NFF President Amaju Pinnick has expressed confidence that the Super Eagles will qualify for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations and the 2018 FIFA World Cup finals.

The qualification series for the 2017 Cup of Nations (to be hosted by Gabon) will be concluded in September 2016, but the Eagles have what  is seen as a group-decider, double-dose against the Pharaohs of Egypt in March, while the qualifiers for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, to be staged in Russia, begin in October 2016.

“I make bold to say that year 2016 will be even better. We are looking to see the Eagles B win the African Nations Championship, the Super Eagles qualifying for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations and starting the race to Russia 2018 on a sound footing, and also planning for the women teams to excel at their various international championships.”

The Super Falcons expect to qualify for the African Women Championship in Cameroon, while the U-20 girls have already qualified for the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Papua New Guinea and the U-17 girls are looking to reach the U-17 World Cup in Jordan.

“I also want to add that going forward, the best option will be for us to have Clubs that are independent of government control; Clubs that are owned by communities and individuals. We will inter-face with the Governors’ Forum to kick-start this process.

“We know it will not happen in a month or two, or even in a year. But our objective is to have Clubs that are properly run, and stadia that are so friendly that whole families can go and watch football matches without any anxiety.”

On Wednesday, Pinnick stated that the plethora of awards being bestowed on his person and the NFF in general is testimony that the present administration is steering the Nigeria game in the right direction.

The Edo State Football Association honoured him as the ‘Football Personality of the Year’ at their Awards Nite that took place in Benin City same day. It would be recalled that leading national newspapers, The SUN and VANGUARD, have differently announced Amaju Pinnick as their ‘Sports Personality of the Year,’ at award ceremonies to take place in the new year.