My previous article on another social networking site highlighted the manner in which mass-scale corruption and mismanagement have hindered any sort of significant economic progress in the country. We live in a country richly blessed with vast natural resources, yet our leaders choose to solely exploit one, our very own ''Black Gold'', crude oil. Having said this, where are we now as a nation? As of 2008, Nigeria produced 2.168 million barrels of crude oil per day; one would think such enormous amounts of revenue would be ploughed into national development; however this is not the case majority of the Nigerian population still live in abject poverty, surviving on under a dollar per day. Can we then say the discovery of petroleum is truly a curse or a blessing??

I will leave that as a talking point for my fellow bloggers. In this article however, I am going to focus the spotlight on the alarming decline of Nigerian football. Football is almost like a second religion to most Nigerians; lately even the females are bucking in on the trend. Football is one of the very few things that can actually put the entire nation in a stand-still. I mean when the country was at risk of not qualifying for the recently concluded world cup in South Africa, the late President Umaru Yar'Adua, created a presidential taskforce that specifically worked hand in hand with the NFA to ensure the needs of the players and coaching staff were adequately met and to devise probable solutions to internal problems within the camp, e.g. financing accommodation, welfare, e.t.c. of the team. However, most importantly, their primary aim was to ensure Nigeria qualified for the world cup. If this singular act does not highlight the importance of football to a nation, I don't what does!! One would think the president would have other pressing issues on his plate than to focus any sort of attention on ensuring the national team make it to the biggest soccer tournament in the world. I dare say the level of following, coverage and support of Football in Nigeria is only rivalled worldwide by the country acclaimed to have invented the game, England and possibly Brazil. However, recent times have shown a gradually diminishing interest in football at a national level, due to the recent failures of the senior national team, our beloved '' Super Eagles'' both at the continental and international stage. On the flip side, this turn in fortune of the senior side has coincidentally been accompanied by considerable success of the junior national teams. In 2005, a side comprising of household names such as Mikel Obi, Taye Taiwo, and Chinedu Ogbuke Obasi was led by soon-to be senior team coach Samson Siasia to the finals of the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Holland, where we lost to a Messi-inspired argentine side. In 2007, the Golden Eaglets (Under-17 side) won the FIFA world cup in Korea with players like Stanley Okoro and Macauley Chrisantus (rumoured to be the next Rashidi Yekini), who has mysteriously disappeared out of the scene completely even at club level, despite finishing as top-scorer in the tournament. In 2008, the U-23 side including the likes of Osaze Odemwingie reached the finals of the 2008 Olympics only to be defeated by an Argentinean side inspired by Messi and Di Maria.

Surely, success at senior level is just around the corner, if the national teams at youth level are excelling at such a consistent level. My brother, don't be fooled!! In westernised countries, there is such a thing as development from the grassroots; this involves careful and thorough nurturing and training of players from a tender age, i.e. from the age of 10-12. Often times, young players enrol at numerous football academies which FA-approved coaches teach the youngsters the raw technical skills of the game, as such there is a natural progression. From the ages of 16 onwards, scouts from clubs have the opportunity of watching and assessing these players as they participate regularly in competitions. Eventually, these players get signed up by say Lagos Boys United, this signals the beginning of a player’s footballing career. In Europe, big clubs like Barcelona, Manchester United, Chelsea, Inter Milan, e.t.c. can afford to have their own academies which recruit players at a tender age, which may eventually break into the first team. In the long run, this saves the club money as opposed to shelling out 20 million Euros annually on player transfers.

Now, I have given you a glimpse of how the system works in countries like Spain and England. Let us re-focus and analyze the situation in Nigeria. As a result of poor administration and mismanagement of the NFA, this essential part of a player's development is skipped, officials at the top believe so much in short-term gains, that is why we are unable to achieve anything at the senior level. We field over-age players in youth competitions and end up winning these competitions; we all celebrate the team's victory. However several years along the line when we expect these players to be at their peaks and to shine for the national side, they are plagued with injury and are not even regulars at their respective clubs. FIFA develop the bone-scanning machines to curb these age cheats and promote fair competition at youth level. Yet we find a way around this by conniving and bribing top officials. We hire foreign coaches on ridiculous salaries at the thirteenth hour before a major competition, expecting some miraculous 'turn-around' in the fortunes of the team, only for the side to crash out shamefully!!
At the end of the day, who is fooling who??  This attitude is gradually destroying our football.  Gone are the glory days of Nigerian football, where the likes of Rashidi Yekini, Jay-Jay Okocha, Sunday Oliseh, Nwankwo Kanu, Daniel 'The Bull'' Amokachi, e.t.c. paraded the national jersey with pride and committment, now we have to contend with players the coach has to beg to heed the call of the senior team.

The buck ultimately stops with the NFA; I believe they are the root of the disaster plaguing Nigerian football. I have focused entirely on the national teams in this article, but the situation of the Nigerian Football League is even more deplorable. Some may argue that clubs need more private sponsorship, but as an investor why would I want to invest my hard-earned money in a venture that would seem so unpredictable and heavily-infested with corruption. That would be lunacy. I admire the steps taken by President Goodluck Jonathan in trying to re-structure the NFA by dismissing a bunch of top officials, but I believe ex-professionals (Segun Odegbami et.al) who actually understand the game and how it should be run, should be placed in these positions of power. As opposed to people, who have no business in the sports ministry and are only there to embezzle money.

Football is a thing of national pride in our great country; in addition there is huge potential for investment particularly in the local leagues considering the number of players and clubs we have. I believe our national league can easily be the best in Africa, given proper guidance and the right structures and people are in place. However, the right foundations need to be be laid down by a newly structured NFA, for football to flourish once again in Nigeria.

Taye Taiwo ---U-20, 2005;U-23, 2008
Elderson Echiejile-----U-20, 2007;U-23, 2008
Onyekachi Apam----U-20, 2005; U-23, 2008
Mikel Obi----U-17, 2003, U-20, 2005; U-23,2008(though he opted out)
Sani Keita---U-20,2005; U-23,2008
Dele Adeleye----U-20, 2005; U-23,2008
Chinedu Ogbuike Obasi----U-17,2003; U-20,2005, U-23,2008
Victor Obinna Nsofor----U-20,2005; U-23,2008
Lukman Haruna----U-17, 2007;U-20,2009
Brown Ideye-----U-20,2007
Adefemi Olubayo----U-20,2005;U-23,2008
Victor Anichebe----U-23,2008

Looking at this list you'll be amazed to know that over 80% of our team graduted from youth teams within the last few years which puts them U-25.This shows our youth system is producing players for the senior team.

But on a second look you'll discover that most of this lads are not exceptional at club level.

For instance at that age:-

Emmanuel Amuneke was in Barcelona
Sunday Oliseh was in Juventus
Taribo West was in Inter-Milan
Daniel Amokachi was in Everton
Nwankwo Kanu just left Ajax for Inter-Milan
Celestine Babayaro was in Chelsea
JJ Okocha was doping exploit at Frankfort
George Finidi was in Ajax
Tijani Babangida was in Ajax

Our current crop of Eagles are not super stars, they are just average.
However with a good FA, good planning and agood technical adviser an average team can still perform well, Uruguay for instance.

Syenite:

Taye Taiwo ---U-20, 2005;U-23, 2008
Elderson Echiejile-----U-20, 2007;U-23, 2008
Onyekachi Apam----U-20, 2005; U-23, 2008
Mikel Obi----U-17, 2003, U-20, 2005; U-23,2008(though he opted out)
Sani Keita---U-20,2005; U-23,2008
Dele Adeleye----U-20, 2005; U-23,2008
Chinedu Ogbuike Obasi----U-17,2003; U-20,2005, U-23,2008
Victor Obinna Nsofor----U-20,2005; U-23,2008
Lukman Haruna----U-17, 2007;U-20,2009
Brown Ideye-----U-20,2007
Adefemi Olubayo----U-20,2005;U-23,2008
Victor Anichebe----U-23,2008

Looking at this list you'll be amazed to know that over 80% of our team graduted from youth teams within the last few years which puts them U-25.This shows our youth system is producing players for the senior team.

But on a second look you'll discover that most of this lads are not exceptional at club level.

For instance at that age:-

Emmanuel Amuneke was in Barcelona
Sunday Oliseh was in Juventus
Taribo West was in Inter-Milan
Daniel Amokachi was in Everton
Nwankwo Kanu just left Ajax for Inter-Milan
Celestine Babayaro was in Chelsea
JJ Okocha was doping exploit at Frankfort
George Finidi was in Ajax
Tijani Babangida was in Ajax

Our current crop of Eagles are not super stars, they are just average.
However with a good FA, good planning and agood technical adviser an average team can still perform well, Uruguay for instance.

Taye Taiwo is in Marseille
Mikel Obi is in Chelsea
Chinedu Obasi is in Hoffenheim
Obinna Nsofor is in Inter Milan
Obiora Nwankwo is in Inter Milan
Joel Obi is in Inter Milan
Lukman Haruna is in Monaco
Victor Anichebe is in Everton