Former Chairman of the NFF Technical Committee, Barrister Chris Inexperienced, has delivered a scathing verdict on the state of Nigerian soccer, declaring that the nation’s youth improvement system has utterly collapsed, and blaming it on years of neglect, incompetence, and the rise of unregulated academies.
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In a brutally sincere evaluation, Inexperienced stated Nigeria has made “zero progress” in youth soccer over the previous couple of years, warning that the muse of the game has crumbled whereas directors look the opposite means.
“There was no improvement. Youth soccer in Nigeria is in a really poor state; it’s virtually useless,” he stated.
He lamented that as a substitute of structured improvement programmes, nationwide scouting frameworks, and steady coaching pathways, the nation has handed over its future stars to what he described as “questionable academies”.
“We now have left our youth expertise within the fingers of people that lack correct information, correct construction, or correct imaginative and prescient. How can we count on good outcomes?” Inexperienced requested.
The previous CAF committee member stated the decline has been apparent for years, declaring that the home league as soon as able to producing top-quality gamers is not nurturing skills who can comfortably signify Nigeria at U-17, U-20, and even senior ranges.
“The league used to supply vibrant gamers that made Nigeria proud. At this time, that pipeline is dry. We’re not grooming the sort of gamers who can assist the nationwide workforce,” he added.
Inexperienced argued that with out a sturdy youth system, Nigeria will proceed to recycle ageing gamers, battle for consistency, and fall behind nations with correct developmental fashions.
He additionally criticised management at numerous ranges of soccer administration for missing competence, strategic route, and the willingness to overtake a damaged system.
“We will’t progress when the construction is weak and people in cost lack the information and publicity required to run soccer correctly,” he stated.
Inexperienced challenged the NFF to urgently rebuild youth soccer by means of correct academies, licensed teaching, trendy scouting, and nationwide competitions that actively determine and groom expertise.
His closing warning was stark, “If we don’t repair youth soccer now, the Tremendous Eagles will proceed to fail, and the decline will solely worsen.”
