The will that they want to play for the continent, they want to die for the continent. I don't think our players have shown enough passion for the game, enough character. Jay-Jay Okocha, the former Nigerian international, told the BBC: 'They've underachieved. They finished with a solitary point after drawing with South Korea.ДЄlgeria, Cameroon, Ivory Coast and the hosts, South Africa, also went out in the first round, prompting criticism of Africa's star players. Nigeria had a miserable campaign, losing to Argentina and Greece - the latter game turned by the sending-off of their midfielder Sani Kaita. The ban suggests that the euphoria around Africa's first World Cup, and Ghana's progress to the quarter-finals, has not been felt by everyone. Fifa statutes demand that national federations manage their affairs independently or face suspension from world football. Nigeria risks being banned by Fifa from all international football because of the government action. At least, we can fish for new talents who are driven and willing to put their nation on the map of world soccer.'ДЇifa denied any official knowledge of the move but said its position regarding political interference in football was well known.

President! In the next two years, some of those boys won't be playing anyone. There were some supportive comments for his radical measure on the Nigerian news website Next. Jonathan was sworn in as president of Nigeria last month following the death of President Umaru Yar'Adua after a long illness.

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This directive became necessary following the country's poor performance in the ongoing Fifa World Cup.' Ima Niboro, a spokesman for the country's president, Goodluck Jonathan, said: 'Mr President has directed that Nigeria will withdraw from all international football competition for the next two years to enable Nigeria to reorganise its football. The team has been suspended from international competition for a prolonged licking of wounds after their humiliating exit from the finals in South Africa.

The price of failure for Nigeria's World Cup squad is a two-year ban вЂ“ imposed by their president. England's beaten players may consider they got off lightly.

Fifa 2010 teams and players