Former NFF President cites lack of respect as the reason Super Eagles cannot hire a local coach

The former President of the Nigerian Football Federation, Mr Amaju Pinnick, has revealed the reason why hiring another home-based coach might not be the best decision for the Super Eagles, Soccernet.ng reports.

The NFF appointed Finidi George officially in May, giving him the responsibility of heralding the Super Eagles to a 2026 FIFA World Cup spot, but the experiment didn’t move past two games, as the former Enyimba International coach handed his resignation letter in after zero wins in two crucial games for Nigeria.

Pinnick, who is an advocate for a foreign figure on the Super Eagles’ touchline, mentioned players are likely to accord different levels of respect to home-based coaches.

“Even before I got into the NFF, I observed that the Nigerian coaches have the required knowledge and abilities, but it goes beyond technical ability in managing players. One thing that is elemental when you want to manage a player is respect; do they have respect for the coaches? No matter how high a former Nigerian has played, when he becomes a coach, the players in the team possibly don’t have the same level of respect for him. I just know that, but with a foreign coach, it’s different,” Amaju Pinnick said in an interview with Arise TV.

The 53-year-old also highlighted the infrastructural deficiencies hindering the growth and marketability of football in Nigeria, pointing out that basic amenities like functional stadium facilities are often lacking.

“We have serious infrastructural deficits. For instance, you don’t want to go to the stadium and want to use the toilet and you can’t. If you go to Morocco today, it’s like plug-and-play because they have everything. England today can host the World Cup. The problem we have in Nigeria is not about facilities; it is about maintenance,” he added.

Mr Pinnick maintained his stance that Nigeria can churn out even better talents if the right infrastructures were put in place. During his time as the President of the NFF, Nigeria secured an Olympic bronze medal and a bronze medal at the AFCON.