From Andrew Abah, Abuja
Former Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Youth and Sports Development Godfrey Gaya has attributed the decline in youth football to the neglect by the chieftains of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) who are more interested in the affairs of the Super Eagles than the cadets which is the pillar of football development.
Gaya, who made this known in Abuja, said that the attitude of glasshouse managers was rather unfortunate. He said he was surprised that Nigeria can no longer be reckoned with in CAF/FIFA organised youth competitions because the current board of NFF is simply paying lip service to grassroots football.
“If you check our record in youth competitions organised by CAF and FIFA in the out-going year, Nigeria failed woefully. From Dream Team (U-23), Flying Eagles, Golden Eaglets, Beach Soccer (Super Sand Eagles), Our female teams – Super Falcons, Falconets and Flamingoes, because less attention is paid to them. NFF must wake up and encourage football at the grassroots.
“No nation develops without youth football and now smaller nations in Africa are doing well and that is the reason we now find it difficult to qualify for youth championships.
The former lawmaker further said that if the current board of NFF did not take urgent steps to address the dwindling fortunes of youth football, Nigeria will soon disappear in world football.
Gaya also urged the NFF to reintroduce winning bonuses and other entitlements at the youth level which was scrapped by the present board.
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