NFF stooges defend NFF Chairman following NFF shameful behaviour in South Africa

Atta, Achor and Alaiya said but for the Aminu Maigari-led NFF board, it could have been a different story at South Africa 2013

Officials of the Super Eagles – Team Coordinator, Emmanuel Atta; Secretary, Dayo Enebi Achor; and spokesman, Ben Alaiya – have come out strongly to defend the leadership of the Nigeria Football Federation for its role in the Nations Cup triumph of the team in South Africa.
Atta, Achor and Alaiya said but for the Aminu Maigari-led NFF board, it could have been a different story at South Africa 2013.
Alaiya, in a statement on Monday, said insinuations that the NFF was at war with the national team during the SA 2013 tournament was far from the truth as the NFF President and most of his board members attended virtually all the training sessions of the team.
Alaiya said: “No single person can win a tournament of the magnitude of the Nations Cup, it was a collective job and Head Coach, Stephen Keshi, acknowledged that fact and has repeatedly said so.
“So we must be careful in labeling the NFF, because they provided all necessary logistics for friendly games leading to the tournament and stood by the technical crew even when majority of Nigerians wrote them off.”
On the controversial issue of flight tickets being issued for the return of the Super Eagles home ahead of the quarter-final tie against Cote d’Ivoire, Achor declared that it was a CAF regulation to prepare tickets for the two teams that were playing the quarter finals in advance, as none of them was to stay in the hotel beyond 24 hours after the game.
Even the team that qualifies was also to move to the next venue of the tournament immediately, according to CAF regulations, Achor said, adding: “So, the Ivoriens also had their departure tickets and you will recall that they left under 24 hours.
“So there should be no controversy over that.
“It was based on that proposal from CAF that I spoke to all the players on where they would like their tickets to be routed and I am sure that the Ivorien federation also did same to their team.
“So there was no issue about the NFF or the back room staff as we are now labeled wishing the team bad.”
Meanwhile, the team in its entirety has hailed the good gesture of Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State and his Lagos state counterpart, Babatunde Raji Fashola.
Alaiya, said the heroic welcome accorded the team in Asaba and Lagos and the rewards for officials of the team were unprecedented in the annals of football.
He said: “The two governors have shown that they are not only supporters of the game but partners of the sport and the NFF is taking note of their support.”
It will be recalled that last week Delta and Lagos States held lavish welcome parties for the Super Eagles in Asaba and Ikeja, doling out cash rewards for the team and its officials.