The Leadership of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has expressed displeasure with the recent results posted by the Super Eagles in the ongoing 2024 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCOM) qualifying series.
Super Eagles last month lost their Match Day 3 to the visiting Djurtus of Guinea Bissau 0-1 before redeeming their image during the return leg in Bissau by the same goal margin.
At the meeting presided over by NFF president, Ibrahim Musa Gusau, the soccer-ruling body said the Federation will never beg any player to play for Nigeria saying some non-chalant attitude display towards the national team by some players will no longer be tolerated.
“The board expressed distaste with the 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.
“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,” the statement from the NFF communication department read.
The meeting also dwelled on the issue of agents and football merchants around the various national teams and their debilitating effects on the performance of the teams over the past few years saying the Federation will not hesitate to mete out stiff sanctions to whoever is caught aiding or abetting, dealing, perpetrating or perpetuating the ignoble activities no matter their roles, status or pedigree in the society.
The board assured Nigerians at home and in the Diaspora that it remains focused and working assiduously towards proactively and vigorously developing Nigerian football from the grassroots, as well as providing adequate support and encouragement to the youth teams to flourish and produce players for the senior teams.