Former Nigeria international Daniel Amokachi believes Super Eagles coach will not solve team’s problems due to larger structural issues affecting football in the country.
Nigeria failed to qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar after drawing 1-1 with Ghana at the Moshood Abiola Stadium in the return leg of the final play-offs, hence the Black Stars sealed qualification on the away goals rule.
This resulted in Augustine Eguavoen stepping down as Super Eagles coach. According to reports, he is expected to replaced by a foreign coach.
“Focusing too much on the coaching is like building a house from the roof downwards instead of starting with the right foundation and build upwards,” Amokachi told BBC Sport Africa.
“Do we have a solid developmental programme for our young footballers, a proper long-term plan for our national teams or develop a football identity for the game in our country?
“I am a product of the Nigerian league. But have we sorted all the issues around our domestic game, from players welfare to the lack of television rights and the chaos around the organisation of local football?”
He added, “I said something about our over-reliance on Nigerian footballers in the diaspora which was misreported in the media.”
“My point is that when you consistently rely on players developed and trained by other nations to play for you, then you have seriously failed in your important role of building the future stars.
“There are bigger issues that have long bedevilled the Nigerian game and until we fix them, we will just be moving in a circle.”
Ghana’s qualification denied Nigeria a fourth successive outing at the World Cup finals.
The 2022 FIFA World Cup is scheduled to take place from November 21 to December 18.
