Former United States men’s national team defender Janusz Michallik has offered a candid critique of the issues afflicting Nigerian football, Soccernet.ng reports.
The 2009 New England Soccer Hall of Famer pointed at Nigeria’s wealth of talent and the pressing need for a more effective administrative structure surrounding the Super Eagles.
Michallik, who earned 44 caps for the US national team from 1991 to 1994, believes that Nigeria possess some of the finest footballing talent globally.
However, he argues that the lack of a proper administrative framework has hampered the Super Eagles’ progress.
The Nigerian national team has seen significant upheaval in its coaching ranks this year, with three coaches taking the helm.
Jose Peseiro led the team during the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), followed by Finidi George for the World Cup qualifiers in June.
After George’s resignation, Augustine
Eguavoen was appointed on an interim basis amid stalled contract negotiations with former Stuttgart coach Bruno Labbadia.
In an interview with Brila FM, Michallik reflected on the underperformance of the Super Eagles and the mismanagement by the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF).
He did not hold back in his assessment, stating,
“Nigeria’s problem is Nigeria. And it never changes.”
He continued, “The level of talent and quality is clear for all to see. Since 1994, the country has produced wonderful players. Imagine if most nations had access to this kind of talent in the organization.”
The debate over whether to appoint a local or foreign coach has long plagued Nigerian football.
However, Michallik insists that the challenges extend far beyond the choice of coach, it does not matter if Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola was engaged.
“Nigeria FA needs to figure out what they want. It’s always the same conversation: should we have a local coach? Then a foreign coach comes in, and it goes over and over again. Find the right coach and the right manager, but that’s not going to be enough.”
He added, “I have a feeling that even if Pep Guardiola comes, who knows if he is going to achieve anything. You’ve got to have an organization around him; that’s how to help him. Everything should go towards that.”
The potential for Nigeria to miss out on another World Cup has left Michallik incredulous.
“For Nigeria to be where they are now, potentially missing the World Cup—it’s unthinkable,” he said, pointing fingers at the federation’s lack of accountability for the country’s underperformance on the world stage.
While Nigeria boasts an abundance of talent, Michallik believes the NFF has created an environment that is detrimental to success.
“The players are always ready. What’s missing is strong leadership at the top, supported by the federation,” Michallik added.
“When I say support, I understand that Nigeria won’t have the resources for some of the biggest coaches, but there are coaches out there who really want that job, who want to work with players like this.”
He stressed the need for an organized structure, stating,
“Nigeria has the talent, but everything surrounding it is not a great environment to have success, and to me, that’s the simplest thing to fix. The easiest thing to fix is to be organized and to create an environment for a good coach because the talent is already there.”
The Super Eagles failed to qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar and now face the prospect of missing the next tournament, with a series of disappointing results during the current qualifiers adding to the urgency for change within Nigerian football.