AGAIN?!
Every so often we have to put up with this r'etarded topic where someone tries to lay a guilt trip on us.
I FERVENTLY follow the EPL. It is my right to choose my entertainment after a hard work week. If the OP cannot make out 90 minutes to relax and entertain himself, it says more about his quality of life.

The Nigerian premier league should strive to make itself more attractive to viewer and consumers then we will flock to it. it is only in Nigeria where we're expected to happily consume substandard fare all in the name of 'patriotism'. This is imbecilic at best.
The Nigerian clubs make little or no effort to improve the standard of their stadiums/pitches, are perfectly happy with cheating refs and have made no solid attempt to rid their stadia of hooligans. Why should going to watch a local match be a risky venture for many people?
The TV presentation is even worse. Horrible cameras, shitty camera angles, substandard commentary among other things are a huge turn-off for many people (including myself).

So let them up their game up to a standard where people who desire entertainment can properly appreciate it. Until then, after paying huge taxes in return for substandard Govt provided amenities, there's no need to deny myself quality entertainment all in the name of faux 'patriotism'.

Laajman:

What is the logic is being a fan of a club that 90% of us may never visit in our lifetime? Aren't we simply fooling ourselves??

With this your brainless 'logic', that means that anyone watching Discovery channel or National Geographic is simply 'fooling himself'. Afterall, how many of us will ever see a Hippo in real life?

AjanleKoko:

Africans, especially Nigerians, are quite emotional, but . . . dying for a club? I think not.
Apart from us cussing each other out on occasion cos you support Madrid and I Barcelona, I have no desire to kill anybody jare

My brother they will die the same way which they do presently for political parties. I used to watch at the viewing centers and just leave five minutes or ten before the match ends. There was rivalry in football but everything changed during the champions league final between manu and chelsea. It went from there to barca vs manu and then chelsea vs barca and now madrid vs barca.

It all started with every tom dick and harry wearing the jerseys of these clubs especially the touts but am afraid now that it is spreading into everyone. Just wait till the day we have two epl clubs in the champions league final to confirm this because from my point of view, the fans of other leagues can be emotional but not violent.

Unemployment, lack of focus are the causes!
Some peeps knows all the players in all the clubs in EPL, they don't stop in watching the match, they wake up the following morning and spend  several hours arguing who did what and what happened when in last night match.

Some of these players they admire cannot even point at Nigeria in world map, but I've heard some fools stab others over EPL arguement.

Am not against watching football, but the unusual attention paid to EPL is not worth it.

Nigerians are so stupidly crazy about EPL that they brand their cars, belt, towel, wears after the club of their choices.

I guess very soon, banks and other corporate organizations will soon be including "YOUR EPL CLUB"------- in their customer registration  form

Mbeki:

I guess very soon, banks and other corporate organizations will soon be including "YOUR EPL CLUB"------- in their customer registration  form

could not help but chortle at that. We who don't support any EPL side are in trouble then

THE CRAZE FOR THE FOOTBALL ABROAD IS JUST ALARMING, I GUESS ITS COS OF THE POVERTY AND UNEMPLOYMENT THAT ABOUNDS IN THE COUNTRY,

AND THE GOVERNMENT DOING NOTHING TO ALEVAITE OUR SPORTS IN NIGERIA SO WHEN PPL ARE FUSTRATED, THEY LOOK FOR SOMETHING TO DO TO TAKE AWAY THE FUSTRATON OF THEIR LIFE, THEY FOLLOW A TEAM AND CAN EVEN KILL,


THE BAD THING IS THE WAY THE YOUNG DUDES ARE MAKING IT A DO OR DIE AFFAIR, LEAVING THEIR STUDIES TO WATCH MATCH. POOR RESULTS OF NECO AND WASSCE ATTEST TO THE FACT THAT FOOTBALL WATCHING IS TAKING 2 MUCH PIORITY IN  SO MANY LIVES.

ALTHOUGH U CAN WATCH FOOTBALL NO PROBLEM , BUT WHEN U ARE ADDICTED WITH BETTING, FIGHTING, DISCUSSING FOOTBALL EVERY TIME  ETC ITS A BIG ISSUE

It's all about the quality of football. England, Spain, Italy and Germany all play football of higher standard and that is why most Nigerians support teams from these countries.
The whole point of watching a football match is for you to be entertained.
I'm not going to waste my time to watch a match that lacks good quality.
The standard of the Nigerian league at the moment is still below average.

It's not our fault.

Dis Guy:



Bros the most hardened follower of the GLO MTN Pepsi **league will struggle, most clubs have minimum of 4/5 players going for trials right in the middle of a season, 3-6 players on suspension, 2-3 player AWOL, 1-10 players on strike, clubs hiring 3-4 fresh legs, all in the same season how person go take know

many of them have no websites na so so media consultants they get

Up Afonja Warriors

LWKMD

chamotex:

It's all about the quality of football. England, Spain, Italy and Germany all play football of higher standard and that is why most Nigerians support teams from these countries.
The whole point of watching a football match is for you to be entertained.
I'm not going to waste my time to watch a match that lacks good quality.
The standard of the Nigerian league at the moment is still below average.

It's not our fault.

Gbam!! *thumbz up*

If only Nigeria can change the way they manage football in the country,I believe the tide will be stemmed.Starting from the HOME MUST WIN mentality,the BRIBING OF REFEREES, the POOR MANAGEMENT FACTOR, etc.I believe that it will now be a thing of the past to watch the European clubs play.

The rise and rise of European football in Nigeria has led to the further decline of interest in the Nigerian domestic league. I for one have stopped following the foreign leagues religiously. I try as much as possible to be fervent to my favourite club, Enugu Rangers. The only Nigerian club never to be relegated.

Join us as we try to resuscitate Stationery Stores FC - The darling team of Lagos.
Log on to your facebook account and join Gov BR Fashola Revive Stationery Stores FC

The supporters of this great club are coming together to perform this feat.
Let us build Nigerian Soccer.

Stationery Stores F.C.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Stationery Stores F.C.
Nickname(s) "Flaming Flamingoes", "Adebajo Babes"
Founded 1958
Ground Onikan Stadium/Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere
(Capacity: 5,000/ 24,325)
Chairman TBA

Home colours

Away colours
Stationery Stores F.C. is a Nigerian football club based in Lagos.

The team was founded in 1958 by Israel Adebajo, who ran the Nigeria office of the Stationery Stores Supply Company. They immediately established themselves as one of the dominant teams in the area and country, supplying the bulk of the first editions of the national team and winning a total 13 Lagos State Challenge Cups, the preliminary round for the Nigerian FA Cup. The first 11 of the Nigerian national team in the 1968 Mexico-city olympics football event had 9 Stationery Stores players, including Sam Opone and Peter Fregene.[1]. Between 1973 and 1993, Stores was in the top division of Nigerian football. Throughout those years, they enjoyed a particularly brutal rivalry with Enugu Rangers International F.C., going back to the East vs. West feelings from the Biafran War.
The final title for Stores came in 1992. However, the next year Stationery Stores were relegated because of failing to complete their fixtures, not because they finished on a relegation spot.[2] The team continued the next five seasons in the second division. However, in March 1998, the NFA was compelled to cancel all outstanding Pro League Second Division games involving Stationery Stores following an injunctive order issued by a Lagos High Court restraining Stationery Stores from playing any Pro League games pending the resolution of a lawsuit filed before the court to determine the ownership and control of the club. This action constituted the culmination of a long-festering ownership dispute involving two of the Adebajo siblings (each of whom was a director of The Nigeria Office of Stationery Stores Supply): Gloria Adebajo-Fraser whom exercised administrative control over the club’s affairs throughout the course of the 1997 football season and her half-brother Adetilewa Adebajo whom (with the apparent blessing of the NFA) assumed defacto control of the club’s management for the succeeding 1998 football season. The lingering management crises and festering lawsuits so decimated and depleted this much-celebrated clubside that, throughout the course of the 1998 football season, its players were compelled to campaign without the benefit of formal contracts, sign-on fees, bonuses or club-supplied playing equipment.[3] The team was demoted to the amateur ranks in 1999 after the club had been suspended nine matches in the 1998 season due to the family wranglings.[4] They returned to the professional level in summer 2004 but were relegated after failing to make several games and fielding several unregistered players[5].
[edit]Return

There have been recent requests for the Lagos State government to revive the team [6]. The team's former players played a pair of games in July 2008 in an attempt to jumpstart support.[7]. The team was officially relaunched in January 2009 with a launch of a website. The team will play friendlies and enter the FA Cup before entering league play next season [8].
[edit]Trivia

The King Sunny Ade song "Challenge Cup 1967" was written about Stores' first FA Cup win.[citation needed]
[edit]Foreign exhibitions

Jan. 26, 1969 : Stores 2 Santos FC 2 (Onikan)[9]
May 22, 1972 : Stores 2 Dundee United 2 (Onikan)[10]
June 26, 1976 : Stores 1 Ayr United 3 (Surulere)[11]
Dec. 4, 1982 : Stores: 0 Fluminense 0 (Surulere)[12]
[edit]Achievements

Nigerian FA Cup: 4
1967, 1968, 1982, 1990
Nigerian Premier League: 1
1992
African Cup Winners' Cup: 0
1981 - Runners-up
African Cup of Champions Clubs: 0
1993 - Semi-Finals
[edit]Performance in CAF competitions

African Cup of Champions Clubs: 3 appearances
1968: Quarter-Finals
1970: Second Round
1993: Semi-Finals
CAF Cup Winners' Cup: 3 appearances
1981 - Finalist
1983 - withdrew in Second Round
1991 - First Round
[edit]Famous players


This list of "famous" or "notable" sporting persons has no clear inclusion or exclusion criteria. Please help to define clear inclusion criteria and edit the list to contain only appropriate entries.
Arthur Moses
Felix Ademola
Dotun Alatishe
Ajibade Babalade
Ibrahim Babangida
Ndubisi Chukunyere
Teslim Fatusi
Haruna Ilerika
Muda Lawal
Gabriel Melkam
Benji Nzeakor
Abiodun Obafemi
Sam Opone
Peter Rufai
Ike Shorunmu
Abdul Sule
Collins Ibitemi
Nwache Amechi
[edit]

texazzpete:

AGAIN?!
Every so often we have to put up with this r'etarded topic where someone tries to lay a guilt trip on us.
I FERVENTLY follow the EPL. It is my right to choose my entertainment after a hard work week. If the OP cannot make out 90 minutes to relax and entertain himself, it says more about his quality of life.

The Nigerian premier league should strive to make itself more attractive to viewer and consumers then we will flock to it. it is only in Nigeria where we're expected to happily consume substandard fare all in the name of 'patriotism'. This is imbecilic at best.
The Nigerian clubs make little or no effort to improve the standard of their stadiums/pitches, are perfectly happy with cheating refs and have made no solid attempt to rid their stadia of hooligans. Why should going to watch a local match be a risky venture for many people?
The TV presentation is even worse. Horrible cameras, shitty camera angles, substandard commentary among other things are a huge turn-off for many people (including myself).

So let them up their game up to a standard where people who desire entertainment can properly appreciate it. Until then, after paying huge taxes in return for substandard Govt provided amenities, there's no need to deny myself quality entertainment all in the name of faux 'patriotism'.

With this your brainless 'logic', that means that anyone watching Discovery channel or National Geographic is simply 'fooling himself'. Afterall, how many of us will ever see a Hippo in real life?

I hear what you are saying,but this has gone beyond entertainment!
No one has a right to tell you who to watch or follow, for your entertainmetn! But if the truth were made clear to our people, the generality of them will do a rethink. The money you pay to follow your EPL club on Pay TV ends up in the EU. The money factor [THE MONEY PAID BY FANS EVERYWHERE] shows that footbal is no longer merely about entertainment, it is purely big business right now! The EPL is now about capital flight and neo-colonialism.
By the way, I have been known to watch a match now and again!

Nigeria football league is a mess. the pitch, the calibre of players etc = THRASH

@Riba_man:

My sentiments, exactly.

Riba_man:

I hear what you are saying,but this has gone beyond entertainment!
No one has a right to tell you who to watch or follow, for your entertainmetn! But if the truth were made clear to our people, the generality of them will do a rethink. The money you pay to follow your EPL club on Pay TV ends up in the EU. The money factor [THE MONEY PAID BY FANS EVERYWHERE] shows that footbal is no longer merely about entertainment, it is purely big business right now! The EPL is now about capital flight and neo-colonialism.
By the way, I have been known to watch a match now and again!

Dis Guy:

perhaps if we can get rid of crooks like most NFF admin we probably will be able to attract better support--most of the business/sport dont have a lot on their plate and minggling with unaccountable ministries and NGO doesnt make much business sense.

  The bad management of the Naija league seems to be the issue folks are pointing out here. While I do agree, it seems like we're passing the buck by simply pointing at 'bad management'. Demand fuels supply. How many of us would chip in - time-wise, money-wise, passion-wise - to the growth and re-development of our own league? I think until we take ownership of our problem, it will not be solved. It is we who can be the managers and financiers of tomorrows successful league.

But wetin me self I know lol.

Anways, one more comment. A few people mentioned other countries (and leagues) have fans that are just as insane and fanatical as Nigerians and so why can't we enjoy ourselves? Well, its true crazy fans come in all colors and nations . . . but the only difference is Africans have something to lose, whereas Europeans, Americans & Asians don't. They can afford to spend all that time and attention on frivolous undertakings, whereas we can't. They can fix a road devastated by an earthquake in 6 days, we can't do it in 6yrs. If we're going to fix our broken country, we cannot afford to be a distracted nation, expending our passion on a fruitless pursuit. A nation chucked full of zombies uniformed in club wear, who are able to recite starting line-ups in their sleep, but cannot read or write if their lives depended on it.

My brother in UK is even surprise and sad of my addiction to UK football clubs,He advise me to be more patriotic n support our Nigerian clubs,I think he is talking sense

Do we have football league in Nigerian?

Some crazed individuals who have become slaves to these white-man teams(africans appear to be slaves to anything with a white-man's imprint) have taken it to an extreme fanaticism where some even engage in fisticuffs and sometimes stab themselves over arguments in respect of these clubs dt do not care a hoot about whether yu live or die.

Thank God i am not and will never be captured b this new-found religion that have enslaved the 'souls' of men !

There's something else to european soccer particularly the EPL that makes it highly magnetic. An undercurrent that is absent in most global leagues and that is the 'entertainment' value.

Modern soccer in England has transcended mere sport to become the stuff of holywood. Every week is another episode of soccer's greatest act.

I think it started with the media, SkyTv to be specific and their potrayal of the game when compared to ITV and the likes back then. Players and managers got so much airtime, their post match lives colourfully displayed it turned many to celebrities. Then came the Mourinho factor and Abrams millions. Suddenly more news, views and interviews came and the whole thing snowballed.

That's why Jose never felt comfortable in Italy because there was just no spin. The press was largely uncoopearative and sterile to his jibes focusing rather exclusively on the game. He's tried the same again in Spain but surprisngly instead of buying into it the likes of Pep choose to remain media shy. That is what brings in the mega bucks and keeps the likes of United topping the earnings chart - TV.

TV is all about entertainment and entertainment is all about drama and good drama has a good script. In the EPL - players, managers, owners and the FA are all in it. Today it is Ferguson getting the rap for touchline tantrums and we love it, tomorrow its JT's off field antics. Where else will you get it. Do you know what Messi does after a game or who Iniesta is dating. Who cares but in England that is football and it makes big, big bucks. They've learnt from pro-boxing to build larger than life characters and every match a duel eagerly anticipated even when the quality is most times suspect.

That's why a kid in Obudu will easily reel off Chelsea's first eleven before he can count to eleven and that's why you cannot travel ten minutes in the remotest parts of Nigeria today without a dish in sight. The EPL is sucking revenue in billions through Multichoice and others from areas even MTN hasn't heard of.

Now how does the impoverished Nigerian league tap into this - simple, the media is THE biggest asset. Listen to them and let them pull the puppet strings short-term. Create good drama. That is the tool. Of course you need a cast of colourful characters to match (oh how we missed Westerhoof in his prime). We need sparkling commentators back on radio an tv - the likes of Y. Craig and the other colourful FRCN chap (from the east) of blessed memory and not these half baked federal character- assisted wannabes loitering around today). Before Roman Abrahamovich we had MKO Abiola and Emmanuel Iwuanyanwuand boy what a rivalry on and off field. Today its all political jobbers and goat herders commanding clubs. Where is John Masteroudes of Leventis United. If he was involved in the NPL today in any capacity; with the kind of tv funds we have available today I say forget Eurosoccer. But what do we have today. Even to conduct simple elections is a bridge too far for us and then we get dour, inept and corrupt folks in charge. Boy our league sure is ugly.

Spare a thought for Samson Siasia. He went to the NFF secretariat was it on monday to submit his list for the upcoming friendlies only to find out there was not a single soul in the technical department on seat to receive him. But come elections they will fight tooth and nail to get there.

Reference:

There's something else to european soccer particularly the EPL that makes it highly magnetic. An undercurrent that is absent in most global leagues and that is the 'entertainment' value.

Modern soccer in England has transcended mere sport to become the stuff of holywood. Every week is another episode of soccer's greatest act.

I think it started with the media, SkyTv to be specific and their potrayal of the game when compared to ITV and the likes back then. Players and managers got so much airtime, their post match lives colourfully displayed it turned many to celebrities. Then came the Mourinho factor and Abrams millions. Suddenly more news, views and interviews came and the whole thing snowballed.

That's why Jose never felt comfortable in Italy because there was just no spin. The press was largely uncoopearative and sterile to his jibes focusing rather exclusively on the game. He's tried the same again in Spain but surprisngly instead of buying into it the likes of Pep choose to remain media shy. That is what brings in the mega bucks and keeps the likes of United topping the earnings chart - TV.

TV is all about entertainment and entertainment is all about drama and good drama has a good script. In the EPL - players, managers, owners and the FA are all in it. Today it is Ferguson getting the rap for touchline tantrums and we love it, tomorrow its JT's off field antics. Where else will you get it. Do you know what Messi does after a game or who Iniesta is dating. Who cares but in England that is football and it makes big, big bucks. They've learnt from pro-boxing to build larger than life characters and every match a duel eagerly anticipated even when the quality is most times suspect.

That's why a kid in Obudu will easily reel off Chelsea's first eleven before he can count to eleven and that's why you cannot travel ten minutes in the remotest parts of Nigeria today without a dish in sight. The EPL is sucking revenue in billions through Multichoice and others from areas even MTN hasn't heard of.

Now how does the impoverished Nigerian league tap into this - simple, the media is THE biggest asset. Listen to them and let them pull the puppet strings short-term. Create good drama. That is the tool. Of course you need a cast of colourful characters to match (oh how we missed Westerhoof in his prime). We need sparkling commentators back on radio an tv - the likes of Y. Craig and the other colourful FRCN chap (from the east) of blessed memory and not these half baked federal character- assisted wannabes loitering around today). Before Roman Abrahamovich we had MKO Abiola and Emmanuel Iwuanyanwuand boy what a rivalry on and off field. Today its all political jobbers and goat herders commanding clubs. Where is John Masteroudes of Leventis United. If he was involved in the NPL today in any capacity; with the kind of tv funds we have available today I say forget Eurosoccer. But what do we have today. Even to conduct simple elections is a bridge too far for us and then we get dour, inept and corrupt folks in charge. Boy our league sure is ugly.

Spare a thought for Samson Siasia. He went to the NFF secretariat was it on monday to submit his list for the upcoming friendlies only to find out there was not a single soul in the technical department on seat to receive him. But come elections they will fight tooth and nail to get there.

I NEED POP CORN, AND SUM SEPE, to relax with cause of this

One of the main reasons that european soccer league is not only popular in africa but in the middle east and south america as well and besides african players also feature in it.Are u now saying that we should do away with it and stop supporting our boys plying their trade in europe all because the league is european?

@ op you re right, some nigerians argue to the extent of stabbing theirselves over EPL, well, im not a soccer fans though, i go for BASKETBALL all time,,,,,,

So what should ah support, O'P? Bukola Babes?? Roflmao, Gunnerz 4 Life!!!

Acutex:

So what should ah support, O'P? Bukola Babes?? Roflmao, Gunnerz 4 Life!!!

We should probably support Egbesu boys to show how patriotic we are

make una go bet for www.rapido.com.ng and leave the Poster to keep ranting.

Would have been nice if some of our millionaire players who make so much money in Europe invest in local clubs back home.
I'm not a footballer, but I plan to start up some kind of amateur football club in the future.

When Nairaland was Nairaland.