IKENWA NNABUOGOR laments the false start of Nigerian clubs in continental football over the weekend and the implications…
The disappointing performances of Nigeria’s club representatives in the CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup games at the weekend condemned football in Nigeria to nothingness.
Kano Pillars, Rivers United and Plateau United made club football in Nigeria look like minnows competing with even less illustrious opponents in the African continent.
Rivers United, one time continental finalists, were the most disappointing of the three clubs, losing to a club from Equatorial Guinea.
Plateau United also did not cover themselves in glory even with Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr in attendance, losing 1-0 at home to Tanzanian side, Simba SC.
It is even more worrisome that the crazy defeat came at the heel of the heating moment of Rohr refusing to look the way of players on the home front.
Could his actions have been vindicated with this disappointing defeat in Jos?
Will the local league player be worth anything before the embattled Franco-German coach?
Enyimba only managed to restore some hopes for club continental competition by beating their adversaries from Burkina Faso 1-0.
Nigeria is sadly fast dropping anything left of the class and quality it’s international and club football is known for and something urgent must be done to put back the once fearful African side back in the world football map.
Enyimba remain the only club in Nigeria with the enviable record of winning the CAF Champions League twice and back to back and it appears it will be a mountain to climb for another club to match the record.
Gone are the days when clubs in Nigeria struck fear into clubs in Africa in club continental football competitions.
The Abiola Babes, the Leventis Uniteds, the BCCs, the IICCs and the Rangers of old were dreaded in Africa and clubs were afraid to face them.
These clubs were smoking both home and away, turning back clubs with intimidating scoreline, but unfortunately, Nigerian clubs of nowadays are just a shadow of themselves.
Could this disgrace be as a result of dearth of talents in the home front?
But it can be argued that a good number of our best legs in Europe and in the national team were products of the local league, non-league setup and the academies.
Could it be the local coaches lack the technical and tactical knowledge to impart on the players and that caused their disgraceful outings last weekend and the general state of our local league?
It can also be argued that the lack of competitiveness occasioned by the Covid-19 Pandemic has taken its toll on our local league.
It can also be argued that what happened is global and for the fact that clubs from the supposed less illustrious countries inflicted defeats to Nigerian clubs, will only trash this argument as lacking substance.
The League Management Company was established to further the professional framework of the league since professional football was introduced in 1992 but introspect, has the LMC moved the local league to the next level?
The answer to this will solely depend on individual’s assessment of the apex league body.
Nevertheless, the state of football generally, especially the local league is pathetic and something must be done to bring back our football.
