Okocha: Nigeria Football Needs Fresh Ideas, New Structures to Gain Value

Austin Jay Jay Okocha, a former captain of Nigeria's Super Eagles, has voiced his opinion on the future direction of Nigerian football. He emphasizes the urgent need for "fresh ideas and a new structure" to overcome the current stagnation.

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little can be achieved with the impending Normalisation Committee with the present set up of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

Okocha expressed doubt about the potential impact of the upcoming Normalisation Committee for the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF). He pointed to a history of ignored recommendations and a stifling status quo that hinders progress. "Little can be achieved with the impending Normalisation Committee with the present set up of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF)," he stated.

Reflecting on his own experiences, Okocha shared his reluctance to offer himself for service if he cannot function effectively. "It will be unfair for people to continue to call on me to offer himself for service to Nigeria football if he will not be able to function optimally," he said. He recalled his brief stint as chairman of the Delta Football Association, which he left due to internal obstacles. "I tried it a bit. I went to Delta State. I took the chairmanship position, but when I saw what was going on, I left. It’s not worth it," he revealed.

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You’ll be unfair to people like me to say, ‘Oh no, I’m not interested.’ But have you asked yourself: “Is it worth it to try (to want to work to change the system with some people working against you)?

Okocha stressed the importance of a united team with a shared focus on the country's interests, rather than selfish motives, for any committee to succeed. He also acknowledged the public's potential frustration with ex-internationals who remain silent on the sport's issues. "But to be honest, people out there, they will not forgive us (ex-internationals) if we keep quiet," he admitted.

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I tried it a bit. I went to Delta State. I took the chairmanship position, but when I saw what was going on, I left. It’s not worth it

The former playmaker lamented the consequences of the national teams' recent failures, including the Super Eagles' back-to-back World Cup misses and the Super Falcons' first-ever absence from the Women's World Cup. He described these as damaging to the country's football image. "Life gets a lot easier if we’re winning," he noted. Okocha concluded by asserting that fixing Nigerian football is not an insurmountable task, stating, "These things can be fixed, and that’s the annoying part because it’s not rocket science."

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But to be honest, people out there, they will not forgive us (ex-internationals) if we keep quiet.