Minister of Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalung, on Tuesday raised questions about Nigeria’s capacity to hire a foreign coach for the Super Eagles.
Dalung spoke after at a meeting with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Executive Committee members at his National Stadium office, Abuja.
The meeting was convened as part of efforts to chart a way forward for football in the country.
He said the executive committee members needed to convince him of the competence of the foreign coach they may want to recruit as the government was ready to do all it could to avoid a repeat of the Sunday Oliseh experience.
He said: “The issue of a foreign coach was debated extensively, but it was still referred to the technical committee alongside the NFF to show the cost and why the option of a foreign coach is viable.
“And if it is indeed viable, how do we fund it?
“They are expected to present that report to the honourable minister in four weeks.”
Dalung said the hiring of a coach would be hinged on the report.
He also said it was wrong for people to call for the resignation of the NFF President, Amaju Pinnick, because Nigeria would not be participating in the 2017 Africa Cup of Nation (AFCON).
According to him, Nigeria’s inability to qualify for the tournament does not amount to failure.
He, however, mandated the leadership of NFF to reorganise its technical committee following the Super Eagles ouster.
Dalung noted that instability in the employment of coaches, internal wrangling and poor funding were the major reasons the Super Eagles failed to qualify.
