The Nigeria Technical Department has released a list made of 99% of only foreign-based players, with just one local player and that’s Ojo, the Bendel Insurance goalkeeper.
Is there a kind of philosophy going on that we also need to know, or what exactly is the objective of continuing with this style?
The TD knows what this means to the entire Nigeria league system. This closes the strong marketing elements that the presence of a home-based player brings.
Stakeholders have continued with their strong arguments on various football platforms and continuing in this style isn’t just the best for the development of the NPFL.
Truth be told. Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye and his NPFL board have done so much in the short time they came on board. The aspect of not having any kind of representation with the senior national team of Nigeria in the form of players isn’t logical.
Not including a few players from the NPFL goes on to affirm the fact that, during the last dispensation of the football house, they have been unable to discover any single exciting player from the local league that has through the Super Eagles gained recognition. Just step out of Nigeria and then expect to receive the next Super Eagles call-up irrespective of where you are balling save Nigeria. This isn’t good for the marketing of our raw materials, which are our local coaches and local players.
Yes, Tanzania has now invested so much in their economy over the years and also into their football respectively. But our football house has to be very objective on how they intend to market themselves and be marketed to investors from within and abroad.
Stakeholders and investors in the diaspora expect to see some NPFL players in the Super Eagles team since they also hold high the work of the current NPFL Board.
Whichever way anyone might interpret this article, it is put out there to aid our football house to have a rethink. Especially, if there be any form of standing orders in this respect, now could be the best time to start reversing such orders.
I end this article siting the practical work I did in Nigeria in the last years, with Galaxy Sports Academy. One could see that Nigeria has great football talent but needs coaches who have gone through the right system. And mostly, ones dedicated to ‘seeing players transit’ from ‘nothing to something.’ Some of the players we picked and trained not long ago have become professional football players and the coaches working with them can testify that they must have had a very good youth development.
When there is a will there’s a way!Austin Akpehe is the Executive Chairman / CEO of Galaxy Sports Development China and Galaxy Sports Academy NigeriaGalaxy Sports production
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