Chidiebere Iwuoha
Owerri
A former Vice President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and proprietor of Gabros International FC, Chief Gabriel Chukwuma (Ogbuefi) has said without mincing words that the appointment of the erstwhile manager of the Eagles of Mali, Eric Chelle, by the Ibrahim Gusau led NFF shows they have finally surrendered as they have nothing more to offer the football loving Nigerians just like the new coach.
A visibly angry Chukwuma told our correspondent last night that talented players existed in the country but regretted that the NFF failed to manage them, “which was why the country is in a precarious position in the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers and that the solution cannot be the engagement of Chelle which has no known laurels to his credit.”
Chukwuma asked: “Does it mean we no longer have people who know football in the country? Where is Shehu Dikko that has football knowledge? Where is Anyansi-Agwu, Davidson Owunmi etc? Do they want Nigerian football to crash under their watch because of what people will get? Even though I know too well that they cannot qualify for the next World Cup because of the precarious situation, irrespective of the billions of Naira approved by the football loving president for that purpose. In fact, I see the money as a free money to those who received it, a “dash money” because it will not achieve the desired purpose. The money would have been invested in other areas but they made the president believe Nigeria will qualify.”
Chief Chukwuma said NFF would have engaged a world class coach as he earlier suggested.
“I even indicated my interest to contribute money for that purpose so that Nigerians will be happy but Gusau decided to do things his own way, leaving Nigerians in this present precarious situation.”
