Attention is shifting to the 2026 FIFA World Cup following the falling of the curtain on the 2025/26 European Leagues season
Countries have forwarded their team lists to FIFA, and the stage is getting set for the commencement of the mundial.
This flashes before us light of the reminder of Super Eagles missing out of the global football fiesta. The pains of absence, bitter memories of what transpired, and the thoughts of economic loss creep in again.
We wish to turn the hand of time. We wish there is another opportunity to right our wrongs. We wish it was a dream that the World Cup is starting without our green and white flag hoisted among the league of great football playing nations.
We wish to see Victor Osimhen among the top stars, making headlines in the tournament. We wish to see new talents spring up as jokers among Super Eagles. We wish to see players carrying bags of surprises to post 5-star dusplays that will take the shine off the stars of the team – talking about show stealers.
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We wish to see our darling team soar high in the United States/Canada/Mexico 2026 World Cup to replicate the performance of the USA ’94 Class of this team which remains the standard bearers of all sux World Cup appearances of Nigeria.
We wish to see Nigeria lead Africa’s charge in this mundial. But all wishes remain illusion. They’re dreams that won’t come true. They’re mere wishes which can’t be horses, and obviously beggars can’t ride on them. That is the worry of stakeholders as the bell of the World Cup rings and its fever catches the world.
Super Eagles World Cup Absence Continues To Hurt Nigerians
Most worrisome of these is the answer to the question : Who is to blame for Super Eagles’ failure to book a ticket to United States/Canada/Mexico/football showpiece?
While a few persons point accusing fingers at the lacklustre performance and unpatriotic acts displayed by the players especially as it concerns their demand of bonuses and allowances cumthreats to boycott crucial games at the eve of the playoffs in Morocco, some others argue that the leadership of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) was responsible.
Debate Over Responsibility For Nigeria’s Failure
In this later argument lies the many voices slamming the president of the NFF, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau, for lacking the administrative savvy to deliver the World Cup ticket to Nigeria. The proponents of this argument fail to see the underlining factor of collective responsibilities and to appreciate the factor of division of labour.
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They refuse to understand that Gusau is just one person in the entire establishment and machinery of Nigerian football. They willingly yet mischievoous take their eyes away from the fact that the man may have played his role excellently, but those in the delivery and perfornance chain simply failed to carry out their obligations. This could pass for a clear act of sabotage. Yes, there is an enemy or there are enemies within who felt Gusau will take the credit should Super Eagles qualify for the 2026 World Cup particularly when they consider that his predecessor failed woefully including in delivering the Qatar 2026 World Cup ticket to Nigeria.
This school of thought arguing against Gusau, however is not aware of the shenanigans, under-table developments, and subterranean moves, which were cogs in the wheel of progress of Gusau-led board.
Why Gusau Should Not Carry The Blame Alone
But like the true leader he is, he does not pass blames when failure comes. He takes responsibility. He takes the stones, kicks, knocks, and shoves of failure even when it is obvious he is not directly responsible. He takes the pressure, blames, and faults off his subordinates… all in a transparent move to avoid rocking the boat.
And when success comes, he points at his subordinates as the architects. He often times isn’t seen nor heard, but he does the toughest of jobs. The same people holding executive positions in the federation who failed in their responsibilities to ensure Super Eagles excelled, especially in the playoffs, are the ones quick to grant interviews to exonerate themselves from the failure of Super Eagles to qualify for the 2026 World Cup. They’re the same people Gusau gives credit to when the team does well. That is proof of how humble and transparent the man is.
This best describes Gusau’s approach to management since he took charge as president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF.)
Given the easy-going nature of the man who loves to keep private things private and official things official, he is labelled a failure by his detractors who couldn’t see beyond their noses. Most of them were paid to scuttle his second term bid. They are sponsored by the same people who worked against the interest of Nigeria and her football.
Obviously Gusau’s critics didn’t know or they simply choose not to know or to pretend that they didn’t know that while Super Eagles World Cup qualification games were on, some characters within the NFF were busy chasing committee appointments in CAF through the contacts of the same person who ruined Nigeria football and taking abode in CAF.
These people are the enemy-within. They sabotaged the efforts of the Football House because of their selfish interests and deliberately targeting the person of Gusau. Of course, the bucks stop on Gusau-s desk. So it is a matter of calling the dog a bad name just to kill it.
Challenges Inherited By The Current NFF Leadership
The foundation that Gusau met was faulty, to say the least. As someone with experience in administration, he didn’t want to upset the apple chart. He didn’t want to raise any alarm. He tried to correct the anomalies he found, but there was no time in-between for him to fix these errors and focus on the qualifiers for the World Cup because they’re foundational problems. When the foundation is bad, what can the righteous do?
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When those who laid the bad foundation you inherited or met are fortunate enough to be your bosses and supervising your federation, definitely your hands would be tied. That’s exactly the case and situation of Gentleman Gusau, who decided to work out things rather than to complain and be seen as fault seeker.
Some policies he met or inherited were better described as landmines. Deliberately or otherwise laid to consume his efforts and administration. For instance, the agendas for the appointment of coaches for the national teams, which includes Super Eagles, had been laid before Gusau took over the leadership of the NFF.
The story of the bonuses and allowances owed to the Super Eagles and other tiers of the national teams are better not told. There are backlogs of debts inherited by Gusau’s leadership.
Another instance is the FIFA mini-stadia projects in Warri and Kebbi. These projects, which raised some dusts shortly after the World Cup playoffs, were not handled by Gusau’s administration. The contracts had been awarded, and funds were released before Gusau came into office. Yet those ignorant of the whole story took on Gusau… calling him names.
Super Eagles Qualification Problems Predate Gusau’s Tenure
Has his critics asked why Super Eagles failed to qualify for Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup? Was it under Gusau’s tenure? What about the Golden Eaglets performance before Gusau’s board emerged? How many times has Flying Eagles featured in the FIFA U-20 World Cup before Gusau’s board emerged? What was the performance of the team.
Gusau isn’t the problem of Super Eagles. He wasn’t to blame for the failure of the team to qualify for the 2026 World Cup. He shouldn’t be blamed. Those calling him out are mischief makers who are shielding their paymasters responsible for Super Eagles failure.
By Ahmed Shuiabu Gara-Gombe
