NFF Board Member Sees PTF AS Distraction

An executive member of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Alhaji Alili Galadima has described the Presidential Task Force (PTF) set up by Federal Government to facilitate the Super Eagles qualification for the World Cup in South Africa as a huge distraction. Galadima made the assertion in a Radio programme monitored in Port Harcourt, yesterday. He said that before the inception of the PTF, the NFF had supervised the Super Eagles to six straight victories and one draw in the qualifiers, saying that the PTF would be useful after the qualification and not now that the Eagles are yet to know their fate. “I must be Frank, we were doing very well before they came up with PTF and this has put so much pressure on the NFF board, coaches and players. Aside the fact that they have been able to generate money to motivate the team, I do not really see the PTF as being necessary now,” he said. The NFF member, explained that the road results were good, we won six straight matches, because we drew against Mozambique in Maputo, the Taskforce suddenly came up. “It is like it was premeditated and we had to work in harmony for the good of the country but I think the emergence of the PTF put pressure on us and the players, and we were made to look as if we are not capable,” he stated. In the same vein, a sports analyst in Rivers State, Amadi John, observed that setting up of the PTF was a duplication of functions and there would be clash of interests, which is not good for our football. According to John, the PTF set-up by the Federal Government is indirectly telling NFF that they are not capable or that they have failed. “In my own understanding, as soon as a committee is set up against an existing body, for the same purpose, it means that the initial body has invariably failed in its task,” he said.