A Lagos-based youth developer, Oluwaseyi Amos has fingered the presence of outdated coaches and overaged players as major factors accounting for low quality in the Nigerian league.
This verdict was provided by the chairman of Seamoriow Sports Limited, Oluwaseyi Amos, who reasoned that football academies in Nigeria exhibit better soccer value than league clubs, because of their developmental ideas.
Amos added in a down-to-earth dialogue with sports247.ng on Saturday: “The point is that football is going beyond just passing the ball around.
“There are more technicalities to be imbibed in football these days.
“At the same time, if you don’t have good coaches, you will always have a problem.
“The academies are investing so much in their coaches, but those in the league, in quote, are not updated.
“Some of the coaches have been there for a very long time … four, five years … without brushing up.
“They have been there without going for internship training and without getting additional materials to improve themselves.
“That will always tell on the boys, and it will tell on the league.
“We can all see that, on the part of the academies, they always want to improve their coaching education and upgrade in all aspects.”
Amos, whose fast growing football development project is located at Islamic Pitch along Abaronje Road in Ikotun area of Lagos, also harped on the need for Nigerian league clubs to sign up young players.
“Another factor is that, in the league, there are many overaged players.
“If you have players aged 34, 38 still playing in the Nigerian league, you won’t get the best out of them.
“For instance, if a player that is 38, 40 is playing from the right flank, you can’t expect him to cover enough distance that is required from him during a match.
“It will always tell on the player and the team. It would also affect the beauty of football,” Amos reasoned.
He concluded by advocating more refresher courses for coaches and the presence of young players for all clubs in the Nigerian league.
Amos submitted: “It is better that you recruit young players into Nigerian football and let the coaches brush up themselves.
“They must improve themselves and get advanced coaching education in order for them to be able to align with international standards.”
