Sani Toro: Qatar 2022 ticket will soothe pains of suffering Nigerians

A former Secretary-General of the then Nigeria Football Association (NFA), Hon. Ahmed Sani Toro, has said the pains of Nigerians who are going through socio-political and economic hardship would be reduced drastically if the Super Eagles qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. In this interview with Daily Trust, the former member of the House of Representatives and one time Bauchi State commissioner of sports, spoke on the forthcoming Super Eagles 2022 World Cup playoff against Ghana, players’ commitment and why he has cut down on his commentaries on sports, particularly football.

What are Super Eagles chances as they prepare to take on arch-rivals, the Black Stars of Ghana in the must-win 2022 World Cup playoff? 

Well, when it comes to any football contest between Nigeria and Ghana, it is usually difficult to make any prediction.  All I can say now is that we have to support Austin Eguavoen, Emmanuel Amuneke and the Super Eagles players to win the World Cup ticket. Eguavoen and Amuneke played under me when I was the Secretary General of the Nigeria Football Association (NFA) so I know their abilities. So it is going to be a difficult match but I believe we have the players who can deliver the 2022 World Cup ticket. They can beat Ghana both home and away. I, therefore, urge the technical crew to go all out for victory against Ghana in Kumasi. They must avoid defeat in Kumasi. If they lose, nobody knows what will happen in the return leg. I am happy Austin has released the list and whatever dust that was raised by it has settled down. 

• THE BEARING: How Nigerian Women Are Holding Themselves Back In The Media
• Two children die as school toilet collapses in Niger State

Don’t you think the NFF was pressurised into appointing Eguavoen and Amuneke to lead the Super Eagles? 

I don’t think so. They have confidence in the coaches, if not, they wouldn’t have appointed them. Personally, I also have confidence in them. We should pray for the team to qualify for the World Cup. If they qualify, of course, Nigerians would be happy with indigenous coaches. But if they don’t qualify, Nigerians will certainly descend on them and it will affect the chances of other indigenous coaches. And the federation may have a reason to go for another foreign coach. My prayer is for them to work like a team. Eguavoen should be able to carry members of his crew along. And if the Super Eagles qualify, Eguavoen and Amuneke should be allowed to take the team to Qatar. If they are removed at that stage, there will be a crisis. 

You said we have players who can qualify for the World Cup but can you say they are as committed as their predecessors? 

There is no basis for comparison. You can’t compare players of the 80s up to the 90s to 1999. Those players were exceptional in many ways. The players we had were talented, dedicated, and highly exposed. Almost all of them were playing for some of the biggest clubs in Europe. They were committed, dedicated and patriotic but the little problem we had with them was money. When it had to do with money, it was money, money, money. If not for problems over money, Nigeria would have reached the semi-final of the World Cup at the first time of asking. They lost concentration because of money. After the World Cup, we tried to introduce a code of conduct but they rejected it. However, you can’t compare the past with the present generation.

What then is your advice to the present Super Eagles?

They must emulate their predecessors. The players and the coaching crew must show more commitment and dedication to national assignments. Eguavoen has been there before. He must be ready to guide the players on the right path. In addition, he has a golden opportunity to etch his name in gold once again. Before now, he was not coaching any team but NFF brought him in as a Technical Director and now he is Super Eagles Technical Adviser. He must justify the confidence reposed in him by the NFF and by extension Nigerians. 

Do you support the decision by the sports ministry to set up a logistics committee for the 2022 World Cup playoff? 

If the committee is for the return leg and its role restricted to advisory in terms of supporting the NFF’s security committee to ensure the match is hitch-free, then that is not a problem. However, if it is to take over the duties of the NFF, that will be nothing but distraction. It will be unnecessary distraction and undue interference. Again, I don’t see any sense in announcing that such a committee was constituted. It should have been done silently. By making it public, it appears as if the sports ministry has lost confidence in the NFF. 

What is your advice to Nigerians as the Super Eagles prepare to take on the Black Stars of Ghana in the win-or-bust World Cup playoff? 

They should pray and come out en masse to support the Super Eagles in the second match. Nigeria must qualify for the 2022 World Cup because of the timing. This is the time Nigeria needs the World Cup ticket the most. It will definitely soothe the pains of most Nigerians who are suffering as a result of insecurity and economic woes. When it comes to football, Nigeria is united, so we must unite as it used to be. 

Many Nigerians are wondering why an out-spoken sports administrator like you has gone quiet. Have you given up on Nigerian sports? 

It is rather unfortunate that sports is the only constituency in the country that once you finish serving, you are no longer recognised or respected. Nobody listens to some of us and that is the unfortunate thing. Those of us who served with utmost dedication and commitment are left disappointed. I will give you an example. All past NFA chairmen and all past NFA Secretaries-General, nobody invites us for even congress meetings. This is statutory. It is there in the statues that we should be invited to be at the FA Congresses. But they won’t invite us. They can’t even call on the phone to find out how we are doing. They seem to forget that we were there before them. Nigerians saw what we did for football. I also realised that there is no need to keep talking about Nigerian football. What is the need? I have been a part of so many committees but what has become of such reports? They have not been implemented. Not even part of the recommendations. Just like the Alhaji Ibrahim Galadima committee that was set up recently, at the end of the day, the sports minister may lack the courage to implement its recommendations. Such reports are gathering dust on the shelves but when a new minister is appointed, he will set up another committee to do the same work that was done by past committees. It has been a serious concern. If we are not needed, why should one continue to talk?