Former Super Eagles defender, Sam Sodje, has expressed his frustration with the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) over their failure to appoint a substantive coach for the Super Eagles, nearly two months after parting ways with Finidi George.

With less than a month to go before the AFCON 2025 qualifiers kick off in September, Sodje has described the situation as a “disgrace.”

Sodje highlighted the declining state of sports in Nigeria, particularly football, emphasizing the urgency of appointing a coach.

He suggested that if a permanent coach cannot be appointed soon, the NFF should consider an interim manager to lead the team through the qualifiers.

“It’s just sad that we’re still talking about a coach and there’s nothing we can say. Not only football, but sports in the country have really gone down. I think football has been something that we have to agree that we’ve lost touch with,” Sodje remarked.

He continued, “Not having a coach at this time is terrible. But just because we have to play the game, having an interim manager might be the best idea, but it has to be done ASAP.”

Sodje expressed concern over the lack of preparation, warning that it could significantly impact the team’s performance in the upcoming qualifiers.

“If we’re going to settle for a manager first, this is something that we should have done a long time ago because we need someone in there and you’re expecting to win. We shouldn’t be hoping at all.”

He concluded with a blunt assessment of the situation, stating, “Preparation in this country is just ridiculously bad. We’re far, far behind where every other country should be, and it’s a disgrace.”