Nigerian clubsides representing Nigeria at this year’s CAF competition have a sour story to tell as Enyimba and Kano Pillars, Dolphins all crashed out of the competition in the most dramatic way.
It is based on this development, our sports desk anchored the chairman of Port Harcourt Local Government Football Association, one who have taken the pain to develop football at the grassroots with his time and hard earned resources. Kingsley woke Aka Baba Jugunu.
In his respond, he said, he is so bitter that Nigerian clubsides never represent the country well when it matters most, that is because things were not done well at the home front.
According to him, if Nigeria will dominate or will become the soccer power it is clamouring for both at club level and international level as a country, the Nigerian domestic league must be developed and encouraged.
Stressing that except Nigeria gets it right at the domestic league level; Nigerian clubsides will continue to fumble when it comes to CAF competitions.
He cited a situation here in Rivers State where every year Dolphins and Sharks will be made to paired to play the federation cup finals, so as to produce both clubsides to represent the state at the national level. It has become so perennial and this is not helping Nigerian clubsides at the CAF competitions, because a clear test of talent was not presented.
He lamented a situation where the stadium was so empty while the two state owned teams in the league are playing the state FA finals.
“It so sad to note that there was no government present, no soccer stakeholder and dignitaries of note at the stadium to watch the FA final match.
Furious, Woke said all these contributed to the poor runs of Nigerian clubsides in CAF competitions.
Baba Jugum as he is fondly called by his fans, a grassroot football hero as he has played and organized seasoned com petition which has produced notable players and football administration alike.
In covering the state FA finals, between Dolphins and Sharks, The Newswriter sports discovered that both sides played without a quality reserve bench, owing to the fact that some of the players have traveled to their home state for break.
We understand that the two teams were arranged to play the finals so as to represent the state at the national level, players were call by phone.
Dolphins is the winner of that encounter as to represent Rivers State at the national level. ###
