Former Super Eagles captain Austin Okocha has fiercely denied claims that he criticized the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) or called for the removal of its board, calling the reports “completely false.”
Speaking out on Lagos Talks FM, the former Paris Saint-Germain star rejected the rumors, expressing frustration over the spread of misleading information.
The controversy erupted from an online story that alleged Okocha had publicly condemned the NFF’s decision to appoint Malian coach Eric Chelle as Nigeria’s senior national team manager.
Okocha swiftly responded, stating, “I didn’t grant any interview. I don’t know why the person that wrote that story quoted me,” according to Vanguard.
He urged journalists to double-check their sources, saying, “If you want to talk to me, you can call me. We might have similar opinions on certain things, but let it come from me.”
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While acknowledging possible flaws within the NFF, Okocha emphasized the need to respect its structure.
“Even if things are wrong in the NFF, you cannot just call for the dissolution of the NFF Board. There’s a process; they are elected,” he explained.
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Okocha also highlighted his close relationships with key NFF figures, including President Ibrahim Gusau, Technical Director Augustine Eguavoen, and Victor Ikpeba, stressing that he prefers private conversations over airing grievances in public.
“I talk to them directly. If they don’t listen, then I can go public,” Okocha clarified.
With a history of success in Nigerian football, including winning the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations with Eguavoen and capturing Olympic gold with Ikpeba in 1996, Okocha’s bond with the NFF remains strong.