Tobi Adeshina has urged the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to prioritise coaching stability and long-term youth development following the Golden Eaglets’ disappointing 2-1 defeat to Niger Republic at the WAFU-B U-17 Championship.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with Sports247, Adeshina criticised Nigeria’s performance but argued that replacing the technical crew after another unsuccessful tournament would do little to address the underlying problems affecting the country’s age-grade teams.
The five-time world champions struggled in their opening fixture in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, leaving their hopes of qualifying for the 2027 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations dependent on their decisive encounter against Côte d’Ivoire.
Adeshina described the performance as embarrassing, pointing to Nigeria’s poor start and limited attacking impact.
However, he maintained that the current coaches should be allowed to continue their work, regardless of whether the Golden Eaglets progress.
He highlighted their experience in academy football and youth development, including success at the Viareggio Cup, as reasons to support their continued involvement.
According to Adeshina, Nigeria’s habit of appointing coaches for individual tournaments has prevented the continuity necessary to build competitive youth teams.
He consequently recommended longer-term contracts for coaches handling both the U-17 and U-20 national teams.
Preparation was another major concern.
Despite approximately four months of scouting and preparation, Adeshina questioned why Nigeria appeared unprepared against Niger.
He contrasted the Golden Eaglets’ limited time together with Niger’s longer period of squad development, stressing the importance of continuity in building team understanding.
Adeshina also called on the NFF Technical Committee to review the country’s youth football structure rather than concentrate solely on immediate tournament results.
He argued that even qualification for the next stage should not prevent such a review.
While Nigeria’s upcoming match against Côte d’Ivoire remains crucial to their qualification ambitions, Adeshina believes the federation must look beyond the result.
For him, the solution lies in giving coaches sufficient time to develop players, establish tactical systems and build competitive squads.
The Golden Eaglets’ immediate future may depend on one match, but Adeshina’s concerns highlight a broader question about how Nigeria develops its next generation of footballers.
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