Repositioning Football In Nigeria
It has been over a year now going on two since Amaju Pinnick led board assumed the reign of the football arena. In one of the few interviews he granted, he came across as someone who has a clear picture of where Nigerian football should be heading too. He highlighted the fact that Nigeria football needs to begin to embrace the scientific approach to the game. To this end, the NFF has sent some referees, ex-football players /coaches and FA Congressmen on some capacity building courses in the UK. I think we need to begin to change our parochial orientation and see from a wider perspective. It is not just about qualifying for international competitions alone but we have to put the basics right and then we will enjoy many more international competitions
The problems confronting the football sector are beyond the surface, there are deep-rooted issues that need to be addressed if we are able to move forward. As the good book says "if the foundation is removed what can the righteous do". This phrase clearly stresses the importance of one's foundation as the most important factor in the Christian faith.
If we are to take a cue from the phrase above, Nigeria football needs to deal with the foundational issues before we can attain any significant height in football. The Amaju Pinnick led administration would have done well in my books if their energy is channelled in this direction. Over the years, there has been this subconscious attention to international football competitions to the neglect of administrative, structural and infrastructural development. I think it is high time we organised a football conference and it should be similar to the Nigerian National conference of 2014. It should be an outlet for all football stakeholders, such as football administrators, commentators, administrators, ex-football players, fans, the private sectors (very important), the media etc where they all come together with a cocktail of ideas to help reshape Nigerian football and begin to chart a road map to sustainable football development and culture.
Football Conference
The conference composition should be determined by the football authorities. However, the basis for the conference should be along the following lines Developmental Institute, High Impact Coaching, Football in Schools and Academies, Developing a Football Philosophy (Nigerian Style), The National League (Men & Women). There should be a realistic timeline when we should begin to see results
Development Institute
In other, for Nigeria to evolve to the desired level, a developmental institute needs to be set up. The Football Federation President Amaju Pinnick has expressed that we need to begin to imbibe science into our football which I quite subscribe to. In addition to that, we also need to have a facility with football pitches, sports medicine, rehabilitation and human performance facility which combines up to date technology with elite medical expertise. This should serve as the training camp for all the national teams. The institute should serve as the enter for the high impact coaching (I will talk about this in more detail). The institute should also serve as perfecting the football philosophy of all the national teams and by and large the football clubs should be encouraged to incorporate this philosophy.
High Impact Coaching
Another area that needs critical attention is coaching. I know we emphasize a lot on youth development but I reckon the coaching sector too. At least the FA echelon has demonstrated some sort of support by employing Nigerian managers for the apex national team (Super Eagles) in recent times. I think we need to be deliberate about it because indigenous coaches still have a lot to learn in terms of tactics and coaching without sentiments. We can collaborate with more advanced countries and set up a proper coaching institute with the sole aim of improving and developing local coaches. It is high time we stopped thinking along the foreign coaching line.
Football In Schools and Academies
I recall growing up watching school competitions like the Manuwa Adebajo Cup, Pepsi Higher institution Cup e.t.c a lot of football talents were discovered from those platforms. But with time those competitions fizzled out. I believe if this conference is considered, they will be able to come up with deliberate ways of getting the schools involved in the football fabric. Football Academies also need to be inculcated within the football system, particularly through the football clubs.
Fine tuning a football philosophy
Nigeria as a football nation should be able to have her own identity, in other words, how do Nigeria play, what makes us unique. For example, when you talk about Brazil you think of the Samba style, Italy is known for their defence mechanism, Germany is known for organisation and power and for Spain, the Tiki Taka comes to mind. From my observation over the years, Nigeria tends to be good on flanks with a lot of space. Nigeria has always produced exceptional wingers like Segun Odegbami, Adokie Amasiamka, Finidi George, Emmanuel Amuneke, Friday Elahor, Ahmed Musa to name a few. The conference should be able to put together how to include the philosophy into the fabric of Nigeria football
Football League
The football league is the conveyor belt for Nigerian football players. A country is only as strong as its football league. The Nigerian league has witnessed some improvements. Now the fans are now coming out to watch the games. The League body has just recently signed a pact with the Spanish League, however, we need to look into the structure, infrastructure and welfare for players. The conference should be able to fashion out how to encourage private ownership of clubs, academies, financial viability and much more.
The Australia Football Federation has embarked on they have tagged "We are football" following weeks of deliberation among the stakeholders. They have set up a 20-year plan to make football the largest and the most popular sport. It will be a travesty if Australia surpassed Nigeria in the future but we should not be surprised if they become a force to reckon with in world football.
The problems confronting the football sector are beyond the surface, there are deep-rooted issues that need to be addressed if we are able to move forward. As the good book says "if the foundation is removed what can the righteous do". This phrase clearly stresses the importance of one's foundation as the most important factor in the Christian faith.
If we are to take a cue from the phrase above, Nigeria football needs to deal with the foundational issues before we can attain any significant height in football. The Amaju Pinnick led administration would have done well in my books if their energy is channelled in this direction. Over the years, there has been this subconscious attention to international football competitions to the neglect of administrative, structural and infrastructural development. I think it is high time we organised a football conference and it should be similar to the Nigerian National conference of 2014. It should be an outlet for all football stakeholders, such as football administrators, commentators, administrators, ex-football players, fans, the private sectors (very important), the media etc where they all come together with a cocktail of ideas to help reshape Nigerian football and begin to chart a road map to sustainable football development and culture.
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| Football Conference |
The conference composition should be determined by the football authorities. However, the basis for the conference should be along the following lines Developmental Institute, High Impact Coaching, Football in Schools and Academies, Developing a Football Philosophy (Nigerian Style), The National League (Men & Women). There should be a realistic timeline when we should begin to see results
Development Institute
In other, for Nigeria to evolve to the desired level, a developmental institute needs to be set up. The Football Federation President Amaju Pinnick has expressed that we need to begin to imbibe science into our football which I quite subscribe to. In addition to that, we also need to have a facility with football pitches, sports medicine, rehabilitation and human performance facility which combines up to date technology with elite medical expertise. This should serve as the training camp for all the national teams. The institute should serve as the enter for the high impact coaching (I will talk about this in more detail). The institute should also serve as perfecting the football philosophy of all the national teams and by and large the football clubs should be encouraged to incorporate this philosophy.
High Impact Coaching
Another area that needs critical attention is coaching. I know we emphasize a lot on youth development but I reckon the coaching sector too. At least the FA echelon has demonstrated some sort of support by employing Nigerian managers for the apex national team (Super Eagles) in recent times. I think we need to be deliberate about it because indigenous coaches still have a lot to learn in terms of tactics and coaching without sentiments. We can collaborate with more advanced countries and set up a proper coaching institute with the sole aim of improving and developing local coaches. It is high time we stopped thinking along the foreign coaching line.
Football In Schools and Academies
I recall growing up watching school competitions like the Manuwa Adebajo Cup, Pepsi Higher institution Cup e.t.c a lot of football talents were discovered from those platforms. But with time those competitions fizzled out. I believe if this conference is considered, they will be able to come up with deliberate ways of getting the schools involved in the football fabric. Football Academies also need to be inculcated within the football system, particularly through the football clubs.
Fine tuning a football philosophy
Nigeria as a football nation should be able to have her own identity, in other words, how do Nigeria play, what makes us unique. For example, when you talk about Brazil you think of the Samba style, Italy is known for their defence mechanism, Germany is known for organisation and power and for Spain, the Tiki Taka comes to mind. From my observation over the years, Nigeria tends to be good on flanks with a lot of space. Nigeria has always produced exceptional wingers like Segun Odegbami, Adokie Amasiamka, Finidi George, Emmanuel Amuneke, Friday Elahor, Ahmed Musa to name a few. The conference should be able to put together how to include the philosophy into the fabric of Nigeria football
Football League
The football league is the conveyor belt for Nigerian football players. A country is only as strong as its football league. The Nigerian league has witnessed some improvements. Now the fans are now coming out to watch the games. The League body has just recently signed a pact with the Spanish League, however, we need to look into the structure, infrastructure and welfare for players. The conference should be able to fashion out how to encourage private ownership of clubs, academies, financial viability and much more.
The Australia Football Federation has embarked on they have tagged "We are football" following weeks of deliberation among the stakeholders. They have set up a 20-year plan to make football the largest and the most popular sport. It will be a travesty if Australia surpassed Nigeria in the future but we should not be surprised if they become a force to reckon with in world football.
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