Solomon Dalung, former Minister of Youth and Sports Development, has expressed concern about the ongoing decline in the Super Eagles’ performance in the World Cup qualifiers, attributing the issue to inadequate sports management and administration.
In an interview with journalists on Wednesday at the Palace of the Emir of Ilorin in Kwara State, where he joined leaders of the Social Democratic Party on a courtesy visit, Dalung lamented the state of the national football team, noting that since his tenure ended six years ago, the Super Eagles have struggled to regain their previous success.
Dalung pointed out that Nigeria’s underperformance in the qualifiers has led to diminishing fan support.
“The Super Eagles’ World Cup campaign has been significantly affected since I left office. The only time Nigeria qualified was in 2018, when we made it with a match to spare. Since then, we’ve failed to qualify,” he said.
Although Dalung maintained some hope for the team’s future, he acknowledged that the recent loss to Zimbabwe had severely impacted any chances of World Cup qualification. “I had hoped that after the match against Rwanda, Nigeria would find its footing. But the defeat to Zimbabwe has dashed those hopes.”
Still, Dalung suggested that there may still be a slight possibility of recovery, adding, “Unless something extraordinary occurs.”
He identified a lack of strong leadership in sports administration as a significant factor hindering progress.
“The main problem with Nigerian sports is the absence of committed leadership. When I served as sports minister, I had a clear vision for the sector. Now, that vision seems to be missing.”
Dalung criticized the dissolution of the Ministry of Sports, which was replaced by the National Sports Commission, a technical body with limited political authority.
“Without the political will to drive the sector, even the best coach won’t be able to inspire players or rally the nation,” he explained.
“The gap left by the removal of the Ministry of Sports is a major issue. Unfortunately, the loss to Zimbabwe has set us back to where we were,” Dalung concluded.
