Sports minister: NFF must properly monitor overseas-based Eagles, stop illegal scouts

SPORTS minister Sunday Dare has told the Nigeria Football Federation to ensure that players invited from abroad to play for the Super Eagles must be monitored properly before being included in the squad.

Dare has not hidden his displeasure with the team’s performances in the two back-to-back Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Sierra Leone.

Both games were drawn against the underdogs, the first fixture in Benin City embarrassingly ending 4-4 after Nigeria had taken a 4-0 lead.

The sports minister has also ordered the NFF to sanitise the surroundings around the national team by ensuring that illegal scouts and touts are kept away from the squad. 

 “NFF must get rid of hangers-on and individuals who do not have clear mandates and are around the national team,” Dare said.

“These are agents, scouts etc.  They should operate outside the perimeter.”

The minister also advised the NFF to set up a scientific template to gauge the performances of the Super Eagles in a bid to minimise poor performances and damaging results.

He insisted that the invitation of players to the national team must be based on current form and performance.

Dare recently mulled the idea of firing Rohr after the team drew three and lost one of their four games in October to end 2020 without a win, the first time in decades the national team would go a calendar year without at least one victory.