NIGERIA, Calabar : Nigeria’s (top L-R) midfielder John Obi Mikel, defender Kenneth Omeruo, forward Brown Ideye, forward Emmanuel Emenike, defender Godfrey Oboabona, defender Efe Ambrose, (bottom L-R) midfielder Victor Moses, defender Uwa Echiejile, goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama, midfielder Ogenyi Onazi and midfielder Ahmed Musa pose for a group picture before the 2014 FIFA World Cup African zone second leg play-off football match between Nigeria and Ethiopia in Calabar on November 16, 2013. Nigeria won 2-0. AFP PHOTO/
Abuja – Aminu Maigari, Chairman of the Nigeria Football Association (NFA), on Tuesday said the association was not averse to a Presidential Task Force (PTF) overseeing Nigeria’s 2014 FIFA World Cup campaign.
Maigari told newsmen in Abuja that the introduction of a task force, just as it happened about four years ago, would reduce the World Cup burden currently placed on the NFA.
The Federal Government had in 2009 set up a PTF headed by Gov. Rotimi Amaechi ahead of the 2010 World Cup finals.
The task force was to oversee the Super Eagles’ qualification for the mundial and the team’s eventual participation in South Africa.
It had gone on to steady the team’s shaky qualification campaign.
The PTF also helped to raise funds for the team’s eventual participation in the mundial, where the Eagles however failed to go beyond the first round.
“We need that presidential backing. If President Goodluck Jonathan will step in, it will be a blessing to the country and our football.
“So, we need the President very well, because we will need presidential blessing, backing and support.
“We need the Task Force because football is part of the presidential support and we need it.
“Football is a game of numbers, and you need everybody to come and give input. It is a case of let me learn from you and let everybody learn from each other,’’ Maigari said.
Maigari also said team head coach Stephen Keshi has the final say on the list of players to be invited to camp for the World Cup finals.
Keshi had on Tuesday submitted to NFA’s Technical Committee an initial list of 38 players.
“It is the prerogative of the coach alone, and not any other person, to select the players. But I know Keshi is up and doing as far as the World Cup is concerned.
“Usually, the NFA only advises. We don’t impose players on coaches.
“We have given the coaches the mandate to pilot the team and, as such, NFA will never in our way say Keshi must bring this or that player to the team.
“So, we have given him the mandate, the trust and the confidence and we believe in him to deliver,’’ Maigari added.
The NFA chairman however said in as much as the NFA was leaving the selection of players to the coach, it would also want the best legs to be selected.
This, Maigari said, was to enable the country excel at the competition and put smiles on the faces of Nigerians.(NAN)
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