The suggestion by Sports Minister John Enoh to explore crowdfunding as an option to pay for a new foreign coach for the Super Eagles has been met with resistance from a former chairman of the Gombe Football Association, Shuaibu Gara Gombe, according to ScoreNigeria. According to Gara Gombe, Nigerians will not pay for a new foreign coach because of the Nigerian Football Federation's (NFF) lack of credibility and accountability.
In an interview on Nigerian Info FM Abuja, Gara Gombe stated that the NFF has a credibility problem and lacks transparency, which makes it difficult for people to trust them with their money. He emphasized that before anyone can consider paying for a coach, the NFF must account for every kobo they have received in the last 10 years.
Gara Gombe believes that a Nigerian company can pay a good coach $150,000 a month, but the NFF's governance issues are a major deterrent. He argued that no serious person or organization will invest in the NFF without credible governance and accountability.
The Super Eagles are currently struggling in the 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign, and the appointment of a new foreign coach is seen as a step towards improving the team's performance. However, the funding issue remains a significant obstacle, and Gara Gombe's opposition to crowdfunding highlights the need for the NFF to address its credibility and accountability issues before seeking financial support from Nigerians.