Legendary Super Eagles player Mutiu Adepoju has attributed Nigeria’s declining football standards to inadequate rules and subpar administration of our male-age-grade teams.
Nigeria, a football superpower in Africa, has seen its game suddenly deteriorate in recent years since it is no longer able to compete in or win key CAF male football tournaments.
Senegal, a neighboring country in West Africa, is generating national and international news for its exciting soccer.
Since winning the 2021 African Cup of Nations by defeating Egypt in a penalty shootout in Cameroon, they have become the first African nation to simultaneously hold the five most prestigious awards in men’s football.
This is along with the 2022 Africa Beach Soccer Cup of Nations. The West Africans had won the Africa Cup of Nations (CHAN) title in February in Algiers just as they won the U-20 AFCON title in Egypt in March.
In May, Senegal Young Cubs won the 2023 AFCON U-17 Championship in Algiers for a complete sweep of football titles on the continent.
According to The Sun Sports, the ‘Head Master’ and Oyo State Football Federation member blamed the decline of the round leather game in Nigeria on wrong policies.
“Congratulations to the Senegalese FA as they have got it right by putting in place developmental football policies and programs, so it’s no magic that they have dominated the male football championships in Africa.
“For Nigeria, our football has deteriorated over the years due to the wrong policies put in place.
“However, Nigeria can reclaim its lost glory and match Senegal’s feat in African football, if the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) put in place developmental football policies and strategies.
“It’s good the attention has shifted to developing our domestic league with this kind of programme like the Naija Super 8, which is meant to reignite the passion and followership for club football in the country,” Adepoju said.
