Football enthusiasts have urged Nigerians not to bemoan the president’s two-year ban on the country’s participation in international competitions but use the period to rediscover the nation’s soccer prowess.
Although they expressed shock over the development, they were of the opinion that the government should be mindful of FIFA and CAF sanctions arising from governments meddling in football.
They also admitted that it would affect the nation’s youth soccer development.
By implication Nigeria will not participate in the qualifiers of the U-23 qualifiers for the All Africa Games in 2011 in Zambia, the qualifiers for Africa Cup of Nations in 2012 and the London 2012 Olympic Games.
President Goodluck Jonathan gave the directive on Wednesday in Abuja following the Super Eagles poor performance.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media, Mr Ima Niboro, told reporters the directive was given after Jonathan received the report of the Presidential Task Force on the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
The report was presented on behalf of the task force by its chairman, Gov. Rotimi Amechi of Rivers.
Niboro announced the presidential directive to State House correspondents at a joint briefing he addressed with the members of the task force.
He also said the president had ordered an audit of the accounts of the PTF.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Super Eagles were eliminated from the tournament having lost 0-1 to Argentina, 1-2 to Greece and drew 2-2 with Korea Republic in their Group B.
A former Super Eagles Coach, Chief Adegboye Onigbinde, told NAN on Wednesday in Lagos that the situation depended on how “we handle it’’.
He said: “It calls for introspection and reflection. We have to look at what happened at the championship and proffer solution to our football problems.
“What it means is that we cannot take part in CAF/FIFA-organised competitions in the next two years.
“But that does not prevent us from organising local competitions as well as rebuilding our teams for future tournaments.’’
Paul Hamilton also a former Green Eagles coach, said that FIFA and CAF should be officially notified that we should be exempted from their competition in the next two years to avoid sanctions.
“We should use the period to rebuild the national teams,’’ Hamilton said.
A former international, Henry Nwosu, simply said that “I am shocked by the announcement’’.
