Former Nigeria defender Ben Iroha has expressed deep concern over the state of Nigerian football, saying he finds it difficult to accept the country’s recent setbacks at various levels of the game, Completesports.com reports.
Iroha spoke against the backdrop of the Flying Eagles’ failure to qualify for the CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations and, by extension, the 2027 FIFA U-20 World Cup finals, as well as the Super Falcons’ failure to secure a place at the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.
Nigerian Football Faces Fresh Setbacks
“As if that was not enough heartbreak, the Super Falcons lost the opportunity to qualify for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup to be held in Brazil,” Iroha lamented in an exclusive chat with Completesports.com.
“Apart from the defeat to Malawi in the quarter-final, the Super Falcons failed again to beat South Africa in a World Cup play-off that could have given us a glimmer of hope of going to the Women’s World Cup.
Also Read: National Sports Commission — Take the Lead and Solve Nigerian Football’s Problems – Odegbami
“The Flying Eagles’ case was also pathetic. How could they have lost twice to Burkina Faso at such a crucial stage and by such embarrassing scorelines?”
Nigerian Football Needs Urgent Attention
Iroha continued: “I can’t believe this, frankly speaking. It’s heartbreaking. The Super Eagles didn’t go to the 2026 World Cup even when they had the play-off opportunity to do so. Now, the Super Falcons aren’t going to the World Cup even when the play-off presented a last-minute opportunity.
“Nigerians painfully watched the 2026 World Cup on television. We’re going to watch the Women’s World Cup, U-20 World Cup and even the U-17 World Cup from the comfort of our living rooms. I can’t believe this is happening to Nigeria, despite our huge talents,” Iroha bitterly lamented.
Nigeria Must Find Better Way Forward — Iroha
Asked what he thought was the way out, the 1994 AFCON winner and 2007 FIFA U-17 World Cup-winning Golden Eaglets assistant coach said Nigerian football needs to engage in serious introspection.
“We need to sit down and find out what has gone wrong; where we’ve got it wrong; what we’ve not done that we should do. This is the first step. This trend can’t continue,” Iroha concluded bitterly.
13 Comments
Tear up NFF voting statutes immediately. Several forward thinking countries have as much as 600 delegates voting their federation teams.
Why should state fa chairmen be allowed to only vote themselves in and they are only politicians.
Many have stayed in the positions for decades, with archaic ideas and they think other African nations are doing nothing.
But Gusau and blabbermouth Olajire and co, including Sanusi need to be in the hall of shame immediately.
How can our soccer teams fail to qualify for at least 9 major competitions since 2022 (4 years)?
How?
And they want to sit tight?
No way.
Since some reports said Gusau rejoiced when Ghana knocked us out in 2022 tWC playoff since pinnick will automatically fall off, he should know he is a goner after ruining our football at ALL LEVELS.
Another name for COMPLETE MEDIOCRITY in Nigerian football folklore is GUSAU.
That’s how to be infamous .
Tueh.
FG, don’t fund NFF until everyone in glasshouse is gone.
Then, probe them.
Crooks.
Simps.
Failures.
From a purely pigskin perspective, Nigerian coaches have failed embarrassingly to improve themselves.
You see, I see the way Ladan Bosso, Finidi George, Austin Eguavoen and now Justine Madugu coach and you can see all the hallmark of “practical football” that bought Nigeria success in a bygone era.
That brand of football was moreso successful as other teams were still in the kindergarten and formative years of their football development. On top of practical football on the pitch, the NFF could get away with fire brigade approach to planning and preparing the Super Falcons for major tournaments and still come away with the ultimate prize.
Well, NFF chairman Gusau paid the ultimate price of failure for over-reliance on a combination of fire brigade preparations and practical football.
Against South Africa, Madugu’s plan was crystal clear: use experience, gra-gra and physicality to pound South Africa into submission with relentless, straight forward and standardised crosses, long balls, headers and direct shots at goal.
Problem is: Coach Ellis knew what to expect and she did what the Cameroonian management team did against Nigeria in the previous match: ride the storm, bide your time, look for an opportune moment and pounce.
For all of Nigeria’s braggadocio attitude on the pitch, we have weaknesses to exploit and exploit, Cameroon and South Africa did.
Our defence suffered badly from limited mobility as Ohale and Alozie are slower than a snail. Our goalkeeping – a major asset for the Super Falcons in tournaments past – is now a liability.
The midfield is strong and the strike force is deadly. However, instructions and directions from Madugu to our strikers and midfielders was from an outdated coaching manual. To be honest, the coach has degraded from his own standards of just 1 year ago.
Opposition coaches now know what to expect from him and, he has no answers. He lacks the changeability of a chameleon; he lacks the adaptability of a fox.
Other coaches adapted to the threat Madugu presented at the last Wafcon and this man presented exactly the same threat. Little wonder Nigeria failed to score a single goal in open play across 200 minutes of football against Cameroon and South Africa in the knockout stages, despite parading arguably the most lethal strike force in all of Africa.
Madugu had remain static whereas others around him have moved on.
I genuinely thought he had a bag of coaching tricks to unveil in this tournament, but I was wrong, very wrong.
Madugu’s outdated practicalities are no match for the realities of modern day tactics. Nigeria was defeated by average Cameroon and South Africa because these opponents got their tactics right: stay the course before exploiting Nigeria’s weakness.
If Madugu could rely on his own methods and approach, he would have been bold enough to replace Nnadozie in the last match and not start with Ordega, Kanu, Ohale and Oshoala whilst entrusting the left fullback to the more nimble and agile Imuran.
So, following on from the footsteps of the NFF and Madugu himself, I will like to tender my unreserved apology to all Super Falcons fans for the team’s failure in the Wafcon and World Cup playoffs qualifiers and for believing that Madugu would demonstrate dynamism in the tournament.
I shall now be establishing task force of CSN contributors to come up with modalities that will resuscitate the fortunes of Nigerian football. This task force will comprise of the following:
Kel: Chairman
Sly: Financial treasurer (Kowoje Extraordinaire)
Dr Drey: Chief Consultant
Papafem: Note taker
Omo9ja: Moderator
Chima E Samuel: Deputy Consultant
Four Four Two: Rabble-rouser
Aphylidegrate: Independent Observer
Greenturf: Consultant
A key aim of this task force is to come up with recommendations that will convert all indigenous coaches into Pep Guardiola overnight and equip them with the right tools, equipment and finance to get the job done.
Eweey, deo wan set up all CS “pundits” lol. Apologies accepted, firstly.
Secondly, plenty “much more influential” people want to kick out Gusau and his entire board out and hopefully tear up the power bloc State fa chairmen who perpetually vote incompetence after incompetence as football henchmen.
Let NFF reset first otherwise the “old order” will remain and only change name.
Samuel Etoo as Cameroonian FA president has taken several uncomfortable decisions in the country and it’s gradually bearing fruit.
I dare say we know what to do as a nation to boost our football as I see the basketball federation do.
The brains that crumbled our football, it is impossible that they can revitalize it.
Politicians, several, know nothing about the “modern trends”. So if we get that right, then we will see less slots sold by inept national coaches clinging unto their NFF jobs, especially those perennially recycled, for survival.
If I had my way, since several “known” local coaches are outdated and unfit for even CAF local competitions (I think CAF asked one Nigerian club they don’t have a certified coach for the CAF CL I think) and refuse to be pragmatic with football knowledge, we should go outside our shores and seek “redemption”.
What I feel is foreign coaches, yes, they want to boost their profile with us, will hardly compromise with the standards of the game since it’s an avenue to market themselves.
Some local coaches know that irrespective of results, they will be recycled by NFF in spite of their stagnation.
We are zero in CAF local club competitions, CAF main competitions, world competitions for so many years and we are still “comfortable”.
Foreign coaches even for the cadet teams would have since sponsored themselves with updated knowledge so even if perpetually cash strapped NFF don’t have money for their training, they would do well.
Lol @deo, thank you jare. Tbh, I’m just gradually recovering from the heartbreak since Thursday after losing appetite for dinner I had postponed till after the match. Had to take something light and liquid instead to sleep.
I had a foreboding something would go wrong all that day, just as you had that precautionary tone pre-tournament when the girls were all busy on Tiktok with overconfident but out-of-shape Nnadozie especially playing madam Ovularia and other comedies, and the NFF triying to “intimidate” other teams with a rather arrogant 10-star badge kit. Even the SE don’t use a 3-star badge in Afcon, and no team in Africa does it, not even Egypt with 7 Afcon wins or Cameroon with 5.
The good thing is that the call to boot out Gusau and his board of jokers is so loud this time that I hear the president is taking a personal interest in the NFF elections next month.
The fish starts getting rotten from the head, so Gusau needs to go cos I sense he plans to retain Madugu. Clearly, he’s trying to adopt the same policies as Motsepe at CAF; that is balance representation at the coaching level, except the SE, while killing football. Meanwhile they’re setting up a yeye face-saving committee “to probe football.” What exactly are they probing? Are they blind? Who should be probing who? How can you become a judge in your own case???
The same thing Motsepe is doing in Africa with all the regional WAFU A and B nonsense at the age grade level. So those days of West African teams crushing it for Africa at cadet WCs is gone, as the region can only get a rep a.k.a quota system at the continental level.
As for Madugu, I read that Gloria Ogbonna is a natural left back who could have fit in, in the absence of Ashleigh. But cos he cannot field any new face as he doesn’t trust his own tactics, he would rather drag Alozie to an unnatural role which opponents fully exploited to score or get cheap penalties. Only Joy Omenwa of the new faces played. Otherwise, he only played ladies from the last edition.
No one could even tell or predict the first 11. Every game had a new first 11; that was how tactically clueless he was. Other teams stepped up from the last edition and he was found wanting.
To think the world would not be able to see the supremely talented and immaculate skills of Rinsola, Payne, Alozie, Okoronkwo, Kanu, Ucheibe, Echiegini, Ajibade etc next year is so painful. These ladies would destroy any team at the world stage with a qualified coach in charge. Swap Madugu with the Morocan coach or Ellis and watch Madugu not being able to even qualify for Wafcon with Morocco or South Africa, while these coaches would bulldoze their way to the 11th trophy with the SF.
Individually, our girls are still the best in Africa and some of the best in the world. But no gelling factor; no competent orchestrator. There’s only so far individual talents can carry individual players in a teams sport. The fact there was no predictable first 11 is the first tell-tale sign of a confused coach. Every time players have to play with new faces and formations and constantly get confused.
Hahaa!My guy Monkey Post not on your list?!Noooo..!The list has to be reorganised or ammended!Hahaha..!
Well,I would start by saying a big thank you @deo for your trust in me,also for the opportunity.I am honoured to be a part of this group of wise football enthusiasts-cum-analysts.
Working together,we will find strong solutions,and I am glad to support our shared mission.
I look forward to collaborating with such an esteemed group of experts.
Best regards…
Hahahaha….@greenturf my mannest man! Thanks for your unwavering believe and trust in me…
Truth is I dont need to be on any god damn list made by any mofo….
Hahahahaha….
As it will even distract me from my main focus and goal which has been making sure that osimhen pays dearly with his career for disrespecting the legendary finidi….
Hahahaha….
And honestly the mission is really going on smoothly!!
Go on social media right now a large section of the english fans are saying they don’t want a boxer and a toxic player in arsenal and in their league….
Hahahahaha..
That means dude will continue to waste in that third class league which gives me great joy…..
Hahahahaha…
So bro don’t worry….
Only me na list on my own….
Na me get csn….
And they know….
So many times most of them on that miserable list have called on csn to stop posting my comment, to ban me bla bla but csn gave them a deaf ear….
Hahahahaha….
And csn knows just like davido na me dey give them life….
Hahahaha
How many times have they tried to cancel me and called for people to ignore me…
Hahahahaha….
But it’s not just working….
Hahahahaha
Cos I stand for the truth and refuse to let go of osimhen’ disrespect on finidi….
And I ask that he must apologies….
Hahahaha….
@Greenturf the list is great except that @Deo wants to set me up to work in an office that will catch Fire. I will rather share insight with Deo himself or any other person on the list than Someone who will twist intentions and cause endless confusion. Even the coaches and players will not like this person on board. Deo gave his position to the most dramatic person on the forum at a time that Nigerian football needs fresh hair and life.
Hahahahaha….
See this one…
Hahahaha…
The multi i.d king….
Hahahahaha
The Biggest oponu….
Na you dey list o but na u dey jump up and down pass….
Hahahaha…na you dey restless pass and trying to use a conversation that mentioned my name to trend…..
Hahahahaha….
Eya I can see how much your name being on the list set up by the president of the federal republic (Tinubu) has fetched you and has done to your poverty striken life….
Hahahaha…
Efulefu
Hahahaha
You jobless soul don’t go and look for a real life job you hear….
Hahahaha…
Be there and be fooling around with the mentality that you have finally gotten yourself a new job online as a deputy consultant after decades of ypur joblessnessin ghana and now in america(or have they deported you due to your criminal ways… always forging names and I.D)
Hahahahaha….
Confused and Restless soul….
Hahahaha
Only you we dont need any committee…
Only you.. the list is great…
Hahahahaha
The NFF must go, The National Sports Commission (NSC) is pushing to scrap the NFF elections for an interim Normalization Committee. The NSC has already briefed FIFA and is meeting with the Presidency soon to finalize the 3-month football reset.
I pray it comes to fruition.
In a sane countries, eguavoen, gusau and the likes would have retired willingly. Anyway I care less abt what’s going on in our games this days though.
This Interim Normalization Committee is hopefully not another pipe dream.
It needs to happen ASAP.
The failure of the NFF has been colossal, monumental, gargantuan.
It may not be a bad idea to completely scrap the NFF name and give the federation a new name. The name NFF is now synonymous with failure. Thanks to incompetent, horribly corrupt presidents and board members, past and present.
We don’t need any committee because the one who set it up is the same NFF. They should have set up this committee before hiring coaches or pre-tournament. This is a staged committee designed to shift fake blames and for NFF to remain in power. Nigerians need to wise up and kick the unqualified politicians out of our football.
@Deo, kwana biu?
I gladly accept my membership of your newly constituted committee to chart a new course for Nigerian football. But frankly, there is little to “discover” here; most of what needs fixing has been said repeatedly by many of us whenever our national teams serve us another dose of football-induced hypertension. So, rather than reinventing the wheel, I’ll be reposting some of my old comments on different aspects of our football. I save these things, and sometimes, going back to them feels less like reading old comments and more like reading prophecies the NFF deliberately chose to ignore. Let’s start with our pathetic coaching education. I posted this one on August 13, 2025, after that infamous 4–0 CHAN humiliation by Sudan. I remember @Dr Drey also made some observations around then. Let’s see if CSN will publish it.
“So, the home-based Eagles lost to Sudan? Shocking! Truly, who could have predicted that a team selected by “national cake sharing” rather than competence would get roasted? Honestly, I’m surprised they even remembered to bring jerseys.
Let’s be real: the NFF doesn’t run football, they run a quota system. Coaching education? Tactical development? Player grooming? Please, don’t bore them. The real business is who knows who, whose cousin is in the squad, and which politician’s nephew needs “exposure.” Meanwhile, the players get fed tactical nonsense at club level, if you can call chasing the ball like it’s a rat in the kitchen a tactic.
And then there’s South Africa, our new permanent landlords in African football. Their teams are coached by actual coaches (imagine that), have clear tactical plans, and know how to pass the ball without tripping over themselves. From Sundowns to Banyana Banyana, they keep beating us with the same formula: good coaching plus hard work. Our NFF hears this and thinks, “Ehn, but have they tried federal character and WhatsApp scouting?”
Of course, the NFF’s favorite hobby is forcing NPFL players into the Super Eagles “to grow the league.” Ah yes, because the best way to develop a player is to throw him into a World Cup qualifier against Rwanda after three training sessions, then act shocked when he plays like he’s still at training. We dropped proven internationals like Frank Onyeka so that somebody’s in-law could “gain experience.”
So forgive me if I didn’t shed a single tear after Sudan schooled our home-based team. You can’t plant cassava and expect to harvest rice. This is what happens when a federation treats football like a tribal meeting, the national team like a government ministry, and losses like a minor inconvenience, just another line item in the budget.
The NFF will tell you, “We are rebuilding.” Sure, just like they’ve been “rebuilding” since the fax machine era. At this rate, by the time they finish, Sudan will be winning the World Cup and Zanzibar will be hosting it.”
DID I SAY THIS BACK THEN? Smiles..
QUITE PROPHETIC.