Former Nigerian international players have expressed concerns regarding the Super Eagles' prospects for a strong start in their 2025 AFCON qualifying campaign.

This uncertainty stems from the Nigeria Football Federation's failure to appoint a permanent head coach with less than two weeks remaining before the matches.

The Super Eagles are set to compete against Benin Republic on Saturday, September 7, in Uyo, followed by a match against Rwanda three days later. Notably, both opponents are part of Nigeria's group for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

Benin Republic, under the guidance of former Nigerian coach Genort Rohr, previously defeated the Super Eagles in their first leg encounter held in Abidjan in June.

Finidi George, the former head coach, resigned after just over a month in the role following those matches.

The roster for the upcoming qualifiers is anticipated to be announced soon, yet the identity of the head coach remains uncertain. Swedish manager Janne Andersson and former Ivory Coast coach Harve Renard have been mentioned as potential candidates for the position.

Henry Nwosu, a former captain of the Eagles and assistant coach during the 2002 FIFA World Cup, expressed that he was not surprised by the absence of a head coach at this stage.

Nwosu remarked, "As you are aware, Nigerians have a unique approach to swiftly addressing challenges. While I am not surprised that we have yet to appoint a coach, I am confident that a suitable candidate will be found soon. The prevailing mindset is that as long as there is time left, they believe they can achieve a solution that may not be optimal. Preparation is crucial, and I sincerely hope we are adequately prepared, as failure to qualify for another major tournament would certainly disappoint Nigerians."

Harrison Jalla, Chairman of the Professional Footballers Association of Nigeria (PFAN) Task Force, expressed concern that the NFF is on the verge of repeating past mistakes in the lead-up to the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. "The opportunity for Nigeria to qualify for the 2026 World Cup has effectively passed; only a miracle could change that.

The same troubling trend is evident for the 2025 Nations Cup, where Nigeria's qualification remains uncertain due to the current disorganized strategy stemming from a failed foreign coaching initiative," Jalla stated.

He further questioned, "Where else in the world would such a situation occur without repercussions? With only two weeks remaining before crucial qualifiers, the senior national team is without a coach. The NFF has essentially set the Super Eagles up for failure."

Former Super Eagles defender Godwin Okpara added, "When players underperform, the blame typically falls on them and the coach.

However, this time, the NFF will bear the responsibility." He criticized the NFF for their lack of professionalism in delaying the appointment of a coach with important matches approaching.

"This predicament could have been avoided if the NFF had not prematurely announced their intention to hire a foreign coach while Finidi was still in charge.

The pressure on Finidi was immense, and it seemed the NFF was reluctant to consider a home-based coach, without openly communicating this.

Given the caliber of players we possess, it is disappointing to see them struggling, especially when we compare our situation to that of Senegal and Ivory Coast and their successes with their national teams."

NFF president Ibrahim Gusau has pledged to implement significant changes following a meeting with the Minister of Sports Development, John Enoh, in June.