Former Super Eagles, national U20 and U17 coach, famous for leading the Eaglets to their triumph at the 1993 FIFA U17 World Cup, Fanny Amun is one man who has seen it all in terms of Nigerian football. Apart from being one of the few Nigerians that have handled more than two national teams at various times, Amun rose to the top hierarchy of Nigerian football when he occupied the office of the secretary general of the Nigeria Football Federation and retired as an Assistant Director in the Federal Ministry of Sports in 2007.
His experience on matters concerning sports is vast and he seems to have ready answers to sports-related questions on the tip of his fingers. We sought his opinion on various issues concerning Nigerian football and he was down-to-earth in his responses. He takes no prisoners and says it as it is.
As a patriot, Amun is not happy that the Super Eagles will be missing from the spectacle to be staged in Qatar between November and December this year, the FIFA 2022 World Cup. We asked, where Nigeria got it all wrong not to have qualified for the World Cup.
“It might sound strange but there was just nothing wrong as the qualification games were played on fair play through the legitimate FIFA processes which are ever very transparent for every affiliate member to engage in.”
Always frank, at times to a fault, the coach said every other nation had equal right to go to the World Cup. Hear him, “Not a good story line for Nigeria not to have qualified but if l share from the wise position of a former chairman of the NFA, the World Cup ticket is never a birthright of any nation. “Strikingly, it might be a lesson for the future. It was just in same manner Nigeria failed to qualify for the 2006 FIFA World Cup finals in Germany; with same avoidable crises, which is a story for another day. It is a wake up call for us to get better prepared in future.”
He traced the travails of the Super Eagles to the sudden changes in the technical crew, particularly as that was effected so close to the 2021 AFCON in Cameroon.
“Absolutely,” he said. “There was much pressure on the federation by a group of acclaimed experts that influenced the changes, which l actually saw as interference, if the truth must be said
The decision of the NFA congress at the Presidential Hotel in Port Harcourt which remains a reference point till date was lopesided document. The larger the congress the merrier the democratic forum to engage on issues in extensive discussion not the negative influence that a communique is conspicuously one sided that has made our participation to be likened to a farm land that has no owner. in the past years.”
In the build up to the elections, former Nigeria internationals have been very prominent in the struggle for change.
Some have even declared interest to contest for the president of the NFF. Coach Fanny Amun had this to say. “if the truth must be said the violations of the decisions of the 2004 NFA congress through controversies that trailed the two amendments is part of the long standing crises hunting the football community.
Rules, regulations and amendments of statutes are a continuous process so long as the need arises; not on the basis of sentiments to disenfranchise a sector and take advantage of others.
“Take for an instance, the Nigeria Football Supporters Club, once the pride to all football enthusiast and the player’s union have polarised into numerous groups over a matter that could been resolved amicably.
Instead the NFF is taking advantage of the situation and align with a particular group. It is a clear case of failure of leadership on the part of the regulatory authority.
The options available are not limited to the following considering that the benefits are enough to accommodate others in our distinct roles in a country of well over two hundred million credible Nigerians.
In the past relevant affiliates were accommodated and that had always produced a larger board. Again, that has resulted in the present state of our football and sports in general where competence has lost its value to mediocrity.
Only those “yes sir group “sycophants “’ that are assured a place to serve in the executive board and sub committees that have dedicated their time parading the door steps of the secretariat instead of formulating policies for the secretariat staff under the supervision of the general secretary.
“The secretariat could be directed to consider an amendment process with certain frame work that could be considered to have a larger congress that will accommodate relevant affiliates. The processes that will produce the next president must be credible, free, fair, transparent enough to ensure justice, equity.
The congress should produce a northern President this time around to consolidate a credible gentle man structure after the last military dispensation in 1999.
The strange words like continuity and experience including a strong contact with the football authorities will only be out of sentiment to dis-enfranchise others to further enrich the self-acclaimed superiority that has never meant well for Nigeria.
Leave a Reply