Poor performance loses Nigeria 2 continental slots.

[Enugu II]

Why don't we care about continental competitions anymore?

... because we follow other countries/continental leagues, buy their jerseys, fight each other, write articles about those teams instead of ours. Even here in the forum, the football section (Eagles Nest) is beginning to be dominated by European league teams' discussion. Thus, you see ...

Where have you been all these years?

Chief, I have always been here and have raised the issue severally! I am just trying to say it "mildly", else the trend is alarming and will get worse this season. I don't know why the fans of such football leagues is making this forum the place to brag and discuss their teams instead of going to their teams' Sites to do so.

When I visited home (Nigeria) about a year ago, I saw several people wearing the Jerseys of the English premier league (EPL) teams, but saw none wearing the Nigerian teams' Jerseys. In all, I think we deserve the dropping from two teams to one. We are no longer as good as we used to be - that is my opinion..

Preach on!!! Now, I really do not mind much on which teams guys support but attempting to 'capture' this website dedicated to Nigerian football is another matter and one that is very infuriating.

It's always good how we side step the real problem.

It is under Pinnick that this happened, yet it is conveniently forgotten... But if the clubs were doing well, we will be told about the reforms and investment brought in by Pinnick.

For the records Pinnick is an Arsenal season ticket holder. When was the last time you saw Pinnick in a Nigerian league match? Well, he spends all his time bringing everything made in Nigeria down.

Fabio,

Your analysis is not quite on point. You may want to review the way CAF decides country slots at the continental club competitions. It takes into consideration performance in the last five years. Nigeria's performance for years now (not just last five) has been quite poor and can be explained. Is Pinnick part of the problem? Perhaps but it seems to me that the problem has existed before Pinnick. Unfortunately for him he has, to his detriment, been a public promoter of everything foreign. But even that does not fully explain the problem at the club level, IMHO.

Here is what I believe is happening and bear in mind that Enyimba has won two continental cups during the period that Nigeria's poor performance occurred which stretches back to late 1990s. Those Enyimba wins can be explained and I hope you understand why they won and why it is an aberration. Here we go --the inability of Nigeria to perform at the top in continental competition is correlated to a large number of emerging players emigrating for professional careers overseas. Note that this correlation is not unique to Nigeria. Take a look at performance of Ghana and Cameroon clubs as well.In fact, Ghana lost its slot much earlier and Nigeria survived until now because of the Enyimba aberration which I will explain shortly. At the opposite end is that North Africa has dominated, especially, during this period perhaps because several of their players do not emigrate. Additionally, top North African clubs sign the best players from other African countries including Nigerians. If you then take a look at fixtures for Nigerian clubs in recent years you will note that we have had to meet North African clubs or major clubs from other areas (e.g. Sudan's EL Merreikh or Ahli) quite early and the results are predictable for those who follow continental club competitions. I predicted some of our losses even before those games were played, Pinnick or no Pinnick!

So how then did Enyimba win its continental championship? This, if I recall correctly, were won under Taiwo Ogunjobi's regime as Sec-Gen. Prior to Enyimba's success, Nigeria was just as pitiful as it is today. However, he devised a method which was at the time published in the media. He urged other clubs to loan their top players to Enyimba for the tournament. In essence, Enyimba became similar to what we today call the CHAN team. I remember vividly that one such player was Garba "Pele" Ahmed whom Pillars loaned to Enyimba. but that later led to an official protest from Enyimba's opponents and that Enyimba won that protest was a shock to me, TBH. Why? Pele while playing in the continent for Enyimba was at the same time playing in the league for Pillars! That was double registration and these games were reported in the Nigerian media and even a video surfaced as evidence but NFA (at the time) claimed the video was from a previous year So Enyimba's win survived. Shortly after that Ogunjobi project stopped as clubs held on to their players as they did not want them moving permanently to a local competitor. So also Nigeria's chances of winning in the continent.

Can Nigeria win without the type of Ogunjobi Project? I think so but it will be a lot more difficult. Compounding the problem is the high level of player turnover in the clubs every transfer season which creates instability. Fortunately, clubs like Enyimba, Rangers, and Pillars experience less of such turnovers.

[theYemster]

Well Nigeria doesn’t invest in its football and so the rot continues!

We are told Pinnick has brought in an unprecedented about of funding into Football... The more you look, the less you see.....

He has brought investment, i keep saying the issue is not money, but how to generate interest locally, I tried to follow Sunshine Star when I wen to Ondo State recentlyand guys we have a long way to go

Besides I thought the league is not under Pinnik but instead managed by a separate body?

[Prince]

Well Nigeria doesn’t invest in its football and so the rot continues!

We are told Pinnick has brought in an unprecedented about of funding into Football... The more you look, the less you see.....

He has brought investment, i keep saying the issue is not money, but how to generate interest locally, I tried to follow Sunshine Star when I wen to Ondo State recentlyand guys we have a long way to go

Besides I thought the league is not under Pinnik but instead managed by a separate body?

http://www.goal.com/en-ng/news/4111/npf ... mpany-boss

But they are all involved and no shame from anyone of them.

This reduces the chances for our boys to show case themseves or make a living...shame more is not being made of this