Churchill Oliseh, a sports commentator, asserted that the Nigerian Football Federation is unable to adequately address the numerous obstacles preventing the growth of football in the nation.
He stated that the problem would persist until a proper regulatory structure and framework were in place.
On Friday in Osogbo, Oliseh made the observations at the interactive monthly stakeholders forum of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN).
The issues won’t go away until the NFF takes a comprehensive look at them, identifies them, and approaches them with appropriate solutions, according to Oliseh, who believed that the country’s football governing body has been treating the symptoms of the illness rather than the illness itself.
In his words, “You cannot continue to do the same thing the same way and expect a different result. This is why there hasn’t been concrete development in our football sector and why we struggle to raise a formidable team for the nation.”
The former goalkeeper and current president of FC Ebedei also disclosed that many football clubs in the nation were founded without a clear goal.
“This is why only the clubs owned and financed by the government thrive and can sustain the tempo.”
Bemoaning the fact that Nigerian football teams fall short of international standards, Oliseh urged the NFF and its leadership to seize the initiative and reform the game so that it is on par with what is achieved internationally.
