Former Tremendous Eagles midfielder Christian Obodo has described Nigeria’s newest World Cup heartbreak as “a nationwide disgrace”, insisting that the nation should confront its soccer issues with urgency and honesty after failing to succeed in the Mundial for the second consecutive version.
Talking in response to Nigeria’s dramatic penalty shootout defeat to DR Congo in Rabat, Obodo mentioned the frustration cuts deeper this time as a result of Nigeria had been handed a uncommon second probability via the CAF playoff format — but nonetheless didn’t seize the chance.
The ex-Udinese and Fiorentina playmaker mentioned the efficiency all through the qualification marketing campaign mirrored a deeper rot that has been ignored for much too lengthy. In response to him, Nigeria can not proceed shifting in circles, switching coaches with out addressing the structural points that weaken the nationwide workforce.
Obodo said that the Tremendous Eagles’ collapse in essential video games, inconsistency throughout matches, and lack of tactical cohesion all level to a system that’s malfunctioning at each degree — from youth improvement to administration, preparation, and participant mentality.
He burdened that the NFF should “decide up the items instantly” and start a real rebuilding course of if the nation hopes to reclaim its id as a dominant African soccer power. With the AFCON simply weeks away in Morocco, he warned that Nigeria can not strategy the match with the identical disorganisation and count on miracles.
Obodo urged soccer authorities to cease treating the nationwide workforce as a short-term undertaking and as a substitute undertake long-term planning, sturdy scouting, improved teaching buildings, and constant follow-through — the identical methods which have remodeled Senegal, Morocco, and DR Congo in recent times.
The previous midfield star added that Nigeria’s soccer improvement has stagnated to the purpose the place qualifying for the World Cup is not assured, calling this actuality “embarrassing for a rustic blessed with a lot expertise.”
He concluded by calling for accountability, unity, and trustworthy introspection: “We should repair this now. Sufficient of repeating the identical errors.”
