By Akeem Busari
Coming on the heels of NFF President Ibrahim Gusau’s decision to make members of the public, decide the fate of Super Eagles coach Jose Peseiro, many concerned Nigerian football fans have taken to different media spaces to express their opinions about Peseiro’s fate, and of course, ways forward for Nigerian football.
A prominent member of Nigeria and Africa’s foremost football fans group, the Nigeria Football Supporters Club, Prince Dominic Otadeferua, has joined the fray of the discourse, as he lamented the poor state of football in Nigeria.
“It’s only in Nigeria, we do the same thing and expect different results always,” he noted. “Our national teams are moving from grace to grass. Those at the helms of affairs, should wake up because actually, the cleansing starts from there.”
The Crown Prince of Idjerhe Kingdom, in Jesse Ehtiope West LGA in Delta State, went on to berate the press for contributing to the dismar performances of the various national teams, through what he called unnecessary hyping and wrong reports. Adding that it has contributed negatively to the growth of Nigerian football.
“Let’s have a blueprint for the next 20-30yrs. And such documents should address the following issues such as coaches, scouting, amongst other important aspects of our football.
“Let us have a certain level we shouldn’t go beyond when hiring coaches. As far as I’m concerned, no Nigerian coach can take us beyond the semi final of the Nations cup. Even the present white coach can’t go beyond the first round. Truth be told. Since 1994 when Clemens Westerhof left our football, we haven’t been able to get it right since that period.”
“That Era worked because it took time to build it and all stakeholders worked. The Vice president then was ready, as he linked the coaches office to his office. The coaches, officials, players, the press and indeed, everyone worked and we got results.”
“Nigeria has the resources to get a world class coach. Get him and make a deal with him for a minimum of 10 years, let him teach and build our local coaches and our youth academies. I’m not against indigenous coaches, but if they refuse to develop themselves and get the right exposure, they should not have the job,” Prince Otadeferua advised.
“There should be a scout regime for the various the national teams. Most of the players we see today, are managed by ex- international players, while some are wards of powerful individuals who find their way into the national teams through influences,” he further lamented.
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