THE Nigerian football Federation eventually held elections into different positions in the board last week amidst uncertainties over the legality or otherwise of the elections which saw the acting chairman. Alhaji Aminu Maigari returning as chairman of the Federation.
With some of the aggrieved candidates heading to the court of arbitration in sports to nullify the elections, Maigari will begin his tenure with the proverbial sword of Damocles hanging over his neck.
Segun Odegbami and other ex – internationals who faulted the process that brought in the new board have resolved not to give in till they see to the nullification of the election so that a new process which would bring up to date state football Associations before a proper NFF elections could hold.
I have my doubts over the possibility of the aggrieved parties obtaining any positive outcome from the courts, but it’s certainly going to give the new men at the helm of the game in Nigeria some sleepless nights as they strive to move the game to the next level.
The issue of Samson Siasia taking over as Chief Coach is still yet to be resolved with the Super Eagles beginning their quest for a Nations cup ticket in Gabon/Equitorial Guinea 2012 this weekend in Calabar.
Samson Siasia’s emolument and other basic allowances which he will be entitled to have not been agreed upon. To many followers of the game in Nigeria, it is a matter that has unnecessarily been dragged to the public square because Siasia is demanding what a good foreign coach usually ask for.
I don’t think he is asking for too much money if what was paid to Lars Lagerback is anything to go by. Fifty thousand dollars will be just enough for a coach who has handled a good percentage of the National team players at youth levels in the past five years.
He is an innovative and broad-minded coach who has won great applause for his disciplinary stance on some of the biggest players in his team. But the big question is, when will the new board hand Siasia the job?
The Nigeria league still remains an albatross in the development of football in Nigeria despite the huge funding in the past decades now without a sponsor because of the high level of corruption by officials. It will take a lot of pragmatism for the league to reach the standards the talents in the Nigerian game deserve. As long as government managed clubs remain in the NPL, it will be almost impossible to stop the high level of corruption that exist in the league.
Can the Maigari led board sanitise the league and encourage private individuals and corporate bodies to buy and manage these clubs.
The biggest football clubs in the world today are managed with shareholders money and privae individuals. There are a lot of bluechip companies and wealthy individuals who have the financial muscles to own clubs but they will be wise to keep their money away when government owned clubs are there competing.
The issue of women’s football should be given top priority. The ladies had recently demonstrated that they can use the game to bring a lot of laurels to the country. I’m not impressed that there was no woman in the new board but if Maigari wants to be seen as a pathfinder, he should structure a formidable and implementable programme that will resurrect a competitive women’s league that will be the pride of the African continent.
Finally, I think what should be the priority of the board now is to reach out to the aggrieved parties in the recently conducted elections with a view to reconciling with them. That is the only way to go as all hands must be seen to be on deck in the development of football in the country.
If this is done on time it will give him the right confidence to chart a new path for the growth of the game in Nigeria.
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