*Says Nigerians will soon start seeing NFF’s effort on Nigerian Football
*Talked about so many issues on Nigerian football as well as reaffirming his decision to step down when his tenure ends in 2022.
By Okechukwu Emmanuel
President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Amaju Pinnick has stated his promise and commitment once again towards developing Nigerian football as he clocked 50 today.
While Speaking with Sports247, the NFF President said that he believes that Nigeria is blessed with great talents all around the globe and that our football will become successful if all members of the stakeholders work as a unit.
He (Amaju Pinnick) also admitted that being the NFF President since 2014, the country has shown that it is ordained for greatness and that Nigerians will soon start seeing the NFF’s efforts towards making our football successful.
“We are all worked at not only steering the ship but doing things differently. We have looked at the strategies, methods, and processes and we tried to make positive changes that would make things easier for those coming into the organization in the years to come”.
“We have toiled, ploughed, planted, and prayed, and we still earnestly pray that all will end in praise. Nigerian football has so much potential; we believe the work we have been doing will begin to manifest very soon”.
“There have been many challenges, odds, hurdles, and obstacles. The important thing is that we have remained indivisible, united, and committed to the larger cause of the interest of the game.
” Our focus has kept us all on the same page: Congress, the Executive Committee, Management, and Staff. There have been tribulations and simulated slippery ground here and there, but we have managed to weather it all and stand tall. These trials have been of our making, but the sincerity of our desire to improve the way things are done for the good of the game has been in doubt.”
The NFF President who turned 50 today also spoke about the disappointing result of the Super Eagles against Sierra Leone, saying that it was a severe lesson for the team, ahead of the World cup qualifiers.
“We have had few conversations with the players and technical crew since then and I am confident this kind of complacency will not rear his head again”.
“If we had thrashed the Sierra Leone Stars, there would have been the temptation to take Liberia, Cape Verde, and the Central African Republic for granted in the world cup qualifiers. Now we know we cannot do anything like that”.
” Every game from the first one, must be approached with the best legs, mind and best attitude. Each of the six qualifying matches will be greater war”.
Amaju Pinnick also expressed his disappointment at Nigerian club sides in the continent this weekend, but still urged them to emerge victorious in the reverse fixtures.
“Nigeria team should be made of sterner stuff. I commend Enyimba FC that won away against their opponents in Ouagadougou; that is the way to do it. My Challenge to the other clubs is to turn things around in the return legs and qualify for the next rounds of the CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup competitions”.
He confirmed that the NFF would do all it takes to strengthen the domestic league and make it more attractive and Competitive.
He also confirmed his decision to quit after his second term comes to an end.
“I will be standing down in 2022 to give another person the opportunity to lead Nigerian football”, he asserted.
Amaju Pinnick became the NFF President in September 2014 and was also re-elected in September 2018. He turns 50 today (1st, December).
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