Femi Thomas advises NFF to hasten appointment of CHAN Eagles coach

By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde

Femi Thomas, the former Nigeria goalkeeper, has emphasized the urgency for the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to appoint a coach for the home-based Eagles ahead of the African Championship of Nations qualifiers in October 2024.

With no coach in place, he expressed concerns about the team’s preparation and performance consistency.

Thomas insists that while the league has just started, it’s crucial for the NFF to act quickly to ensure the team is ready.

He noted the unpredictable nature of African players, saying, “You cannot judge by last season’s performance.”

Despite these challenges, he expressed confidence in the players’ abilities to adapt and perform when brought together.

Nigeria has struggled in recent years, failing to qualify for the tournament since 2018, when they reached the final but were defeated by Morocco.

Thomas’s call for swift action reflects a broader hope for the team’s revival and a successful qualification campaign.

Oluwaseun Oyediji

Oluwaseun Babatunde Oyediji is a multi-media sports journalist with over 10 years experience in Information Communication Technology (ICT), women's football, and beach soccer reportage.The prolific writer is the Media Assistant to Nigeria Beach Soccer League and Africa Beach Soccer Union as well as contributor on Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL) website.He has covered multiple national and international football tournaments including Championship of African Nations (CHAN 2020), CAF Women's Champions League (2023), and Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON 2023).Since 2021, Oyediji has covered the NWFL Premiership especially the season ending Super Six Playoffs.A member of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Ogun state chapter is also the image maker of the Remo Sports Development Council under the leadership of Chief Falilat Ogunkoya and David Osuolale.

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