'Nigeria's failure is inexcusable'
Former international winger Segun Odegbami, a key member part of Nigeria's team that claimed the country's first Nations Cup title in 1980, believes success on the pitch will not return unless they "sort things at the administrative level".
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"It is inexcusable that the great Super Eagles will not be at the biggest tournament in Africa twice in a row," Odegbami told BBC Sport.
"I don't think that we've had the kind of administration that would have shepherded football development so that we can fulfil our true potential.
"We've not had the best quality in the last two football administrations with all the controversies and in-fighting. Clearly nothing good comes out of that kind of situation, but sadly it's a reflection of the state of our football."
Instability in the coaching role has led to the NFF appointing six managers since 2010 — Shaibu Amodu, Lars Lagerbäck, Austin Eguavoen, Samson Siasia, Stephen Keshi and Sunday Oliseh.
Odegbami insists there needs to be consistency in the coaching department, but warns that only competent administrators can stop the Nigerian game from drowning in mediocrity.
"Until the foundation is strengthened and properly reinforced everything that you build on it will collapse the way it has this time around," he said.
"Yes it [poor results on the pitch] has everything to do with the way the coaches have been shuffled like musical game of chairs.
"Now the NFF president has said he wants a foreign coach but who are the foreign coach that will come here?
"These are all journeymen. The top coaches will not come to Nigeria - they will just come, milk the country, live in Europe, collect big money and will not do anything.
"We are in a big mess created by the NFF board and I don't know how we are going to come out of this with the 2018 World Cup coming soon. It's a failure on the part of the administrators.
"Unfortunately we are no longer one of Africa's football powerhouses. If we do not qualify for the Nations Cup two times in a row, how do you call yourself a giant?"