Adokiye Amiesimaka: Our football dogged by lack of planning

A former Nigerian international, Adokiye Amiesimaka, says the inability of football administrators to embark on well thought-out programmes will continue to impede football development in the country.

Amiesimaka, a former whistleblower against age cheating in Nigerian football,  said in an interview  in Lagos  today that Nigeria should take a cue from other countries which had excelled in their football management.

“That is what serious minded countries do. They plan for tomorrow. China has never won anything in any football competition, but we have won the under-17 world title five times, a record five times.

“But then, China are looking ahead. They are a more serious-minded country. They plan for tomorrow by putting infrastructure in place.

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“They are bringing foreign coaches to their country, and training their coaches. They are bringing up young players of about the ages of nine to 12, helping them to go to school.’’

Amiesimaka who correctly predicted Super Eagles ouster in the AFCON 2017 qualifier,  urged officials of the country’s football regulatory bodies to be proactive in order to take the sport’s development to the next level.

The former Rangers International FC winger said the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) must plan and be seen to be working for a meaningful growth of the nation’s football.

Amiesimaka, a former player and later Chairman of now defunct Sharks FC of Port Harcourt, told NAN that the Chinese have a well-regulated structure in place for their football development.

“It is well-regulated and is not comparable to the type we have here.

“They have invested so much on youth football, and their target is to be able to win the World Cup in the next 20 years,’’ the former Green Eagles player said.