Edema Fuludu blasts NFF's delay tactics in appointing a new manager for the national team.

Former Super Eagle Edema Fuludu has launched a scathing attack on the NFF's snail-speed approach towards naming a new manager for the Super Eagles, SportsBoom reports.

With the national team now almost in a race against time to know their handler before the next international break come September, the 1994 AFCON winner was very critical of the Nigeria Football Federation's antics when queried on that, and urged them to man up and respond to the lingering matter of the vacancy in an official and more professional way.

67 days on from the day erstwhile manager Finidi George dumped the three-time AFCON winners, Nigeria's search for his successor has taken on a lengthy saga, one which Fuludu believes is threatening to derail the ambitions of the nation in major tournaments going forward.  

The need for an official report from the NFF on the state of things

Fuludu has opined the need for the football governing body to go all out and get their man. Speaking exclusively to SportsBoom, he played down talks of the association not having enough funds for their candidates.

"You read in the news that the NFF do not have the financial strength to recruit for the national team, and I don't get it," Fuludu said.

Image Credits: Premium Times Nigeria

"All that taxpayers monies out there, then someone supposedly amongst the association says they can't match, you know it borders on laughable, my friend.

Recently, a top NFF official was said to have branded Herve Renard's wage demands as 'practically outrageous' as the race for the next man at the helm continue to heat up. Renard, one of the front runners for the Super Eagles job is widely regarded as the most suited candidate to take the team forward thanks to his superior managerial profile compared to that of his counterparts.

"Why the anonymity? Why the anonymity? I think it is high time the NFF react towards something of extreme importance, such like this, with concrete reply and a more professional approach because for me we can not hold what we read from persons 'representing' the association but not wanting to be mentioned as tangible. No, it doesn't work."

What must be done

"Now, there is a need to treat this issue with urgency. This is not even about what the fandom, or the citizenry will say. In pressing matters involving technocracy, there is little or no need looking at these things. The NFF just have to do it, whatever it takes.

"The qualifiers (AFCON) are almost here [next month] and if they are not sure of having someone in charge before then, let someone come in on an interim, we need not jeopardize our chances of qualifying for important tournaments even more. We're already playing catch-up.

"Let someone be there, let him start now to familiarize with the team, look more at the domestic league and see what players we have there are doing, then the foreign-based come in."