Following the exit of three NPFL sides from the CAF Confederation Cup, NFF president, Amaju Pinnick, says continuous dependence on state governments is the reason why Nigerian clubs will continue to struggle in the continent.
Nigerian champions, Plateau United crashed out of the CAF Confederation Cup on Tuesday, followed by MFM FC and Akwa United after their respective play-off ties on Wednesday.
Only two-time African champions, Enyimba of Aba advanced to the group stage of the Confederation Cup.
And Pinnick insists that the solution to doing well in continental competitions is for Nigerian clubs to become independent of government and build structures and traditions like their European counterparts do.
“Nigerian clubs will continue to struggle because they don’t have the structures and traditions of the Arab teams they are competing with on the continent,” Complete Sports quoted Pinnick as saying.
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“Enyimba is the only team that has the semblance of a professional side with history and tradition.
“Again, we need to educate our football administrators, because they are our number one problem. They are dependent on government appropriations. They don’t know that if they run the clubs properly and independently, they would have more money for themselves and their families.
“We have tried it for the past 20 years and it did not work. People should come together and take over the running of clubs and give them good structures and tradition to challenge like in the days of old.”
Pinnick, who vying for a sec8nd term in office as president of the football federation, also promised to ensure that clubs in the country are able to run independent of government if re-elected.
“I have said it openly that when we get re-elected by the grace of God, the first thing I will do is to ensure that all the clubs are independent of government and run like true professional club like it is done in Europe and North Africa.”
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