Bane of Super Eagles Revealed
The problems with the Super Eagles are multi-faceted. Many Nigerians, including ex-internationals have decried the high level of indiscipline in the team. Players’ commitment, attitude to call ups and their general behaviour smacks of lack of seriousness. A former international Ifeanyi Udeze, now a radio anchor with Sport Radio Brila fm pointed out that indiscipline in the team was the biggest problem. It was baffling to note that players who featured in club games on a Saturday were yet to hit camp as on Tuesday, when they had a match on Thursday.
Speaking in a chat with another ex-international, Gbenga Okunowo, on the Tuesday morning programme, Udeze questioned the seriousness of the players towards national call ups. “We are having a match on Thursday and only 11 players are in camp, as we speak,” he said.
How i spent 10 years in jail without trial for bank robbery i heard about in court – Adeshina
“That is the problem,” echoed Okunowo. “You cannot do that with any European team. They know your programme and keep a tab on your club’s activities and when you are supposed to be in camp. If you were asked to be in camp on Monday and you were not there you would be told to go. They(the players) can’t even do that in their clubs,” Okunowo said.
Speaking on Eagle 7 Sport Radio in a separate programme just before the Super Eagles hosted the Cheetahs of Benin in Uyo last October, another Nigerian great, Vincent Enyeama said the level of indiscipline was being perpetrated by the football house.
“They should know when the players are supposed to be in camp. They should have their schedule like when they played for their clubs. One day after they should hit camp. But here you find players reporting to camp two or three days after featuring for their clubs without any sanction,” he said.
“Control must come from the top,” another commentator expressed. The Nigeria Football Federation must set a template that will be a standard bearer in terms of discipline.
One of the major problems that saw to the fall of Finidi George as coach of the Super Eagles was players’ indiscipline. Apart from the Osimhen spat against the coach that went viral, Finidi faced a hydra-headed monster called indiscipline in the dressing room.
For instance, Finidi was furious with the way the players responded to National call-ups..
If the gaffer was to continue, he said, he would no longer have tolerated players he termed as unpatriotic in the national team. But the NFF was culprit to the heightened indiscipline in the Super Eagles camp as some of the board members acted as godfathers who would do anything to please the players who are their benefactors. “Till date, Osimhen is yet to apologise to the former Nigeria legend over his controversial outburst and the NFF has kept mute,” a former international said
“With such cover from godfathers, players report to camp when they like, a coach’s order no longer holds water and the camp is in disarray,” a source said.
But another ex-international, Ogenyi Onazi has sounded a warning. He is calling for attitudinal change and a regime of stringent measures in Super Eagles camp, if Nigeria must qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
He questioned players’ commitment to the national team and wondered why some of the national team players were behaving as if they were being forced to play for their country. “When you play for the national team, it’s a pride. It’s just that some players take it as if they are being forced to play. This is something you should be proud of. An invitation to the national team calls for celebration, realising that you are counted among the best to represent your country.”
Another former international Victor Agali believes the NFF is the problem. “I don’t know if they really care about the image of Nigerian football. As an ex international I do, You go out and your friends will be asking, what is really happening to your Super Eagles?’ It is really embarrassing. It saddens my heart that our management is really the problem. What is the support they have given to the coaches>”
If anything, Nigeria’s quest for a ticket to the 2026 World Cup could be scuttled due to players’ indiscipline.
![UEFA adds two Arsenal, Barcelona players to Champions League team [Full list]](https://i0.wp.com/heardvoicenewsonline.com.ng/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/UEFA-Womens-Champions-League-1024x576-1.jpg?resize=120%2C86&ssl=1)
