Ahmed Gara-Gombe, former Chairman of the Gombe Football Association, has called on the Super Eagles to uphold patriotism, discipline and professionalism ahead of their crucial AFCON quarter-final encounter against Algeria.
Gara-Gombe’s appeal followed reports that some players threatened to boycott training and refused to travel to Marrakech, Morocco, over unpaid bonuses and outstanding allowances at the ongoing tournament.
Condemning the reported actions, Gara-Gombe described the planned boycott as unpatriotic and warned that such conduct could embarrass the country at a critical stage of the competition.
He stressed that representing Nigeria required sacrifice, discipline and respect for national pride, especially under global media attention.
“It is painful that some players choose to embarrass Nigeria whenever they get the opportunity to wear the national colours,” he said.
According to him, national honour should take precedence over personal financial interests, noting that many of the players earn substantial incomes abroad.
“These players earn huge sums of money overseas. How much is the bonus they are quarrelling over compared to their monthly salaries in Europe?” he asked.
Gara-Gombe observed that many African footballers represent their countries without placing financial conditions on participation, adding that the Super Eagles had ample time before the tournament to raise concerns over bonuses.
He warned that protests at such a decisive stage could distract the team and negatively affect performance against Algeria.
“This is a decisive match. Instead of full concentration, some players are creating unnecessary distractions,” he said.
He also questioned the leadership within the team, urging captains and senior players to guide their teammates away from actions that could harm national interest.
“Leadership is about calming tensions, not encouraging protests that ridicule the country,” he added.
Gara-Gombe cautioned that poor results following such actions would attract strong public backlash, stressing that legitimate demands must be pursued through proper channels and at appropriate times.
“If they boycott and lose, Nigerians will not forgive them. Victory is the only acceptable response now,” he warned.
He further urged the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to place greater emphasis on developing and selecting players from the domestic league, noting that several AFCON teams successfully integrate home-based players.
“Nigeria has capable talents at home who are hungry and patriotic. Many countries, including Morocco, Egypt and South Africa, feature several local players,” he said.
Describing the situation as unfortunate and unacceptable, Gara-Gombe called on football authorities to address indiscipline firmly, warning that lack of discipline could have long-term consequences for players’ careers.
“The national interest must always come first,” he said.
The Super Eagles have won all their matches so far, scoring 12 goals en route to the quarter-finals, and will face Algeria’s Desert Foxes on Saturday at the Stade de Marrakech, with kick-off scheduled for 5 p.m.