By John Egbokhan

A former chairman of the Nigeria Football Association, Anthony Kojo-Williams has nailed the current board of the football-ruling body as the main culprits in Eagles failure to qualify for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations, Gabon 2017.

For the second time in about 16 months, Eagles failed to reach the 16-nation continental soccer fiesta, a big dent to the ego to Africa’s most populous country, whose people pride in their soccer ability.

A little over three years after winning their third AFCON title in South Africa, this latest setback that comes with one match yet to play in the qualification campaign has left fans in despondent mood, with some calling for the head of the NFF board headed by Amaju Pinnick, under whose watch the Eagles have failed to qualify for two AFCON tournaments in succession. And jumping into the fray last night, Kojo has berated the NFF board for the drift of the Eagles, despite an abundance of talents at their disposal.

Speaking in an interview with Saturday Vanguard Sports, Kojo said it was the NFF’s fault that Eagles did not qualify for Gabon 2017 because of their failure to develop a football philosophy to guide the national teams and their coaches. “The biggest problem of our football is the lack of a football philosophy by the NFF for the national teams. There is no technical roadmap guiding the Eagles and that is why we are where we are. Those guys in the NFF don’t have a clue as to where they want to take the Eagles, not to talk of how to achieve that target.

“All they do is just talk and talk themselves out, rather than work their socks out. Top-level football administration goes beyond talking. It entails having a vision and knowing how to put their vision into reality, by ensuring that the coaches and teams have an identical system of playing, with a mindset of dominating, not the whimper teams that we have now”, added Kojo.

Recalling how he warned Nigerians that the NFF was going to bungle Eagles AFCON 2017 dream last year, Kojo said that results have since proven him right, noting further that the hiring of Sunday Oliseh to coach the team by the board last year was a wrong move.

‘’Oliseh was not ideal for the job in the first place. I still maintain that no Nigerian coach is suitable to coach the Eagles. We must look beyond Nigeria but they did not listen to me and look at the deeper mess and disgrace they have brought to us”, added Kojo.