A former vice chairman of the Nigeria Football Federation(NFF) and proprietor of Gabros International FC, Ogbuefi Gabriel Chukwuma says the Nigeria Football Federation(NFF) led by Ibrahim Gusau has bungled Nigeria’s chances of being in the fourth coming 2026 World Cup in USA.
According to him, “Gusau could not listen to the well meaning advice of some patriotic Nigerians who said he should engage a world class manager for the Super Eagles to ensure their qualification for world Cup, rather he went and engaged Eric Chelle of Mali who has not won any known laurels for Mali or any other team in his career.”
He recalled that, “Chelle was the coach his assistants poured chilled water on his to revive him during the last Africa Nations’ Cup Championship in Cote d’Ivoire, when it dawned on him that Mali had been knocked out of the competition. In short, let him get ready for another chilled water pouring because it is all over for Nigeria.”
Chukwuma wondered why a football giant like Nigeria could not beat a winless Zimbabwe at home but managed for a draw, saying it was a big insult to President Tinubu, the Senate, House of Reps and the entire Nigeria, adding that there was nothing again to offer since Zimbabwe could not be beaten.
“Chelle does not know anything in football, you don’t give what you don’t have, there is no magic in it. We accepted defeat the day we engaged Chelle because we had harped on and expected a quality coach for the team and not him. I even volunteered to assist in paying his salary and many Nigerians were also interested in that because money was not the problem. But Gusau and his NFF held Nigerians in the neck. It is very painful that out of 10 slots given to Africa by FIFA, Nigeria will not pick anyone and will not be in the World Cup. Yet, our leaders are there watching and looking with no attempt to do anything. The money that Tinubu gave the football authorities to prosecute the World Cup is a waste. I said it earlier that it was a “dash money” to the officials as they were not going to deliver. And instead of telling Tinubu the truth, they were deceiving him, making him to believe that they would deliver.”
On the possibility of Nigeria qualifying for the World Cup with three points deduction from South Africa’s total haul for allegedly fielding an ineligible player against Lesotho, the Gabros proprietor said Nigeria should stop playing football politics and forget the World Cup.
He advised the football authorities to forget the 2026 World Cup and engage a quality coach to recruit young players to prepare for the next World Cup, adding that the present crop of players play individual football and find it difficult to score goals.