Ex-international Sam Sodje said a direct intervention by President Bola Tinubu is utterly needed because it will be disastrous if Nigeria fails to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup after a disappointing absence in the last edition hosted in Qatar.
The Eagles have endured their worst start to a World Cup qualifying campaign after picking just three points from four matches. A disappointing 2-1 loss to the lowly-rated Benin Republic on Monday has triggered widespread frustration, prompting the suggestion that the Presidency is mulling the composition of a Presidential Task Force to salvage Nigeria’s campaign.
New Telegraph reported yesterday that the PTF being planned by the Presidency would work closely with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to deliver the World Cup ticket.
However, in an exclusive interview with our correspondent, Sodje said the intervention is desirous as the football house had proved it was bereft of ideas to singlehandedly deliver the ticket.
He said football is more than just a sport; it can stimulate economic growth, and the Nigerian business space would immensely benefit from the Eagles’ participation in the biggest soccer fiesta.
“It’s clear that the team lacks the strategic guidance and leadership necessary to secure a spot in the 2026 World Cup. The Federal Government’s intervention is not just necessary; it’s critical to prevent further heartache for Nigerian football fans. We can’t afford to miss the World Cup back-to-back; this thing goes beyond football, it is more than just passion for the game, there is enormous economic potential in our participation in the tournament and it is not something we should handle with levity,” he said.
He said Eagles coach Finidi Goerge has shown that he doesn’t have the capacity to deliver, but his employers, the NFF, represent gross incompetence.
“Finidi has shown that he doesn’t know what he is doing but the biggest blame goes to the NFF that have shown utter maladministration. You can see the way they handled the team preparation, the issue of assistant coach and other critical matters. There must be a new direction that will guarantee success,” he said.
