking young talent that can be nurtured, as our main Scout.

Mr. Saintfiet will also oversee training, development and performance of Coaches of the National Teams. We will also reserve the right to deploy him to any of our National Teams at any given time when his assistance is required.

Saintfiet will also have a responsibility to evolve a uniform playing pattern for all National Teams of Nigeria, which would be no mean feat. But we believe, going through his papers, that he has the capacity to do it.

Saintfiet’s appointment was not the only decision of the NFF Executive Committee. The exco also endorsed the recommendation of the Technical Sub-Committee for the appointment of Mr. Kadiri Ikhana as Head Coach of the Super Falcons (with his assistants) and; John Obuh (and his assistants) retained in the Flying Eagles.

Also, the exco set up an Ad-hoc Committee to evolve a roadmap for the sustainable development of Nigeria football. This mandate was handed to the exco by the Congress of Nigeria football which met in Kaduna on December 29, 2011. I want to believe that the calibre of persons appointed meets with the expectation of Nigerian ball fans.

The Committee is headed by former NFF General Secretary (one of the longest-serving ever), Honourable Sani Ahmed Toro. There are also people like Alhaji Mumuni Alao, respected columnist and Managing Director of Complete Communications Ltd; Charles Ojugbana, one-time Head of International and also at a time Head of Professional League at NFF; Shehu Dikko, renowned football consultant and Mr. Onochie Anibeze, group sports editor of Vanguard Newspapers.

We believe this committee will come up with the goods, and definitely provide services and recommendations that will lead our football on the path to sustainable development.

The exco also set up a Reconciliation Committee to meet with, and reconcile aggrieved persons in the Nigerian football family while assuaging their feelings. The committee is headed by High Chief Emeka Inyama, and also includes Chief Felix Anyansi-Agwu, Hon. Suleiman Yahaya-Kwande and Barrister Leye Adepoju.

The reconciliation part is very crucial, in order that we build on what the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim (GCON) and the Honourable Minister/Chairman, NSC, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, with the exco, achieved with Dr. Sam Sam Jaja and Barrister Ray Nnaji.

With a view to protecting precious lives and property, and bring glamour back to our domestic matches, the NFF has issued directives to the Nigeria Premier League, Nigeria National League, Nigeria Women’s League and Nigeria Nationwide League to ensure full compliance with medical and security requirements at every stadium before the start of any match. This MUST also apply to Federation Cup matches.

It is also important, I have stressed to exco and Management, that we work together with the Nigeria Premier League, particularly, and the other Leagues, generally, to promote the game vigorously and improve its image within the country.

On the field of play, this new quarter, we have the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup ticket in the bag, and determinedly chasing after the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup ticket; a good start by the Super Eagles to the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification matches with wins over Namibia and Malawi in June; qualification of the Super Eagles for the final round of qualifiers for the 2013 African Cup of Nations; qualification of the Super Falcons for the African Women Championship to go and defend their continental title in Equatorial Guinea.

Already, in order to give the home boys the necessary exposure and confidence needed to take the fight to any kind of opposition in the universe, and fight hard for shirts with the foreign-based with the objective of having ONLY the best represent Nigeria each time, we have secured a number of friendly matches for the Super Eagles. The team will play against the Pharaohs of Egypt, record winners of the African Cup of Nations, in the UAE on Thursday next week (April 12), and also play against Peru in Lima on May 23.

We have also secured friendly matches and invitational tournaments for a number of other teams. The Flying Eagles will play at the Cape Town Invitational Tournament in South Africa, where Brazil, Ghana and the host country will provide stiff opposition. Our team is the defending champion. This competition will stand the team in good stead ahead of their 2013 African Youth Championship qualifier against Sudan or Tanzania at the end of July.

The U-15 boys also have an Eight-Nation Invitational Tournament in Mexico. These boys have shown great potential in previous invitationals and we believe a good number of them will get opportunity to make Coach Manu Garba’s new U-17 squad.

NEXT WEEK: Our Expectations For The New Quarter (2)