We are having a ‘combined service’ today because it is necessary to shine the light on two disturbing issues: the near disastrous performance of the Flying Eagles at the ongoing FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile and the indiscriminate sacking of coaches in the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL). Undoubtedly, these two topical issues are worthy of our attention.
In recent times, there is hardly any respite for the diehard Nigerian football fans. Even as many are consistent in their support for the national teams, what they get in return is mental and psychological torture due to the disappointing performances by the players.
A few weeks ago, the Golden Eaglets failed to qualify for the 2026 AFCON U-17 Championship. Sadly, as Nigerians were trying to absorb the shock of that failure, the Flying Eagles on Wednesday put up another atrocious performance in Chile, where they were sent packing from the U-20 World Championship after a 4-0 thrashing by Argentina in the Round of 16.
Furthermore, at the time of press, the embattled Super Eagles were getting set to tackle Lesotho in South Africa in one of the remaining two 2026 World Cup qualifying matches. The signs are ominous because, in recent times, the former African champions have been anything but convincing. Their performances against even smaller opponents recently have left much to be desired.
However, the emphasis here is the show of shame by the Flying Eagles in Chile. Honestly, after I wasted my hard-earned data to watch the first half of the Round of 16 match between the Flying Eagles and Argentina on Wednesday night, I was angry, disappointed and embarrassed at the same time. It was impossible to understand exactly what the Nigerian boys were doing. Until Zubairu Aliyu walked to the reserve referee to make a penalty review request, it was as if the team was without a coach. No wonder the Flying Eagles conceded four goals in the 90-minute contest.
It is imperative to note that even as Nigeria is yet to win the FIFA U-20 World Cup, the past squads, including the infamous Chile 1987 team, all played good football typical of Nigerian teams. Therefore, even as Chile ’87 was a disaster, a few outstanding players like Willy Okpara, Nduka Ugbade, Etim Esin, Thompson Oliha, Ene Okon, Victor Igbinoba and Peter Nieketien went on to play for the Super Eagles.
Although the squads of 1989 and 2005 came so close without lifting the elusive trophy, players like Mutiu Adepoju, Dimeji Lawal, Christopher Ohenhen, Jimoh Balogun, Sam Elijah, Chris Nwosu, Mikel Obi, Chinedu Obasi, Taye Taiwo, Onyekachi Apam, Isaac Promise, Sani Kaita and Daniel Akpeyi and others progressed to represent the country at the senior level.
However, it will be hard to find a single player in the present Flying Eagles squad to promote to the Super Eagles. Of course, their family members and agents will disagree, but these average players who produced another Chile disaster in 2025 didn’t do enough to justify their inclusion in that team. As I watched them play against Argentina, I couldn’t help but wonder how former junior national team coaches like Sebastian Brodrick-Imasuen, Chris Udemezue, Willy Bazuaye, Yemi Tella of blessed memories, as well as Tunde Disu and Fanny Amun managed to discover those talented players who put the country on the world map in their days. I concluded that those coaches were patriotic, more honest and transparent in the way they selected their players.
Instead of relying solely on scouts and agents, most of them personally combed the nooks and crannies of Nigeria in search of young, talented players. The diligent coaches didn’t wait in the cities for agents to bring players to them. Indeed, in the past, good players didn’t need recommendations and letters from highly placed government officials to play for Nigeria. Without anyone’s backing, they were scouted and nurtured to stardom by those legendary coaches.
Unfortunately, the good old days are gone, as coaches with little moral fibers now run the show in collaboration with some unscrupulous football agents who put their personal gain over and above national interest.
There is also the problem of age falsification. This is not to suggest that every member of the present Flying Eagles squad is over aged, but the majority of the players are men masquerading as boys. Those in charge can only feign ignorance of this evil. The sad truth is that as we sustain this dubious habit of allowing men to represent us in youth competitions, karma will continue to strike.
The only way forward is to return to grassroots football development while doing away with or reducing the ever-present influence of the greedy agents. So long as the activities of conscienceless coaches and the powerful agents are left unchecked, we would continue to reap football disasters like the one just witnessed in Chile.
After Coach Sani and Ikhenoba, who is next?
It is still early days in the current Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) season but at least two coaches have been sacked over poor results and more would suffer the same fate before the end of the first round.
The reigning Federation Cup champions, Kwara United, have asked Coach Tunde Sani, who masterminded their historic victory, to step aside. His ‘sin’ is that the ‘Afonja Warriors’ exited the CAF Confederation Cup in the first preliminary round against the famous Asante Kotoko of Ghana. They also suffered a 0-1 home loss to Abia Warriors in the NPFL.
Similarly, Coach Greg Ikhenoba of Bendel Insurance has been ‘suspended’ and a member of the Board of the Edo State Sports Commission, and former Nigerian international, Baldwin Bazuaye, has taken over in acting capacity.
And going by the precarious positions of their teams, the Technical Advisers of Kano Pillars, Barau FC, Kun Khalifat, and Plateau United may be asked to step aside very soon.
Step aside is the new language the club chairmen, who are as guilty as the coaches, have adopted to avert any punishment from the NPFL Board and the Nigeria Football Federation (NPFL). So, instead of sacking the coaches outright, they simply ask them to step aside for a new coach to take over.
This indiscriminate sacking of coaches is not new, but how it has become a pastime of club chairmen is worrisome. Some of us are left to wonder if these clubs actually entered into contracts with their coaches. If indeed there are contractual agreements, it wouldn’t have been so easy for clubs to sack their coaches without consequences.
Ruben Amorim should thank God that he is not coaching in the NPFL. He would have been sacked long ago. His saving grace is that in the English Premier League (EPL), there is respect for contracts, and Manchester United will pay heavily if they decide to terminate his contract without following due process.
The story in the NPFL is different. The coaches themselves are always desperate to work, so even when they are engaged verbally, they don’t perceive the danger ahead. Therefore, they make themselves vulnerable for sack at any given time. So, after Coach Sani and Ikhenoba, who is next?