16th December, 2011
President of Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, Alhaji Aminu Maigari, has told Nigerians not to blame the federation for the woes that befell the nation’s football in the outgoing year, but the players, who he accused of not being patriotic.
Maigari said the players’ ego of playing professional football in Europe and elsewhere has brought down the nation’s football to the lowest ebb in recent years. He added that the federation was supportive of the national teams more than ever before but the players failed to live up to expectations and justify the support given to them.
“I want to state it categorically that Nigerian players are not patriotic and committed to national assignments. Many of them feel too big to dedicate themselves to the service to their fatherland because of their adventure in Europe. This attitude dragged us backward this year. It is high time the players changed this attitude so that we can move forward,†he said.
He further stated that the NFF is doing everything possible to ensure that no player holds the nation to ransom as it plans to encourage only dedicated and committed players in the national teams.
Maigari, however, promised that his board would ensure that the nation’s glory in football is restored.
— Olusegun Abidoye