One Way to Help the Nigerian Female Footballer

[Bell]

I haven't opened this thread to detail the shortcomings of the African women's teams a lot of which are obvious. The purpose of this thread is primarily to see how things can be turned around. And I believe it can.

When all is said and done, a lot of the problems can be eliminated thru increased funding. So where does this money come from besides govt poor budget and little that maybe comes from FIFA?

I suggest annual fund raising drives by the NFF involving well-endowed individuals, corporations and other private persons. Assume conservatively that this drive raises, say N3 per 150 million citizens, that would be roughly $1.5 million. That kind of money goes a long way in Nigeria. Invest the money conservatively and that could stretch the money a little bit more. Then use the money to support early scouting, development, facilities and equipment, and tournaments.

Another way to improve things is by arranging much more frequent tournaments among the African teams or even joint training exercises. Ignore the "big" teams because they've constituted themselves into some kind of club and invite these lesser teams to these international tournaments to justify calling them international. African teams need not seek membership into this club - they can improve on their own.

My genuine fear is that some of the teams that are currently behind the African teams will soon vault over them because they will be doing the right team whereas the CAF would be content as usual to take its place behind. Descendants of Africans in Europe and the Americas are doing very well in sports where they have superior resources, funding and management. So we can assume these are the banes of African sporting success.
Bell

[amafolas]

is there a league where girls can play regularly...also is there a pipeline for younger girls to develop necessary skills and technique at the critical ages of 9 and 15

[Damunk]

Govt-backed Sports Academies built along the lines of the FGCs.
Fed Govt Girls Sports Colleges located in roughly the same places the FGCs are found - maybe around 20 of them in total, making it roughly one academy for two states.
First rate academic institutions but with a healthy focus on sport.

Go back to successful 'sporting' institutions like Hussey College and see how they did it.

Do same for boys.

[mcal]

...good ideas, but the often changing political climate won't let it happen or succeed.
One party will build halfway, another party will come in to discontinue or destroy it.
3rd world mentality, no continuity for the good of the country and people.
The same facade Trump is doing in America today just because of his hate for his predecessor.

[Damunk]

...good ideas, but the often changing political climate won't let it happen or succeed.
One party will build halfway, another party will come in to discontinue or destroy it.
3rd world mentality, no continuity for the good of the country and people.
The same facade Trump is doing in America today just because of his hate for his predecessor.

Its always hard to tell whether Trump is a sign of things to come or just an aberrant throwback from the past.

[Mr. Piffington]

Govt-backed Sports Academies built along the lines of the FGCs.
Fed Govt Girls Sports Colleges located in roughly the same places the FGCs are found - maybe around 20 of them in total, making it roughly one academy for two states.
First rate academic institutions but with a healthy focus on sport.

Go back to successful 'sporting' institutions like Hussey College and see how they did it.

Do same for boys.

I feel like this would work for other sports that are more upper middle class and elite but not for a working class/poor like football. If we were talking about sports like tennis, field hockey, etc then yes but football needs a focus on constantly producing talents that play with an identity.

For me the begin focus should be on reforming the league. Without a proper functioning league we should forget about producing good teams. We need to ditch the European promotion/relegation model and adopt a developmental model. The men’s team will have a women’s equivalent.

[Bell]

is there a league where girls can play regularly...also is there a pipeline for younger girls to develop necessary skills and technique at the critical ages of 9 and 15

TO ANSWER YOU...


…these are some of the things the fund raisers are to address. They would be hard to accomplish without some minimum funding.
Bell

[Bell]

...good ideas, but the often changing political climate won't let it happen or succeed.
One party will build halfway, another party will come in to discontinue or destroy it.
3rd world mentality, no continuity for the good of the country and people.
The same facade Trump is doing in America today just because of his hate for his predecessor.

BEFORE KILLING IT PREMATURELY...


...let's give it a try and see how it works. I'm all for continuity in govt but this idea leaves govt out of it. It's a fund raiser by private businesses and citizens.
Bell

[Bell]

Govt-backed Sports Academies built along the lines of the FGCs.
Fed Govt Girls Sports Colleges located in roughly the same places the FGCs are found - maybe around 20 of them in total, making it roughly one academy for two states.
First rate academic institutions but with a healthy focus on sport.

Go back to successful 'sporting' institutions like Hussey College and see how they did it.

Do same for boys.

HUSSEY COLLEGE'S HAD SOME SUCCESSES, BUT....


…their approach and methods may not stand scrutiny today. In any case that was decades ago and I hope Nigeria can do better (much better) today.
Bell

[Bell]

Govt-backed Sports Academies built along the lines of the FGCs.
Fed Govt Girls Sports Colleges located in roughly the same places the FGCs are found - maybe around 20 of them in total, making it roughly one academy for two states.
First rate academic institutions but with a healthy focus on sport.

Go back to successful 'sporting' institutions like Hussey College and see how they did it.

Do same for boys.

I feel like this would work for other sports that are more upper middle class and elite but not for a working class/poor like football. If we were talking about sports like tennis, field hockey, etc then yes but football needs a focus on constantly producing talents that play with an identity.

For me the begin focus should be on reforming the league. Without a proper functioning league we should forget about producing good teams. We need to ditch the European promotion/relegation model and adopt a developmental model. The men’s team will have a women’s equivalent.

IF IT'S PERCEIVED THAT ENOUGH MONEY CAN BE RAISED FOR OTHER SPORTS...


…I'm all for it. Otherwise, this is specifically for the women's soccer. I absolutely see no reason why raising money for it would not work. As for promotion/relegation, I've opined several times here that this is a system whose time has come and gone.
Bell

[zoro]

FIFA has taken football away from govt. So they are on their own now.

[marko]

In the UK, the sporting authorities use the national lottery fund for sports, before the Olympics in 2012, million of pounds were invested in sports men and women and the result of this was the UK highest ever medal haul , 29 gold, 17 silver and 19 bronze, A Nigerian national lottery can definitely be set up, will be a chance to create millionaires every week, also a chance to set aside millions if not billions for funding charities, sporting, infrastructure and what not, Nigeria needs a proper structure in its football set up, right from grassroot levels to produce the next talent, there should be football academies in every state for both male / female, football should be encouraged in schools, competitions, it is our national sport, lots of work needs to be done, you cant show up at this level will average teams and expect to perform well, watch the other teams play without bias and compare this to the African sides, though they are not too far off but the difference is clear, corruption is another issues but not really worth mentioning

[Damunk]

In the UK, the sporting authorities use the national lottery fund for sports, before the Olympics in 2012, million of pounds were invested in sports men and women and the result of this was the UK highest ever medal haul , 29 gold, 17 silver and 19 bronze, A Nigerian national lottery can definitely be set up, will be a chance to create millionaires every week, also a chance to set aside millions if not billions for funding charities, sporting, infrastructure and what not, Nigeria needs a proper structure in its football set up, right from grassroot levels to produce the next talent, there should be football academies in every state for both male/female, football should be encouraged in schools, competitions, it is our national sport, lots of work needs to be done, you cant show up at this level will average teams and expect to perform well, watch the other teams play without bias and compare this to the African sides, though they are not too far off but the difference is clear, corruption is another issues but not really worth mentioning

In principle sounds great, but I really don't trust Nigerians to get it done - and I hate hearing myself say that.
In fact, I believe (and this is probably my cynicism here) that private run schemes like this have even less a chance of succeeding because peeps, will just chop the money clean mouth.

Its why I will forever bang on about non-govt corruption being the greater evil. Nigerians are good at pointing fingers but forget that the other four fingers are pointing right back at them.

[marko]

In the UK, the sporting authorities use the national lottery fund for sports, before the Olympics in 2012, million of pounds were invested in sports men and women and the result of this was the UK highest ever medal haul , 29 gold, 17 silver and 19 bronze, A Nigerian national lottery can definitely be set up, will be a chance to create millionaires every week, also a chance to set aside millions if not billions for funding charities, sporting, infrastructure and what not, Nigeria needs a proper structure in its football set up, right from grassroot levels to produce the next talent, there should be football academies in every state for both male/female, football should be encouraged in schools, competitions, it is our national sport, lots of work needs to be done, you cant show up at this level will average teams and expect to perform well, watch the other teams play without bias and compare this to the African sides, though they are not too far off but the difference is clear, corruption is another issues but not really worth mentioning

In principle sounds great, but I really don't trust Nigerians to get it done - and I hate hearing myself say that.
In fact, I believe (and this is probably my cynicism here) that private run schemes like this have even less a chance of succeeding because peeps, will just chop the money clean mouth.

Its why I will forever bang on about non-govt corruption being the greater evil. Nigerians are good at pointing fingers but forget that the other four fingers are pointing right back at them.

I used the lottery as an example, what better chance to create millionaires every week in Nigeria?? i am sure it will be a bit hit, also scratch cards as well, for me, this will be a win-win situation, no government involvement though, let a private company run the national lottery, left to the government, they will surely loot the lottery funds, even bring in competent foreigners to show us how it is done! the UK for example, what is lacking is funding, been Nigeria biggest issue with regards to sports, once you take funding out of the picture, players will not feel the need to go abroad to play for pittance, it is far easier if majority of the players are within the country, Nigeria is a football hungry nation, we should not be experiencing issues like this

[mcal]

...good ideas, but the often changing political climate won't let it happen or succeed.
One party will build halfway, another party will come in to discontinue or destroy it.
3rd world mentality, no continuity for the good of the country and people.
The same facade Trump is doing in America today just because of his hate for his predecessor.

Its always hard to tell whether Trump is a sign of things to come or just an aberrant throwback from the past.

...nope, Trump shtick will end when he's gone and disgraced.
The only problem is his use of the line "fake news" has gathered storm and every 3rd world, and dictatorial regimes use it now.

[Showboy]

Govt-backed Sports Academies built along the lines of the FGCs.
Fed Govt Girls Sports Colleges located in roughly the same places the FGCs are found - maybe around 20 of them in total, making it roughly one academy for two states.
First rate academic institutions but with a healthy focus on sport.

Go back to successful 'sporting' institutions like Hussey College and see how they did it.

Do same for boys.

I feel like this would work for other sports that are more upper middle class and elite but not for a working class/poor like football. If we were talking about sports like tennis, field hockey, etc then yes but football needs a focus on constantly producing talents that play with an identity.

For me the begin focus should be on reforming the league. Without a proper functioning league we should forget about producing good teams. We need to ditch the European promotion/relegation model and adopt a developmental model. The men’s team will have a women’s equivalent.

A lot of very solid points in this thread which hit home.

I use my experiences as a testament to what clear vision and planning can achieve. The English a few years ago realised they didn't have an identity and pushed for all grass root coaches to have a minimum of the Level 1 badge to ensure kids received a certain level of football education which linked into the English 'DNA'. To cut a long story short what started out as a bit of a jaunt has got me to the point I'm finishing off my UEFA B badges. I currently work with the female U 13 and some of the mistakes noted in our womens national teams are stuff that I teach the U13's not to do.

If there is a vision and a plan - there is a way.

[oscar52]

Govt-backed Sports Academies built along the lines of the FGCs.
Fed Govt Girls Sports Colleges located in roughly the same places the FGCs are found - maybe around 20 of them in total, making it roughly one academy for two states.
First rate academic institutions but with a healthy focus on sport.

Go back to successful 'sporting' institutions like Hussey College and see how they did it.

Do same for boys.

I feel like this would work for other sports that are more upper middle class and elite but not for a working class/poor like football. If we were talking about sports like tennis, field hockey, etc then yes but football needs a focus on constantly producing talents that play with an identity.

For me the begin focus should be on reforming the league. Without a proper functioning league we should forget about producing good teams. We need to ditch the European promotion/relegation model and adopt a developmental model. The men’s team will have a women’s equivalent.

+1

[Bell]

In the UK, the sporting authorities use the national lottery fund for sports, before the Olympics in 2012, million of pounds were invested in sports men and women and the result of this was the UK highest ever medal haul , 29 gold, 17 silver and 19 bronze, A Nigerian national lottery can definitely be set up, will be a chance to create millionaires every week, also a chance to set aside millions if not billions for funding charities, sporting, infrastructure and what not, Nigeria needs a proper structure in its football set up, right from grassroot levels to produce the next talent, there should be football academies in every state for both male/female, football should be encouraged in schools, competitions, it is our national sport, lots of work needs to be done, you cant show up at this level will average teams and expect to perform well, watch the other teams play without bias and compare this to the African sides, though they are not too far off but the difference is clear, corruption is another issues but not really worth mentioning

In principle sounds great, but I really don't trust Nigerians to get it done - and I hate hearing myself say that.
In fact, I believe (and this is probably my cynicism here) that private run schemes like this have even less a chance of succeeding because peeps, will just chop the money clean mouth.

Its why I will forever bang on about non-govt corruption being the greater evil. Nigerians are good at pointing fingers but forget that the other four fingers are pointing right back at them.

damunk, I THOUGHT ABOUT THIS CORRUPTION ISSUE MYSELF, AND...


…I concluded that we cannot allow considerations like this stop Nigeria from implementing what would otherwise be a good idea. I think there's less corruption in the private sector if only because private people would not allow themselves to be ripped off. If people need further assurance that the money won't end up in the wrong hands, a committee of the corporate donors can be set up to manage the funds with maximum transparency and accounting controls baked in.
Bell

[Bell]

In the UK, the sporting authorities use the national lottery fund for sports, before the Olympics in 2012, million of pounds were invested in sports men and women and the result of this was the UK highest ever medal haul , 29 gold, 17 silver and 19 bronze, A Nigerian national lottery can definitely be set up, will be a chance to create millionaires every week, also a chance to set aside millions if not billions for funding charities, sporting, infrastructure and what not, Nigeria needs a proper structure in its football set up, right from grassroot levels to produce the next talent, there should be football academies in every state for both male/female, football should be encouraged in schools, competitions, it is our national sport, lots of work needs to be done, you cant show up at this level will average teams and expect to perform well, watch the other teams play without bias and compare this to the African sides, though they are not too far off but the difference is clear, corruption is another issues but not really worth mentioning

In principle sounds great, but I really don't trust Nigerians to get it done - and I hate hearing myself say that.
In fact, I believe (and this is probably my cynicism here) that private run schemes like this have even less a chance of succeeding because peeps, will just chop the money clean mouth.

Its why I will forever bang on about non-govt corruption being the greater evil. Nigerians are good at pointing fingers but forget that the other four fingers are pointing right back at them.

I used the lottery as an example, what better chance to create millionaires every week in Nigeria?? i am sure it will be a bit hit, also scratch cards as well, for me, this will be a win-win situation, no government involvement though, let a private company run the national lottery, left to the government, they will surely loot the lottery funds, even bring in competent foreigners to show us how it is done! the UK for example, what is lacking is funding, been Nigeria biggest issue with regards to sports, once you take funding out of the picture, players will not feel the need to go abroad to play for pittance, it is far easier if majority of the players are within the country, Nigeria is a football hungry nation, we should not be experiencing issues like this

BECAUSE OF THE HIGHLIGHTED...


…I've also been proposing the WA Regional League which would bring back most of the region's best players, and even players from other parts of the world. Here they can avoid all the negative issues associated with leaving their homes for foreign lands.
Bell

[marko]

In the UK, the sporting authorities use the national lottery fund for sports, before the Olympics in 2012, million of pounds were invested in sports men and women and the result of this was the UK highest ever medal haul , 29 gold, 17 silver and 19 bronze, A Nigerian national lottery can definitely be set up, will be a chance to create millionaires every week, also a chance to set aside millions if not billions for funding charities, sporting, infrastructure and what not, Nigeria needs a proper structure in its football set up, right from grassroot levels to produce the next talent, there should be football academies in every state for both male/female, football should be encouraged in schools, competitions, it is our national sport, lots of work needs to be done, you cant show up at this level will average teams and expect to perform well, watch the other teams play without bias and compare this to the African sides, though they are not too far off but the difference is clear, corruption is another issues but not really worth mentioning

In principle sounds great, but I really don't trust Nigerians to get it done - and I hate hearing myself say that.
In fact, I believe (and this is probably my cynicism here) that private run schemes like this have even less a chance of succeeding because peeps, will just chop the money clean mouth.

Its why I will forever bang on about non-govt corruption being the greater evil. Nigerians are good at pointing fingers but forget that the other four fingers are pointing right back at them.

I used the lottery as an example, what better chance to create millionaires every week in Nigeria?? i am sure it will be a bit hit, also scratch cards as well, for me, this will be a win-win situation, no government involvement though, let a private company run the national lottery, left to the government, they will surely loot the lottery funds, even bring in competent foreigners to show us how it is done! the UK for example, what is lacking is funding, been Nigeria biggest issue with regards to sports, once you take funding out of the picture, players will not feel the need to go abroad to play for pittance, it is far easier if majority of the players are within the country, Nigeria is a football hungry nation, we should not be experiencing issues like this

BECAUSE OF THE HIGHLIGHTED...


…I've also been proposing the WA Regional League which would bring back most of the region's best players, and even players from other parts of the world. Here they can avoid all the negative issues associated with leaving their homes for foreign lands.
Bell

leave Nigeria football to the private sector, they have proven to be quite competent, or at least a shared partnership, national lottery fund is the way forward, i dont know the mechanism to start this but the long term benefits are immense