In a surprising turn of events, the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) has terminated the contracts of coach Nduka Ugbade and his assistants, Ahmadu Dankoli and Yemi Olanrewaju ‘Yema,’ following the failure of the Golden Eaglets to qualify for this year’s FIFA U17 World Cup.
The decision was confirmed by a top NFF official who revealed that the coaches’ appointments were contingent upon the team’s performance in major competitions.
The NFF official stated, “The appointment of Nduka (Ugbade) and his assistants was clearly tied to the progress of the team at major competitions. They held on to their positions after they qualified the team for the U17 AFCON last year. But now that the team failed to qualify for the World Cup, their appointments are terminated.”
This decision marks the end of Nduka Ugbade’s first attempt to lead the Golden Eaglets, following his historic achievement as a player when he lifted the inaugural FIFA U17 World Cup trophy in 1985 in China. Ugbade later served as the second assistant coach when Nigeria secured their fourth U17 World Cup title in 2013. Subsequently, he assumed the role of first assistant coach to Manu Garba, but the team failed to make significant progress at the international level during that period.
The sacked coaches will be required to submit a comprehensive technical report to the NFF technical department. This report, along with recommendations, will then be forwarded to the NFF technical committee, which is yet to be constituted. The committee will play a crucial role in selecting new coaching staff for the Golden Eaglets.
The disappointment of the team’s recent loss was felt deeply as they were defeated 2-1 by Burkina Faso in the quarterfinals of the U17 AFCON in Algeria, thereby missing out on a chance to secure a ticket to the U17 World Cup. It is worth noting that Nigeria had previously triumphed over Burkina Faso’s Junior Etalons with a 2-1 victory to win the WAFU B qualifiers in June, hosted in Ghana.
The termination of the coaches’ contracts reflects the NFF’s commitment to maintaining high standards and expectations for the national teams. The search for new coaching personnel will undoubtedly commence as the federation aims to rebuild and reinvigorate the Golden Eaglets for future success on the international stage.
