Monday Odigie, the head coach of Bendel Insurance, didn’t hold back his frustration with the officiating during his team’s recent 1-0 loss to Sporting Lagos.
Odigie criticized the inconsistency of the referees, stating that it negatively affects the quality of play in the league.
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He emphasized that his focus is on improving the standard of football rather than winning at any cost.
“Inexperienced players can hardly hold their own, the ball is all over. You can see what led to the goal.
When inconsistent calls are being made, players are being kicked. The referee is not blowing. He doesn’t want to hold down the ball. So this will hinder positive football in Nigeria.”
The coach highlighted the importance of fair officiating in allowing players to showcase their skills and contribute to the growth of the game.
He expressed disappointment with the controversial decisions made by the referees during the match, suggesting that such calls hinder positive football development in Nigeria.
“What I stand for is not to win at all costs. It’s play to improve the game of football. Let the players become valuable qualities.
And let the quality of the game also rise in Nigeria. We didn’t come here to play any defensive game. We’re not playing our normal game.
When you have the ball you try to be offensive. When you don’t have the ball you close off the match. That’s tactical football. But what I see here is not encouraging because we all saw the game.”
Odigie also lamented the impact of inconsistent officiating on player safety, noting that inexperienced players struggle to perform when faced with challenges like unfair calls and physical play.
Despite the loss, Odigie emphasized that his team’s approach is to play offensive football and focus on tactical excellence.
However, he believes that the current officiating standards are not conducive to achieving these goals.
In conclusion, Odigie called for improvements in officiating standards to elevate the quality of football in Nigeria and create a more conducive environment for players to excel.
