Former Nigeria international Sampson Siasia has slammed the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) over what he considers unfair treatment of local coaches vis-a-vis their foreign counterparts.
Siasia stressed that local coaches do not receive the same level of recognition and job security as their foreign counterparts. He condemned the NFF for their swift dismissal of local coaches following a single loss, contrasting it with the leniency shown towards foreign coaches, who are granted more time to demonstrate their capabilities.
The 56-year-old, capped 51 times for the Super Eagles and scoring 13 goals, enjoyed a 15-year career. He notably contributed to the Super Eagles' triumph at the 1994 African Cup of Nations in Tunisia and represented Nigeria at the 1994 FIFA World Cup in the United States of America (USA).
After bringng his football career to an end, Siasia took to coaching and had the opportunity of managing Nigeria's national U-20 and U-23 team.
He led the U-20 team to the finals of both the 2005 Under-20 World Cup and the U-20 African Youth Championship, clinching victory in the latter. Despite advancing to the U-20 World Cup final, his team narrowly lost to Argentina 2–1.
Under Siasia's guidance, the U-23 team secured the silver medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. He also had the chance to manage the Super Eagles in 2016.
Siasia decries disparity in treatment by NFF
Siasia expressed frustration with the NFF's treatment of local coaches compared to their foreign counterparts.
“They didn’t give Nigeria people [local coaches] four years, you lose one match they [NFF] fire you. That’s the truth,” Siasia remarked during an interview on Athlst. He went on to emphasise the disparity in treatment, stating, “The white people will come, you give them [more time], [and] you pay them more money.”
Siasia's sentiments were echoed by former Nigerian international player Celestine Babayaro, who recalled a specific instance, saying, “We had a white person that came, after he lost, not only did the NFF increase money, they also sent him on a coaching course.”
Siasia further stated the lack of support for local coaches, adding, “And we, they won’t send us anywhere and they want us to be better.”
“Siasia decries the disparity in treatment by the NFF, highlighting the vast contrast in salaries between foreign and local coaches. “They will pay the white man $50,000 monthly, and pay local hires ₦1,000,000. From the million naira, the coaching staff will also take inside, and you also have to feed your family,” he added.”
Nigeria's former coach Jose Peseiro inked a $70,000 deal with the NFF and led the Nigerian national team for 22 months before securing success in the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations.
As his contract expired in February, the NFF are actively seeking a new manager to succeed the Portuguese coach. Numerous local and foreign coaches have submitted applications for the vacant position.
However, it remains uncertain whether the NFF will possess the financial capacity to appoint a foreign coach, a desire expressed by many Nigerian football fans.
Who gets the Super Eagles coaching job?
The NFF are poised to announce a new coach for the Super Eagles in the upcoming weeks. According to reports from the Nigerian media, the NFF are leaning towards appointing Super Eagles legend Emmanuel Amuneke as Peseiro's replacement. However, if they opt for an expatriate coach, the likely choice would be 41-year-old Dutch trainer Danny Buijs.
The Super Eagles will head into June’s 2026 FIFA World qualifiers with a new coach. They are billed to host South Africa on June 3 and play as guests of Benin on June 10.
Nigeria failed to qualify for the last World Cup in Qatar and are determined to secure a spot in the 2026 edition.
