SWAN Wants NFF Technical Committee Re-Organised, Siasia Retained

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) chapter of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), has called for the immediate re-organisation of the Technical Committee of the Nigeria Football Association (NFA).

The body also called for the retention of Super Eagles’ Coach, Samson Siasia.

The demands formed part of an 11-point communique which the association released in Abuja after an emergency congress to deliberate on the declining state of Nigerian football.

The body had discussed the Super Eagles’ failure to qualify for the 2012 African Cup of Nations finals in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.

“After exhaustive deliberations during which we shared in the agony of Nigerians over the dismal performances, the congress resolved, among others, that far-reaching actions needed to be taken.

“The NFA Technical Committee should be totally re-organised and should consist of technically-competent football persons.

“The committee as presently constituted lacks the technical savvy to provide the needed support to the coaching crew of the various national teams,” the communique said.

It urged the NFA to expedite action on the process of employing a qualified technical director as well as set up a sound technical department.

The communique also said the Super Eagles’ failure should be seen as a collective one in which all concerned should share in the blame.

“Everybody, including the government, the football association, the technical committee, coaching crew, players and the media, et cetera, should share in the blame.

“This is why we endorse the retention of coach Siasia, as sacking him will be retrogressive in view of the fact that the Eagles is a team undergoing a re-building process at present.”

It added that the NFA should be wary of the invasion of the national teams by so-called ‘men of God’ as this affects the psyche of the players and their performances.

The communique also urged the NFA to de-emphasise the issue of monetary incentives to Super Eagles’ players to reflect the general economic realities in the country.

“The national team players need proper orientation, commitment and dedication to national assignment,” the communiqué stated.

It urged the NFA to introduce a well-thought-out disciplinary code for the national teams.

“This will forestall extreme disciplinary measures that could be detrimental to the overall interest of the nation,” it said.

The communique further urged the NFA to focus more on developmental programmes and re-engineer the various domestic leagues to generate players for clubs and national teams.