By Ime Bassey
Former Super Eagles goalkeeper, Peter Rufai has said that administrative issues at the NFF and the FIFA ban caused Eagles defeat in Conakry against the Syli National.

FIFA

Speaking with Sport Vanguard, Peter Rufai said the struggle for a formidable football federation hampered the preparations for the match and also affected the morale and physique of the players.

“With these issues, it was not easy for the players to take challenges in a game of such magnitude because their morale had been ruptured.

Football success does not depend on the players alone, it rests on a coherent inter-departmental planning and organization of the football federation.

When one of these departments is not there or not functioning, then, the team seen on the pitch will suffer.”
“You and I know that we can not blame Austin Eguavoen and the players for the loss; we know we have a bunch of talented players and Eguavoen is a good coach. I still see us qualifying. It depends on those in the administration of the game forgetting about self but the country.”

On the lifting of FIFA hammer, Peter Rufai said it is an opportunity for us to put our football house in order so it would return to its past glory.