By Eddie Akalonu

CAF/FIFA Referees fitness Instructor, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Felix Kigigha has enjoined Nigerians to end the habit of lambasting our national teams when they do not win international tournaments. Speaking to Vanguard against the backdrop of negative reactions that trailed the national women U-17 “Flamingoes” outing in the FIFA World Cup in Costa Rica where Nigeria lost to Spain in the quarter finals, the former FIFA badged referee appealed to Nigeria ball-fans that it is imperative to rather show fairplay than condemn our team.

“players that got our country as far as the quarter final of a world class competition deserve heaps of praise, not criticism. They have been good ambassadors of the country out there. They need to be appreciated for carrying the flag of the country high out there and we should realize that we cannot always win all the time because other countries that parade better football record in the world do not win all the time. So we must adopt the same attitude we display in victory
to our teams towards them in defeat as a way of encouraging them to be better next time around.” he said.

ACP Kigigha, who emphasized that his appeal was not about the Flamongoes last outing but reminded all that the national under-20 team Falconets are also preparing for the world cup later this year in Canada in the same way that the Super Falcons are getting set for the African Women Championship, AWC in Namibia. He noted that attitude of condemnation and sever criticisms of one team could impact on the others.

“Now they have condemned the coach for not winning. I can tell you that being the way we are that coach may neither be computer literate nor been sponsored on some course by the FA to update his knowledge. But some of those our players are young and would have learnt from playing in that big tournament. We should also ask the question, what if some of them are family members? How do we feel when others lampoon them the way I saw some comments that were made? So, if Flamingoes get another opportunity, they will be better. Fans should be fair in assessment and moderate in comment because it is sports.”