[Ommission of home based players from the Super Eagles squad for on-going AFCON 2023 Part1]
Firstly, let’s all agree that Nigeria has become a ‘football hub’ for talent in the last 10 to 12 years. The exodus has been there as far back and man has never stopped seeking to achieve something new after all. In the last decade, Nigeria has been among the countries with most players plying their football trade outside their homeland and the highest number of diaspora-born footballers in the world.
Certain football stakeholders and sports commentators on several platforms including Sports World have made a serious case for Nigeria local league players because of their not been selected for the Super Eagles A team. Stating certain reasons and also mentioning Amaju Pinnick, the former NFF President as being the originator of such a structure. It is true, if you intend to speak about this subject, Pinnick must be mentioned, since he promoted and his administration mostly took it to the next level. I choose to speak about Pinnick and his role in my next edition.
Consequentially, intending to treat this issue definitely takes us down the record lane to have a glimpse at the postive impact this has brought to nation building. The diaspora has improved a certain percentage on the GDP of the economy of Nigeria and every Nigerian president never failed to acknowledge that fact in the last years. Foreign grown players have definitely contributed to nation-building through their families in a way so many have failed to see. They should be appreciated.
Nigeria got Anthony Joshua just in 2019, when he agreed to visit for the first time, and he’s 100% gotten his lineage back. That’s why this kind of integration in sport should highly be encouraged. The nation stands to benefit in the end.
Competition is encouraged when such doors are left open and talent greatly becomes effective when this concept continues to be applied in the correct manner with the Super Eagles.
Other African nations have also seen the benefits aligned with such inclusivity and invested in it and they are all growing together. Ghana, Senegal, Morocco, Cameroon and others. The truth remains, homegrown talents would not directly have easy access to the Super Eagles as it used to be. They have to work harder on that level before they are included in the A team of the senior national team. In both ways the nation ends winning in the end. If they play in their local leagues and attract offers abroad, they end up been selected after good performances and if they remain in the local leagues, they stand the chance of playing for the Super Eagles B team meant for only local league players and can also be selected.
Direct access to the senior national A team from local club-side should still be encouraged. A Super Eagles B team should definitely be in place, where any Super Eagles coach can always have options to look at ‘if they suit his style’ and not only when preparing for CHAN competitions. The fact remains, players selected from club-sides to play for the Super Eagles A team have a career boost and that marketing strategy should never be abandoned too.
This issues should be tackled by the NFF and possibly by the Ministry of Sports, hence the need for an all-inclusive feeling from every football party, especially the local players that currently feel left out.
Pinnick and how his role imparted on this method will be clarified in my next edition. I will also make valid points and dish out suggestions regarding the main headline. Why I believe NFF’s criteria for the selection into the Super Eagles A team currently includes the local league players will also be clearly presented.
Austin Akpehe
Galaxy Sports Development China / Galaxy Sports Academy Nigeria
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