Damunk wrote:
ukwala wrote:
It's all about the economics. If the price is right, private investors will flood the place and displace the government clubs. For now, the academy business and selling off of 'young' players is where the dough is.
What exactly are the South Africans doing that can't be implemented in Naija?
I just watched the highlights of the Orlando Pirates v Kaizer Chiefs derby and was completely amazed by the atmosphere, the attendance, the stadium and just the whole package - everything apart from the standard of football.
Have a look for yourself:
Reminiscent of Rangers v IICC v Bendel Insurance v Raccah Rovers v Vasco v Stores v Leventis v Calabar Rovers v Sharks back in the day.
What have we lost? Decency? Honesty? Passion?
I think there are two main issues affecting attendances in Nigeria.
The first one is the mass exodus of the best players from the league. In the 70's, Nigeria's best players were playing at home. There was no where else to watch Nigerian stars other than in Nigeria. Today, I am sorry to use a derogatory term but what is left in the NPFL are the dregs of the game. The South Africans, to some extent, are still able to retain some of their best talents at home. Their economy can support a reasonable standard of living for footballers and so you don't have them running to Vietnam, Cambodia, Bangladesh, North Africa, Sudan, etc.
Secondly, the advent of cable TV bringing the best of football and footballers to homes and viewing centres. Would anybody leave a Mercedes and go for an East German Trabant??
The other societal issues of insecurity, 'tactical' (win at home syndrome), economic hardship, poor organisation (the bane of Nigeria), etc. have also contributed to the unattractiveness of the local league.
We may have lost a little bit of decency and honesty (hence the 'tactical') but we have certainly not lost the passion, just that it has been transferred to Manchester United and Arsenal

. Despite the intense rivalry between clubs then, e.g. b/w Rangers and IICC, I don't think rival fans killed each other. Today, there are reports of fans of EPL fighting and killing one another so the passion is still very much there.
I recently posted an article on how NTA, yes Nigeria Television Authority had concluded plans to cash in on the craze by showing EPL games without a care for the NPFL

. When your national TV is more interested in a foreign product than the local one, you know there is trouble!!!