Eagles nutritionist divides NFF

The appointment of a nutritionist for Nigeria’s senior national football team, Super Eagles, has sparked a row in the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) Board, SportingLife.ng has learnt.

A source told SportingLife.ng in strict confidence that some of the board members are aggrieved that the hiring process did not follow due process.

The nutritionist, a lady, was hired “by a top member of the NFF board without the contribution and consent of other board members,” a source claimed.

According to the source, she was neither interviewed nor assessed by the board before she was included in the Super Eagles backroom staff.

This, the source said, was contrary to the rules of the organisation.

The nutritionist, who was employed last week, has been with the Eagles in London since last Saturday and prepared the players’ diet before Tuesday’s 0-2 loss to Serbia.

The idea for a nutritionist, it was gathered came after discussions between NFF and head coach, Gernot Rohr.

The diet expert educates the players, coaches and officials on what food to eat and others to avoid, as well as how, when, why and where to eat particular meals.

With her appointment, Nigeria joins Egypt as one of the few African countries with a nutritionist.

Last Wednesday, March 21, the Egyptian Football Association (EFA) announced that it had hired Englishman Laurent Bannock as The Pharaohs’ nutritionist.

Bannock was hired because of the Ramadan period which will begin in mid-May and end on the eve of the World Cup.