CE's Bell: Infantino Calls for 20-team African League.....

[Bell]

FIFA's Infantino's call for a 20-team African league echoes the ideas that Bell shared in CE not long ago about creating a newWest African league that was roundly opposed in CE because it was difficult for several to think outside-the-box.

Infantino wants to create an "African league" for clubs
https://www.time24.news/2019/11/infanti ... clubs.html
November 28, 201905


FIFA President Gianni Infantino has called for the creation of an "African league" and has called for a billion stadium investment on the continent to "bring African football to the top of the world".

"I want to bring African football to the top of the world". In Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gianni Infantino on Friday outlined two major ideas to support the development of football in Africa: the creation of a championship gathering the best clubs on the continent, but also a massive investment to build and improve stages.

"You have to take the top 20 clubs in Africa and have them play in an African league, and that league can generate at least $ 200 million in revenue, putting it in the top 10 globally overnight," he said. Italian-Swiss leader, present in Lubumbashi for the 80th anniversary of Almighty Mazembe, one of the biggest clubs in Africa. The challenge is to stop the departure of African players to other championships around the world, according to him.

"One Billion" for stadiums

As for stadiums, Gianni Infantino appealed to investors "to raise a billion so that we can equip each African country with a real football stadium to Fifa standards, international standards."

Expected Friday in Brazzaville to continue this African tour after making a stop in Mozambique, the boss of world football also said he wants to "professionalize" and "depoliticize" arbitration in Africa: "We will take the best African referees, we will the salariers ".

I doubt if any Naijarian team will meet up with the criteria to play in such a league.

BTW, why did banks stop sponsoring/owning football teams in Naijaria?

It kills banks . All the banks that owned clubs are dead; New Nigeria bank, National bank, ACB??? In fact, it kills businesses; Leventis, Nigeria Airways, Abiola babes, Flash flamingos, etc. etc. Moral is; do not mix business and pleasure
On a serious note, football does not make money in Nigeria and most businesses are struggling.

True! Didn't see it that way.

But on a serious note, why don't they see it as a form of branding and marketing?

Simple, it has ZERO value in reality.

Infantino is speaking like a real expatriate totally clueless about local conditions.

What Nigeria needs is to first revitalize her domestic football and the clubs therein...

txj, YOU MAY WANT TO CONSIDER THAT...


…Infantino didn't put out this proposal without first consulting with those who understand the "local conditions". I agree that Nigeria's domestic league can be revitalized (I've put out a plan for that here) but I don't see why a the wider league (I prefer regional to continental) won't work. You say so but you don't tell us why.
Bell

[Bell]

16 team CAFCL never do?

WITH ALL RESPECT...


...this has done zilch for African soccer.
Bell

[Bell]

FIFA's Infantino's call for a 20-team African league echoes the ideas that Bell shared in CE not long ago about creating a newWest African league that was roundly opposed in CE because it was difficult for several to think outside-the-box.

Infantino wants to create an "African league" for clubs
https://www.time24.news/2019/11/infanti ... clubs.html
November 28, 201905


FIFA President Gianni Infantino has called for the creation of an "African league" and has called for a billion stadium investment on the continent to "bring African football to the top of the world".

"I want to bring African football to the top of the world". In Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gianni Infantino on Friday outlined two major ideas to support the development of football in Africa: the creation of a championship gathering the best clubs on the continent, but also a massive investment to build and improve stages.

"You have to take the top 20 clubs in Africa and have them play in an African league, and that league can generate at least $ 200 million in revenue, putting it in the top 10 globally overnight," he said. Italian-Swiss leader, present in Lubumbashi for the 80th anniversary of Almighty Mazembe, one of the biggest clubs in Africa. The challenge is to stop the departure of African players to other championships around the world, according to him.

"One Billion" for stadiums

As for stadiums, Gianni Infantino appealed to investors "to raise a billion so that we can equip each African country with a real football stadium to Fifa standards, international standards."

Expected Friday in Brazzaville to continue this African tour after making a stop in Mozambique, the boss of world football also said he wants to "professionalize" and "depoliticize" arbitration in Africa: "We will take the best African referees, we will the salariers ".

I doubt if any Naijarian team will meet up with the criteria to play in such a league.

BTW, why did banks stop sponsoring/owning football teams in Naijaria?

It kills banks . All the banks that owned clubs are dead; New Nigeria bank, National bank, ACB??? In fact, it kills businesses; Leventis, Nigeria Airways, Abiola babes, Flash flamingos, etc. etc. Moral is; do not mix business and pleasure
On a serious note, football does not make money in Nigeria and most businesses are struggling.

I know you're joking, but its not true.

We just don't make long term commitment to things and stick with it. This includes setting up proper structures for long term sustainability.

The Leventis family is still in Nigeria making boatloads of money with CocaCola. First Bank is still there.

This is where a bit of knowledge with things like endowment & trust management will be useful. Dedicate 5% of your PAT for 10 years to set up a cause (Football club, Art Gallery etc) till it can stand on its own. You can continue to provide bridge finance occasionally if necessary, but the objective is for it to be independent soon.

That is how a small Afikaaner Newspaper in South Africa was able to set up Naspeirs & MIH & they birthed DSTV, MTN & co.

That is also why you must respect Atedo Peterside, Fola & Tayo & Subomi Balogun (though theirs has to do more with the succession planning side of sustainability). Also these guys left voluntarily unlike Jim & Tony who were forced to hand over.

Chairman Cellular, talking about commitment and structure (so my words don't condemn me), I have deliverables to you. It will happen this December. We must practice what we preach.

I hope to also extend this to some sort of sports media (We will invite CEs that blow big grammar & also have YoungJohn12 come and defend Rohr with bad grammar) & a youth sports team. Yet to decide if it will be football or basketball though.

God grant us life, grace, health and wisdom.

16 team CAFCL never do?

I do not think that this has anything to do with the CAFCL at all nor does it require countries to dsend representatives. What is conceptualized has no bearing with what currently exists. Imagine something entirely different.

You mean similar to the basketball equivalent? With the current state of economies?

SURE...


…the current state of the economies is bad but who says this has to be a permanent thing? Besides, isn't this the kind of activity you need to help revive the economy? Can the economy improve if the current state is used as an excuse for just folding the arms?
Bell

[Bell]

Simple, it has ZERO value in reality.

Infantino is speaking like a real expatriate totally clueless about local conditions.

What Nigeria needs is to first revitalize her domestic football and the clubs therein...
The

You seem to stick to status quo. Infantino is asking you to think outside the current box and dream of something totally new and not rooted in the current or past.h

You have to first understand what is in the box before you can think outside of it...

The challenge is NOT NECESSARILY "the departure of African players to other championships around the world", but the lack of a sustainable domestic club structure and league to enable players develop.

An African league can work if all the leagues in sub-Saharan African countries were at the same level as the Maghreb countries.

The notion of an African "super league" totally ignores the absence of a proper domestic base for football in many African countries and is at this point completely utopian!

THE EXODUS OF AFRICAN PLAYERS IS DEFINITELY A MAJOR PROBLEM


If you can bring the bulk of these players back and plow them into a few clubs, you have a very talented base of players. All they need now is to put a good club and league management around them. Consider for a second my plan which is for a regional league and where Nigeria gets at least two clubs, these would be essentially the Super Eagles' Team A and Team B. The same goes for the other countries which should be able to bring back their own players and you have a very competitive league with traditional rivalries. Now, I envisage players being free to play for clubs in any country so a Nigerian player would not necessarily end up in Nigeria but this should not diminish the quality of the players in the club. In fact, it won't surprise me if players from outside Africa seek spots in these clubs. You'd want to improve domestic clubs that are not part of this regional league but that may not be necessary for this super league to succeed.
Bell

[Bell]

You have to first understand what is in the box before you can think outside of it...

The challenge is NOT NECESSARILY "the departure of African players to other championships around the world", but the lack of a sustainable domestic club structure and league to enable players develop.

An African league can work if all the leagues in sub-Saharan African countries were at the same level as the Maghreb countries.

The notion of an African "super league" totally ignores the absence of a proper domestic base for football in many African countries and is at this point completely utopian!

Even with a great home league, there will still be departures to other "greater" leagues and even "weaker" leagues for all sorts of reasons.

All 50 odd sub-Saharan countries league will probably never be at the same level as the 5 Maghreb countries.

The 16 team CAFCL can currently meet the demands of the Super Pan-African soccer league. Some clubs in Sub-Sahara Africa can compete effectively against the best of the Maghreb region. The issues of infrastructure will still be a challenge.

THE DEPARTURES YOU FEAR CAN ESSENTIALLY BE ELIMINATED


If the league is well planned and well managed, and generates revenues from the gate, television and merchandize, you can afford to pay the players competitively. Even if you can pay them, say, 75% of what they can make if they depart, the player would now have to decide if the advantages of remaining at home do make up the 25% difference, The considerations would include:

1) Being able to remain at home with family, friends and a familiar culture and environment.
2) Not being subjected to the racism some players have experienced.
3) For those with national aspirations, being seen frequently by the national coach.
4) Not having to travel half way around the world in response to national call.

You may lose a player like Salah or Mane but the success of the league won't depend on them and the foreign clubs would have to pay dearly for the Salahs and Manes. I don't expect any member of the current SE to be the target of bidding between a local club and European.
Bell

[Bell]

Infantino wants to create an "African league" for clubs
https://www.time24.news/2019/11/infanti ... clubs.html
November 28, 201905


FIFA President Gianni Infantino has called for the creation of an "African league" and has called for a billion stadium investment on the continent to "bring African football to the top of the world".

"I want to bring African football to the top of the world". In Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gianni Infantino on Friday outlined two major ideas to support the development of football in Africa: the creation of a championship gathering the best clubs on the continent, but also a massive investment to build and improve stages.

"You have to take the top 20 clubs in Africa and have them play in an African league, and that league can generate at least $ 200 million in revenue, putting it in the top 10 globally overnight," he said. Italian-Swiss leader, present in Lubumbashi for the 80th anniversary of Almighty Mazembe, one of the biggest clubs in Africa. The challenge is to stop the departure of African players to other championships around the world, according to him.

"One Billion" for stadiums

As for stadiums, Gianni Infantino appealed to investors "to raise a billion so that we can equip each African country with a real football stadium to Fifa standards, international standards."

Expected Friday in Brazzaville to continue this African tour after making a stop in Mozambique, the boss of world football also said he wants to "professionalize" and "depoliticize" arbitration in Africa: "We will take the best African referees, we will the salariers ".

You seem to stick to status quo. Infantino is asking you to think outside the current box and dream of something totally new and not rooted in the current or past.h

You have to first understand what is in the box before you can think outside of it...

The challenge is NOT NECESSARILY "the departure of African players to other championships around the world", but the lack of a sustainable domestic club structure and league to enable players develop.

An African league can work if all the leagues in sub-Saharan African countries were at the same level as the Maghreb countries.

The notion of an African "super league" totally ignores the absence of a proper domestic base for football in many African countries and is at this point completely utopian!

txj,

The highlighted is a great demonstration of what I mean by being trapped in the box. The underlined defines what exists now but Infantino is talking about something entirely different with little relationship with what currently exist. For instance, the fact that a Central African club is not on the same level as a club in Egypt NOW does not mean that they cannot be on the same level when the new plan is implemented. First, you have to remove all thinking about what exists NOW and allow an ability to think outside of it. You talk about the national leagues but that has no reference to what Infantino is talking about -- a continental league! Re-thinking is required.

AGREED, AND...


…I'm not sure why some can't see this. Why do people want to think that Africa is permanently mired in mediocrity? On a different sphere, Ethiopian airline has already shown people what Africans can do if they refuse to submit to low expectations. Similarly, those who have visited Rwanda have come back with success stories which could not happen if they'd given in to mantra that nothing good can be done in Africa.
Bell

[Bell]

Infantino wants to create an "African league" for clubs
https://www.time24.news/2019/11/infanti ... clubs.html
November 28, 201905


FIFA President Gianni Infantino has called for the creation of an "African league" and has called for a billion stadium investment on the continent to "bring African football to the top of the world".

"I want to bring African football to the top of the world". In Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gianni Infantino on Friday outlined two major ideas to support the development of football in Africa: the creation of a championship gathering the best clubs on the continent, but also a massive investment to build and improve stages.

"You have to take the top 20 clubs in Africa and have them play in an African league, and that league can generate at least $ 200 million in revenue, putting it in the top 10 globally overnight," he said. Italian-Swiss leader, present in Lubumbashi for the 80th anniversary of Almighty Mazembe, one of the biggest clubs in Africa. The challenge is to stop the departure of African players to other championships around the world, according to him.

"One Billion" for stadiums

As for stadiums, Gianni Infantino appealed to investors "to raise a billion so that we can equip each African country with a real football stadium to Fifa standards, international standards."

Expected Friday in Brazzaville to continue this African tour after making a stop in Mozambique, the boss of world football also said he wants to "professionalize" and "depoliticize" arbitration in Africa: "We will take the best African referees, we will the salariers ".

You seem to stick to status quo. Infantino is asking you to think outside the current box and dream of something totally new and not rooted in the current or past.h

You have to first understand what is in the box before you can think outside of it...

The challenge is NOT NECESSARILY "the departure of African players to other championships around the world", but the lack of a sustainable domestic club structure and league to enable players develop.

An African league can work if all the leagues in sub-Saharan African countries were at the same level as the Maghreb countries.

The notion of an African "super league" totally ignores the absence of a proper domestic base for football in many African countries and is at this point completely utopian!

txj,

The highlighted is a great demonstration of what I mean by being trapped in the box. The underlined defines what exists now but Infantino is talking about something entirely different with little relationship with what currently exist. For instance, the fact that a Central African club is not on the same level as a club in Egypt NOW does not mean that they cannot be on the same level when the new plan is implemented. First, you have to remove all thinking about what exists NOW and allow an ability to think outside of it. You talk about the national leagues but that has no reference to what Infantino is talking about -- a continental league! Re-thinking is required.

My point is that the fanciful proposal seeks to make us all automatically make a leap of faith to an utopian world where a Nigerian domestic club which is unable to pay its players regularly, has no medical infrastructure, insurance or a system of record keeping, can suddenly be parachuted to an African super league, and all its problems magically disappear!!!

I can understand an Infantino making these utopian suggestions, but there's zero excuse for a Nigerian follower of the game!

"FANCIFUL" IDEAS CAN BECOME REALITIES - IT JUST REQUIRES BELIEVERS


See Ethiopian airlines, which is able to compete with the best in the world, and the miracle of Rwanda.
Bell

[txj]

Infantino wants to create an "African league" for clubs
https://www.time24.news/2019/11/infanti ... clubs.html
November 28, 201905


FIFA President Gianni Infantino has called for the creation of an "African league" and has called for a billion stadium investment on the continent to "bring African football to the top of the world".

"I want to bring African football to the top of the world". In Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gianni Infantino on Friday outlined two major ideas to support the development of football in Africa: the creation of a championship gathering the best clubs on the continent, but also a massive investment to build and improve stages.

"You have to take the top 20 clubs in Africa and have them play in an African league, and that league can generate at least $ 200 million in revenue, putting it in the top 10 globally overnight," he said. Italian-Swiss leader, present in Lubumbashi for the 80th anniversary of Almighty Mazembe, one of the biggest clubs in Africa. The challenge is to stop the departure of African players to other championships around the world, according to him.

"One Billion" for stadiums

As for stadiums, Gianni Infantino appealed to investors "to raise a billion so that we can equip each African country with a real football stadium to Fifa standards, international standards."

Expected Friday in Brazzaville to continue this African tour after making a stop in Mozambique, the boss of world football also said he wants to "professionalize" and "depoliticize" arbitration in Africa: "We will take the best African referees, we will the salariers ".

You seem to stick to status quo. Infantino is asking you to think outside the current box and dream of something totally new and not rooted in the current or past.h

You have to first understand what is in the box before you can think outside of it...

The challenge is NOT NECESSARILY "the departure of African players to other championships around the world", but the lack of a sustainable domestic club structure and league to enable players develop.

An African league can work if all the leagues in sub-Saharan African countries were at the same level as the Maghreb countries.

The notion of an African "super league" totally ignores the absence of a proper domestic base for football in many African countries and is at this point completely utopian!

txj,

The highlighted is a great demonstration of what I mean by being trapped in the box. The underlined defines what exists now but Infantino is talking about something entirely different with little relationship with what currently exist. For instance, the fact that a Central African club is not on the same level as a club in Egypt NOW does not mean that they cannot be on the same level when the new plan is implemented. First, you have to remove all thinking about what exists NOW and allow an ability to think outside of it. You talk about the national leagues but that has no reference to what Infantino is talking about -- a continental league! Re-thinking is required.

My point is that the fanciful proposal seeks to make us all automatically make a leap of faith to an utopian world where a Nigerian domestic club which is unable to pay its players regularly, has no medical infrastructure, insurance or a system of record keeping, can suddenly be parachuted to an African super league, and all its problems magically disappear!!!

I can understand an Infantino making these utopian suggestions, but there's zero excuse for a Nigerian follower of the game!

"FANCIFUL" IDEAS CAN BECOME REALITIES - IT JUST REQUIRES BELIEVERS


See Ethiopian airlines, which is able to compete with the best in the world, and the miracle of Rwanda.
Bell

Its not about belief, but reality.

The priority for Nigerian football today is to build her domestic clubs to be fully functional professional teams in a well managed professional league.

Ethiopian airlines is able to compete because their is a sound domestic base for the industry.

It ALWAYS begins from home...

[Bell]

Infantino wants to create an "African league" for clubs
https://www.time24.news/2019/11/infanti ... clubs.html
November 28, 201905


FIFA President Gianni Infantino has called for the creation of an "African league" and has called for a billion stadium investment on the continent to "bring African football to the top of the world".

"I want to bring African football to the top of the world". In Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gianni Infantino on Friday outlined two major ideas to support the development of football in Africa: the creation of a championship gathering the best clubs on the continent, but also a massive investment to build and improve stages.

"You have to take the top 20 clubs in Africa and have them play in an African league, and that league can generate at least $ 200 million in revenue, putting it in the top 10 globally overnight," he said. Italian-Swiss leader, present in Lubumbashi for the 80th anniversary of Almighty Mazembe, one of the biggest clubs in Africa. The challenge is to stop the departure of African players to other championships around the world, according to him.

"One Billion" for stadiums

As for stadiums, Gianni Infantino appealed to investors "to raise a billion so that we can equip each African country with a real football stadium to Fifa standards, international standards."

Expected Friday in Brazzaville to continue this African tour after making a stop in Mozambique, the boss of world football also said he wants to "professionalize" and "depoliticize" arbitration in Africa: "We will take the best African referees, we will the salariers ".

You seem to stick to status quo. Infantino is asking you to think outside the current box and dream of something totally new and not rooted in the current or past.h

You have to first understand what is in the box before you can think outside of it...

The challenge is NOT NECESSARILY "the departure of African players to other championships around the world", but the lack of a sustainable domestic club structure and league to enable players develop.

An African league can work if all the leagues in sub-Saharan African countries were at the same level as the Maghreb countries.

The notion of an African "super league" totally ignores the absence of a proper domestic base for football in many African countries and is at this point completely utopian!

txj,

The highlighted is a great demonstration of what I mean by being trapped in the box. The underlined defines what exists now but Infantino is talking about something entirely different with little relationship with what currently exist. For instance, the fact that a Central African club is not on the same level as a club in Egypt NOW does not mean that they cannot be on the same level when the new plan is implemented. First, you have to remove all thinking about what exists NOW and allow an ability to think outside of it. You talk about the national leagues but that has no reference to what Infantino is talking about -- a continental league! Re-thinking is required.

My point is that the fanciful proposal seeks to make us all automatically make a leap of faith to an utopian world where a Nigerian domestic club which is unable to pay its players regularly, has no medical infrastructure, insurance or a system of record keeping, can suddenly be parachuted to an African super league, and all its problems magically disappear!!!

I can understand an Infantino making these utopian suggestions, but there's zero excuse for a Nigerian follower of the game!

"FANCIFUL" IDEAS CAN BECOME REALITIES - IT JUST REQUIRES BELIEVERS


See Ethiopian airlines, which is able to compete with the best in the world, and the miracle of Rwanda.
Bell

Its not about belief, but reality.

The priority for Nigerian football today is to build her domestic clubs to be fully functional professional teams in a well managed professional league.

Ethiopian airlines is able to compete because their is a sound domestic base for the industry.

It ALWAYS begins from home...

I'M ALL FOR A WELL-MANAGED DOMESTIC PRO LEAGUE, AND...


...fortunately, a WA regional league in no way precludes the domestic league. In fact, in my vision for the regional league, there would be a reformed second tier league made up current teams like the Rangers, IICC, etc. Ideally, young players from the high schools and academy would start their pro careers in their lower league with aspirations to end up in the regional league.
Bell

[txj]

I'M ALL FOR A WELL-MANAGED DOMESTIC PRO LEAGUE, AND...


...fortunately, a WA regional league in no way precludes the domestic league. In fact, in my vision for the regional league, there would be a reformed second tier league made up current teams like the Rangers, IICC, etc. Ideally, young players from the high schools and academy would start their pro careers in their lower league with aspirations to end up in the regional league.
Bell

Bell,

How do we develop our domestic league?

Stop running around in circles proposing pie in the sky stuff.

You have to have a functional domestic club base to be able to move anywhere. At no point do you address the deep structural issues facing our clubs, except to moth meaningless platitudes!

[Bell]

I'M ALL FOR A WELL-MANAGED DOMESTIC PRO LEAGUE, AND...


...fortunately, a WA regional league in no way precludes the domestic league. In fact, in my vision for the regional league, there would be a reformed second tier league made up current teams like the Rangers, IICC, etc. Ideally, young players from the high schools and academy would start their pro careers in their lower league with aspirations to end up in the regional league.
Bell

Bell,

How do we develop our domestic league?

Stop running around in circles proposing pie in the sky stuff.

You have to have a functional domestic club base to be able to move anywhere. At no point do you address the deep structural issues facing our clubs, except to moth meaningless platitudes!

I’VE PRESENTED HERE BEFORE THE ESSENTIALS OF A DOMESTIC LEAGUE, BUT…

…in case you missed it, here they are again.

1) Create a three-tier system consisting of (i) a full professional league, (ii) a zonal semi-pro league and (iii) an amateur municipal system

a. PRO LEAGUE
i. Privatized and limited to 12 – 16 clubs to maintain proper talent level, and to ensure hosting cities are economically-viable. No govt involvement or one per state policy.
ii. Ownership could be individual, consortium or corporation, domestic or foreign.
iii. Bind owners and players to enforceable contracts, rules and processes as is done in Europe and N. America.
iv. No relegation or promotion.
v. Functional stadium: clean, safe, toilets, concessionaries (doesn’t have to be gaudy)
vi. Neat appearance by players.
vii. Fixed and predictable schedule.
viii. Install professional management at club and league levels.
ix. Defined player acquisition, transfer, welfare, travel and lodging policies.
x. Institute unique traditions and customs – no unnecessary mimicking of Europe.
xi. Embrace marketing.
xii. Pay television and merchandizing.
xiii. Etc.

b. SEMI-PRO LEAGUE
i. Create zones in the country, not necessarily matching political zones.
ii. Clubs to play within zone
iii. Ownership by companies or individuals.
iv. Players may have other jobs.
v. Annual national zonal championship.

c. MUNICIPAL SYSTEM
i. A sort of youth system.
ii. Sponsored by philanthropists or enthusiasts.
iii. Fully amateur.
iv. Play within cities.
v. Informal with relaxed rules.

2) Ideally, a young high school player would start at the municipal system and progress to the pro league. Depending on form, players can go between the pro and semi-pro leagues.

3) If this plan is adopted, I can the bulk of Nigerian players making the decision to stay at home instead of heading to Europe with the well-known problems they encounter. They may not be compensated at the level of Europe but they may be paid enough (thanks to TV, merchandizing, gate, concessions, etc) to make it the right decision to stay at home. It would be good for the national team and also for the fans who, finally, would get to see their players live. Only special talents at the level of Sane and Salah, enticed by very high economics, may choose to go to Europe.

4) This is easily doable but requires something uncommon in Nigeria: self-belief and a pursuit of/desire for excellence – the knee-jerk “it won’t work” response. This arrangement would preclude the W. African regional league but it could be modified in case a regional league is implemented.
Bell

[txj]

I'M ALL FOR A WELL-MANAGED DOMESTIC PRO LEAGUE, AND...


...fortunately, a WA regional league in no way precludes the domestic league. In fact, in my vision for the regional league, there would be a reformed second tier league made up current teams like the Rangers, IICC, etc. Ideally, young players from the high schools and academy would start their pro careers in their lower league with aspirations to end up in the regional league.
Bell

Bell,

How do we develop our domestic league?

Stop running around in circles proposing pie in the sky stuff.

You have to have a functional domestic club base to be able to move anywhere. At no point do you address the deep structural issues facing our clubs, except to moth meaningless platitudes!

I’VE PRESENTED HERE BEFORE THE ESSENTIALS OF A DOMESTIC LEAGUE, BUT…

…in case you missed it, here they are again.

1) Create a three-tier system consisting of (i) a full professional league, (ii) a zonal semi-pro league and (iii) an amateur municipal system

a. PRO LEAGUE
i. Privatized and limited to 12 – 16 clubs to maintain proper talent level, and to ensure hosting cities are economically-viable. No govt involvement or one per state policy.
ii. Ownership could be individual, consortium or corporation, domestic or foreign.
iii. Bind owners and players to enforceable contracts, rules and processes as is done in Europe and N. America.
iv. No relegation or promotion.
v. Functional stadium: clean, safe, toilets, concessionaries (doesn’t have to be gaudy)
vi. Neat appearance by players.
vii. Fixed and predictable schedule.
viii. Install professional management at club and league levels.
ix. Defined player acquisition, transfer, welfare, travel and lodging policies.
x. Institute unique traditions and customs – no unnecessary mimicking of Europe.
xi. Embrace marketing.
xii. Pay television and merchandizing.
xiii. Etc.

b. SEMI-PRO LEAGUE
i. Create zones in the country, not necessarily matching political zones.
ii. Clubs to play within zone
iii. Ownership by companies or individuals.
iv. Players may have other jobs.
v. Annual national zonal championship.

c. MUNICIPAL SYSTEM
i. A sort of youth system.
ii. Sponsored by philanthropists or enthusiasts.
iii. Fully amateur.
iv. Play within cities.
v. Informal with relaxed rules.

2) Ideally, a young high school player would start at the municipal system and progress to the pro league. Depending on form, players can go between the pro and semi-pro leagues.

3) If this plan is adopted, I can the bulk of Nigerian players making the decision to stay at home instead of heading to Europe with the well-known problems they encounter. They may not be compensated at the level of Europe but they may be paid enough (thanks to TV, merchandizing, gate, concessions, etc) to make it the right decision to stay at home. It would be good for the national team and also for the fans who, finally, would get to see their players live. Only special talents at the level of Sane and Salah, enticed by very high economics, may choose to go to Europe.

4) This is easily doable but requires something uncommon in Nigeria: self-belief and a pursuit of/desire for excellence – the knee-jerk “it won’t work” response. This arrangement would preclude the W. African regional league but it could be modified in case a regional league is implemented.
Bell

I've seen your proposal b/4. But nowhere does it address the economic reality of business startups in Nigeria.

Why would a Nigerian business man invest in football vs other competing interests- oil/gas, transportation, real estate, etc...

Not saying it can't be done (cus it has been done already), but what is the incentive to drive (and sustain) this BUSINESS decision?

[Odas]

FIFA's Infantino's call for a 20-team African league echoes the ideas that Bell shared in CE not long ago about creating a newWest African league that was roundly opposed in CE because it was difficult for several to think outside-the-box.

Infantino wants to create an "African league" for clubs
https://www.time24.news/2019/11/infanti ... clubs.html
November 28, 201905

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has called for the creation of an "African league" and has called for a billion stadium investment on the continent to "bring African football to the top of the world".

"I want to bring African football to the top of the world". In Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gianni Infantino on Friday outlined two major ideas to support the development of football in Africa: the creation of a championship gathering the best clubs on the continent, but also a massive investment to build and improve stages.

"You have to take the top 20 clubs in Africa and have them play in an African league, and that league can generate at least $ 200 million in revenue, putting it in the top 10 globally overnight," he said. Italian-Swiss leader, present in Lubumbashi for the 80th anniversary of Almighty Mazembe, one of the biggest clubs in Africa. The challenge is to stop the departure of African players to other championships around the world, according to him.

"One Billion" for stadiums

As for stadiums, Gianni Infantino appealed to investors "to raise a billion so that we can equip each African country with a real football stadium to Fifa standards, international standards."

Expected Friday in Brazzaville to continue this African tour after making a stop in Mozambique, the boss of world football also said he wants to "professionalize" and "depoliticize" arbitration in Africa: "We will take the best African referees, we will the salariers ".

I doubt if any Naijarian team will meet up with the criteria to play in such a league.

BTW, why did banks stop sponsoring/owning football teams in Naijaria?

It kills banks . All the banks that owned clubs are dead; New Nigeria bank, National bank, ACB??? In fact, it kills businesses; Leventis, Nigeria Airways, Abiola babes, Flash flamingos, etc. etc. Moral is; do not mix business and pleasure
On a serious note, football does not make money in Nigeria and most businesses are struggling.

Kai, na wa-oo!

[wiseone]

Doesn't this already happen? It is called the African Champions League!