Why Nigerian Football NOW Needs Urgent Reform......

[Enugu II]

It is clear more than ever that Nigerian football needs urgent reform. A few things that happened in quick succession in the last month has made this clearer and as urgent as ever. Here are the things that I cite:

1. Seyi Olofinjana's poignant note on why he refused an offer from the NFF.
2. The NFF Technical Committee's note that it was not involved in the hiring of Peseiro.
3. The recent announcement that Peseiro will reside in Nigeria. Note that similar announcements were made on the hiring of both Oliseh and Rohr. We know that both did not reside in Nigeria eventually.

Why do the three points above matter and are they even related?

The quick answer: They are all intricately related and they matter. The expose a big hole in our system and they all harken to a lack of a system for managing the technical aspects of Nigerian football.

Here are things that I suggest may help. You may add yours to this view. I believe we need a clear Technical Road map. BTW, this isn't anything new. In fact, Amaju Pinnick has noted as much from his first appointment. However, till date he has done nothing about it. What will such a document do?

1. It will suggest a roadmap to achieving footballing success for the country with benchmarks that are measurable and with consequences.
2. It will clarify the duties of the Technical Committee vis-à-vis managers of all national teams and the NFF, this committee seems to be one with very few responsibilities and simply symbolic.

So what is the roadmap?. I state the roadmap in very simple terms below:



Mike Emenalo

Seyi Olofinjana

Sunday Oliseh

1. Clarify that the Technical Committee serves at the behest of the NFF. This is the case now but it bears re-stating.
2. The Technical Committee will be charged with drawing up and ensuring the imposing of a certain footballing philosophy for the country's national teams. This will be based on a document that grants this power.
3. The Technical Committee will have the sole power to recommend the hiring and firing of national team managers based on result-oriented studies that are mapped to the philosophy and goals stated in the document above. The actual decision on hiring and firing will be the responsibility of the NFF Board.
4. All national coaches, including Super Eagles coach, will be answerable to the NFF via the Technical Committee. In essence, the Technical Committee (on the behest of the NFF) oversees all national team managers and studies their work and ultimate make recommendations related to their hiring and firing.
5. Part of the document may clearly state that the manager of the Super Eagles may have scouts located in strategic parts of the globe but the coach shall reside in the country given certain requirements including building relationships with sponsors as may be required by a commercially-guided NFF as well as other matters.
6. Presently, there are Nigerians who can head a Technical Committee including Sunday Oliseh, Mike Emenalo, and Seyi Olofinjana. But they must be given freedom to handle their duties with undue interferences. They will be guided with a national policy/philosophical document that I have alluded to above and charged with improving Nigeria's football over a designated time period.

[EMIR KONGI JAFFI JOFFA]

Get govt out of football. Make it 100% private and we'll be the football hub of Africa. You know something is wrong when the likes of Emanalo and Finjana can't work in Nigeria but clueless Pinnick is NFF chair. Without govt the likes of Pinnick will be secondary school football admin at best.

[mcal]

...I saw that Seyi Olofinjana piece somewhere on line, it did make an interesting reading but I was not surprised.
No sane person after residing and working abroad will want to immerse them self in the cesspit called the NFA.
You are knowledgeable, an expert and try to advise those thieves the way forward?
Hell to the naw naw, they will never accept thus frustrating you quit and flee the country.
Keshi did well, but he hung around too long.

[txj]

Any reform that does not begin and is not a least 75% focused on the domestic league is a non starter IMO.

The NT is only the apex of any country's football. Focusing on it to the negligence of the rest is not a recipe for success...

[Enugu II]

Any reform that does not begin and is not a least 75% focused on the domestic league is a non starter IMO.

The NT is only the apex of any country's football. Focusing on it to the negligence of the rest is not a recipe for success...

Why not state the reform that you have in mind? It is an open question. State the reform you have in mind in as much detail as may be possible.

[Enugu II]

...I saw that Seyi Olofinjana piece somewhere on line, it did make an interesting reading but I was not surprised.
No sane person after residing and working abroad will want to immerse them self in the cesspit called the NFA.
You are knowledgeable, an expert and try to advise those thieves the way forward?
Hell to the naw naw, they will never accept thus frustrating you quit and flee the country.
Keshi did well, but he hung around too long.

TBH, I am concerned about this and any sane person has to be. To work in the current environment requires clear freedom and independence to make changes that can be ultimately helpful. Without that, there is absolutely no point.

[Enugu II]

Get govt out of football. Make it 100% private and we'll be the football hub of Africa. You know something is wrong when the likes of Emanalo and Finjana can't work in Nigeria but clueless Pinnick is NFF chair. Without govt the likes of Pinnick will be secondary school football admin at best.

I agree with this but that is indeed another aspect to the our problem. However, here what I have put forward is largely within the current system of football financing. It is, essentially, the low hanging fruit.

[txj]

Any reform that does not begin and is not a least 75% focused on the domestic league is a non starter IMO.

The NT is only the apex of any country's football. Focusing on it to the negligence of the rest is not a recipe for success...

Why not state the reform that you have in mind? It is an open question. State the reform you have in mind in as much detail as may be possible.

I did several yrs ago in The Concord Newspapers and was posted on the old forum by Toxicarrow.
Don't have the time or inclination to repeat it.

But the domestic game is where to focus reform on.

I also published this:

https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/ ... 9976154219

[Enugu II]

Any reform that does not begin and is not a least 75% focused on the domestic league is a non starter IMO.

The NT is only the apex of any country's football. Focusing on it to the negligence of the rest is not a recipe for success...

Why not state the reform that you have in mind? It is an open question. State the reform you have in mind in as much detail as may be possible.

I did several yrs ago in The Concord Newspapers and was posted on the old forum by Toxicarrow.
Don't have the time or inclination to repeat it.

But the domestic game is where to focus reform on.

I actually belief the domestic league requires reform but it isnt the only aspect of Nigerian football requiring reform. The piece here is an aspect requiring reform without denying the merit of reform to the local league or other aspect of Nigerian football.

[txj]

Any reform that does not begin and is not a least 75% focused on the domestic league is a non starter IMO.

The NT is only the apex of any country's football. Focusing on it to the negligence of the rest is not a recipe for success...

Why not state the reform that you have in mind? It is an open question. State the reform you have in mind in as much detail as may be possible.

I did several yrs ago in The Concord Newspapers and was posted on the old forum by Toxicarrow.
Don't have the time or inclination to repeat it.

But the domestic game is where to focus reform on.

I actually belief the domestic league requires reform but it isnt the only aspect of Nigerian football requiring reform. The piece here is an aspect requiring reform without denying the merit of reform to the local league or other aspect of Nigerian football.

My point here is that there is FAR TOO MUCH focus on the SE to the detriment of 90% of our football.

For instance, how can you develop a philosophy for Nigerian football by focusing entirely on the SE?

That does not make sense...

The starting point for any sustainable reform of Nigerian football is the domestic game...

Seems to me like peeps avoid it cus its not as glamorous or as enriching as a focus on the SE...

[Enugu II]

Any reform that does not begin and is not a least 75% focused on the domestic league is a non starter IMO.

The NT is only the apex of any country's football. Focusing on it to the negligence of the rest is not a recipe for success...

Why not state the reform that you have in mind? It is an open question. State the reform you have in mind in as much detail as may be possible.

I did several yrs ago in The Concord Newspapers and was posted on the old forum by Toxicarrow.
Don't have the time or inclination to repeat it.

But the domestic game is where to focus reform on.

I actually belief the domestic league requires reform but it isnt the only aspect of Nigerian football requiring reform. The piece here is an aspect requiring reform without denying the merit of reform to the local league or other aspect of Nigerian football.

My point here is that there is FAR TOO MUCH focus on the SE to the detriment of 90% of our football.

For instance, how can you develop a philosophy for Nigerian football by focusing entirely on the SE?

That does not make sense...

The starting point for any sustainable reform of Nigerian football is the domestic game...

Seems to me like peeps avoid it cus its not as glamorous or as enriching as a focus on the SE...

I think that you certainly can focus on the SE as a low hanging fruit. If you are suggesting an entire overhaul of the system you could suggest that.

However, you noted already that you focused on just one aspect -- the domestic game. That is fine but it has not included the national teams as well as other aspects of Nigerian football.

There is no problem with that. This, likewise, has chosen an aspect and even this aspect does NOT nor is it intended to deal with all possible issues with national team football. BTW, neither is it a problem if someone comes up with the need to reform Women football in Nigeria or youth football in Nigeria or Academy football in Nigeria or any other aspect of football in Nigeria. Thus, this strictly has defined its own focus. You are welcomed to discuss that but do not inform me that your idea of reforming domestic football should be the only thing that can be discussed.

[txj]

Any reform that does not begin and is not a least 75% focused on the domestic league is a non starter IMO.

The NT is only the apex of any country's football. Focusing on it to the negligence of the rest is not a recipe for success...

Why not state the reform that you have in mind? It is an open question. State the reform you have in mind in as much detail as may be possible.

I did several yrs ago in The Concord Newspapers and was posted on the old forum by Toxicarrow.
Don't have the time or inclination to repeat it.

But the domestic game is where to focus reform on.

I actually belief the domestic league requires reform but it isnt the only aspect of Nigerian football requiring reform. The piece here is an aspect requiring reform without denying the merit of reform to the local league or other aspect of Nigerian football.

My point here is that there is FAR TOO MUCH focus on the SE to the detriment of 90% of our football.

For instance, how can you develop a philosophy for Nigerian football by focusing entirely on the SE?

That does not make sense...

The starting point for any sustainable reform of Nigerian football is the domestic game...

Seems to me like peeps avoid it cus its not as glamorous or as enriching as a focus on the SE...

I think that you certainly can focus on the SE as a low hanging fruit. If you are suggesting an entire overhaul of the system you could suggest that.

However, you noted already that you focused on just one aspect -- the domestic game. That is fine but it has not included the national teams as well as other aspects of Nigerian football.

There is no problem with that. This, likewise, has chosen an aspect and even this aspect does NOT nor is it intended to deal with all possible issues with national team football. BTW, neither is it a problem if someone comes up with the need to reform Women football in Nigeria or youth football in Nigeria or Academy football in Nigeria or any other aspect of football in Nigeria. Thus, this strictly has defined its own focus. You are welcomed to discuss that but do not inform me that your idea of reforming domestic football should be the only thing that can be discussed.

The domestic game is not 'an aspect' of Nigerian football. It IS Nigerian football. It comprises the league- men and women, youth football, coaching, etc

It is the domestic game that leads up to the NT, which as I mentioned is a mere 5-10% of Nigerian football.

[Enugu II]

Any reform that does not begin and is not a least 75% focused on the domestic league is a non starter IMO.

The NT is only the apex of any country's football. Focusing on it to the negligence of the rest is not a recipe for success...

Why not state the reform that you have in mind? It is an open question. State the reform you have in mind in as much detail as may be possible.

I did several yrs ago in The Concord Newspapers and was posted on the old forum by Toxicarrow.
Don't have the time or inclination to repeat it.

But the domestic game is where to focus reform on.

I actually belief the domestic league requires reform but it isnt the only aspect of Nigerian football requiring reform. The piece here is an aspect requiring reform without denying the merit of reform to the local league or other aspect of Nigerian football.

My point here is that there is FAR TOO MUCH focus on the SE to the detriment of 90% of our football.

For instance, how can you develop a philosophy for Nigerian football by focusing entirely on the SE?

That does not make sense...

The starting point for any sustainable reform of Nigerian football is the domestic game...

Seems to me like peeps avoid it cus its not as glamorous or as enriching as a focus on the SE...

I think that you certainly can focus on the SE as a low hanging fruit. If you are suggesting an entire overhaul of the system you could suggest that.

However, you noted already that you focused on just one aspect -- the domestic game. That is fine but it has not included the national teams as well as other aspects of Nigerian football.

There is no problem with that. This, likewise, has chosen an aspect and even this aspect does NOT nor is it intended to deal with all possible issues with national team football. BTW, neither is it a problem if someone comes up with the need to reform Women football in Nigeria or youth football in Nigeria or Academy football in Nigeria or any other aspect of football in Nigeria. Thus, this strictly has defined its own focus. You are welcomed to discuss that but do not inform me that your idea of reforming domestic football should be the only thing that can be discussed.

The domestic game is not 'an aspect' of Nigerian football. It IS Nigerian football. It comprises the league- men and women, youth football, coaching, etc

It is the domestic game that leads up to the NT, which as I mentioned is a mere 5-10% of Nigerian football.

Glad you noted that it doers not include the NT. BTW, it includes women football but yet as I remember your proposal it did diddly about women football. Moreover it was a brief document that failed to cover numerous aspects of football. That, in my view, is not a problem because you still focused on an important aspect which was essentially the league as I remember it. The idea is that there are numerous aspects and each one can be addressed on its own. Here the issue is on the National team.

I will ask that you do not further derail the thread.

Either address the topic or move to address some other issues present ion other threads.

[txj]

Why not state the reform that you have in mind? It is an open question. State the reform you have in mind in as much detail as may be possible.

I did several yrs ago in The Concord Newspapers and was posted on the old forum by Toxicarrow.
Don't have the time or inclination to repeat it.

But the domestic game is where to focus reform on.

I actually belief the domestic league requires reform but it isnt the only aspect of Nigerian football requiring reform. The piece here is an aspect requiring reform without denying the merit of reform to the local league or other aspect of Nigerian football.

My point here is that there is FAR TOO MUCH focus on the SE to the detriment of 90% of our football.

For instance, how can you develop a philosophy for Nigerian football by focusing entirely on the SE?

That does not make sense...

The starting point for any sustainable reform of Nigerian football is the domestic game...

Seems to me like peeps avoid it cus its not as glamorous or as enriching as a focus on the SE...

I think that you certainly can focus on the SE as a low hanging fruit. If you are suggesting an entire overhaul of the system you could suggest that.

However, you noted already that you focused on just one aspect -- the domestic game. That is fine but it has not included the national teams as well as other aspects of Nigerian football.

There is no problem with that. This, likewise, has chosen an aspect and even this aspect does NOT nor is it intended to deal with all possible issues with national team football. BTW, neither is it a problem if someone comes up with the need to reform Women football in Nigeria or youth football in Nigeria or Academy football in Nigeria or any other aspect of football in Nigeria. Thus, this strictly has defined its own focus. You are welcomed to discuss that but do not inform me that your idea of reforming domestic football should be the only thing that can be discussed.

The domestic game is not 'an aspect' of Nigerian football. It IS Nigerian football. It comprises the league- men and women, youth football, coaching, etc

It is the domestic game that leads up to the NT, which as I mentioned is a mere 5-10% of Nigerian football.

Glad you noted that it doers not include the NT. BTW, it includes women football but yet as I remember your proposal it did diddly about women football. Moreover it was a brief document that failed to cover numerous aspects of football. That, in my view, is not a problem because you still focused on an important aspect which was essentially the league as I remember it. The idea is that there are numerous aspects and each one can be addressed on its own. Here the issue is on the National team.

I will ask that you do not further derail the thread.

Either address the topic or move to address some other issues present ion other threads.

I said it LEADS UP to the NT. A country's football is a pyramid, with the NT at the apex. The entire base is the domestic game.

My article back then did not include women football cus we really did not have it then as a clearly recognizable aspect of the domestic game. Besides, I don't claim knowledge of it...

But the document is not brief, it covered an entire page of the newspaper...

The reason I raise this is not to derail the thread but to point out a serious flaw in advocacy for 'Nigerian Football Reform' that only focuses on the SE.

The starting point for any sustainable reform of Nigerian football is the domestic game...

[Enugu II]

It is clear more than ever that Nigerian football needs urgent reform. A few things that happened in quick succession in the last month has made this clearer and as urgent as ever. Here are the things that I cite:

1. Seyi Olofinjana's poignant note on why he refused an offer from the NFF.
2. The NFF Technical Committee's note that it was not involved in the hiring of Peseiro.
3. The recent announcement that Peseiro will reside in Nigeria. Note that similar announcements were made on the hiring of both Oliseh and Rohr. We know that both did not reside in Nigeria eventually.

Why do the three points above matter and are they even related?

The quick answer: They are all intricately related and they matter. The expose a big hole in our system and they all harken to a lack of a system for managing the technical aspects of Nigerian football.

Here are things that I suggest may help. You may add yours to this view. I believe we need a clear Technical Road map. BTW, this isn't anything new. In fact, Amaju Pinnick has noted as much from his first appointment. However, till date he has done nothing about it. What will such a document do?

1. It will suggest a roadmap to achieving footballing success for the country with benchmarks that are measurable and with consequences.
2. It will clarify the duties of the Technical Committee vis-à-vis managers of all national teams and the NFF, this committee seems to be one with very few responsibilities and simply symbolic.

So what is the roadmap?. I state the roadmap in very simple terms below:



Mike Emenalo

Seyi Olofinjana

Sunday Oliseh

1. Clarify that the Technical Committee serves at the behest of the NFF. This is the case now but it bears re-stating.
2. The Technical Committee will be charged with drawing up and ensuring the imposing of a certain footballing philosophy for the country's national teams. This will be based on a document that grants this power.
3. The Technical Committee will have the sole power to recommend the hiring and firing of national team managers based on result-oriented studies that are mapped to the philosophy and goals stated in the document above. The actual decision on hiring and firing will be the responsibility of the NFF Board.
4. All national coaches, including Super Eagles coach, will be answerable to the NFF via the Technical Committee. In essence, the Technical Committee (on the behest of the NFF) oversees all national team managers and studies their work and ultimate make recommendations related to their hiring and firing.
5. Part of the document may clearly state that the manager of the Super Eagles may have scouts located in strategic parts of the globe but the coach shall reside in the country given certain requirements including building relationships with sponsors as may be required by a commercially-guided NFF as well as other matters.
6. Presently, there are Nigerians who can head a Technical Committee including Sunday Oliseh, Mike Emenalo, and Seyi Olofinjana. But they must be given freedom to handle their duties with undue interferences. They will be guided with a national policy/philosophical document that I have alluded to above and charged with improving Nigeria's football over a designated time period.

bump

[Sunset]

The Domestic scene should be the #1 priority if we want to achieve sustainability as a football ecosystem from the NPFL, NNL, NLO, youth leagues (U13/15/17/20) to cover the whole pyramid to get the most number of athletes playing organized football consistently. Coaching qualifications in particular should also be subject to scrutiny/regard. It might not lead to anything drastic wrt the SE but will at least reflect on a higher standard of the talent pool.

[Lolly]

We have allowed the wrong people (well they are just like your every day Nigerian on the streets) to take charge of our football affairs. Same with our political space. And it will take a mother of all battles to wrestle control from them. All our state FAs are controlled by the same type of people. They turn up at every SE game just to collect their $$$$ and then go back to their states to do nothing.

Amaju already has a successor lined up, someone who will continue along the same path that he has been taking. They are ONLY interested in their careers and their pockets. Simple!

[txj]

Does anyone have a list of the stakeholders that constitute the NFF and how they are selected?

Been searching without much result.

I know the 36 states + FCT are represented, but how are those representatives determined? Are they appointed by the various governors?