Former International, Harrison Jalla, says having lost back-to-back World Cup appearances within four years (2022–2026) the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) should pre-occupy itself with fashioning out a new blueprint or master plan that would open a new vista for the country’s football development.

Baring his mind on recent happenings in the country’s game, yesterday, Jalla, a football critic said: “By now, the NFF should be charting a new course by bringing together the best hands in the country through seminars, workshops, and conferences to develop a blueprint or master plan within a specific timeframe, which could help bring Nigerian football to an even keel.”

Jalla, who is the Chairman Advocacy for Nigeria Football Reform Concepts drew examples from other climes where priorities are set and modalities put in place to realise set objectives.

He asked: “What did England do? They have not won the World Cup since 1966, yet their football is thriving. Why is the new Saudi Pro League, driven by our own Mike Emenalo, making progress? What have we done wrongly in attracting the private sector to Nigerian football? How do we rebuild the Super Eagles brand with the array of stars that we have across the globe? What happened to our age-grade national teams and their transition programmes?

“These questions should be the preoccupation of a serious Nigeria Football Federation. All serious football-playing nations have a working document in line with their football culture, which they strictly adhere to and from which progress is measured. Success in football is not rocket science.”

Speaking further, Jalla said: “Sadly, the main concern of our own ‘visionless’ NFF is rushing to Bayelsa to allocate votes to federating units that they can railroad into voting for the same corrupt and defective structure. The rush is for cosmetic amendments to the NFF statutes to suit their band of charlatans who will continue to emerge.

“That trajectory, we assure Nigerians, is gone forever. There is no going back in the struggle to achieve a good, democratic, and accountable governance structure in Nigerian football, one that is open to all.”

He queried the productive role of the chairman of Technical Committee Chairman of the NFF saying: “How can we have Shariff Rabiu as chairman of the Technical Committee of the NFF, in a country that has produced ex-players like Chief Segun Odegbami, Adokie Amiesimaka, Felix Owolabi, Emmanuel Okala, the late Christian Chukwu, the late Stephen Keshi, Jay Jay Okocha, Kanu Nwankwo, Victor Ikpeba, Emmanuel Amuneke, Daniel Amokachi, Tijani Babangida, Taribo West, amongst others. What is Alhaji Shariff Rabiu’s pedigree in Nigerian football? Who appointed him? What impact has his appointment had on our football? Is the appointment based on merit?”

According to Jalla, the technical committee is the engine room and heartbeat of a federation’s football, and “any federation that appoints a complete novice from inception is doomed to fail. We certainly cannot continue like this. It is time to rebuild our football,” Jalla stated.