Sports | NFF election: My vision to transform Nigerian football - Uchegbulam
NFF election: My vision to transform Nigerian football - Uchegbulam
A foremost football administrator and former board member of the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, Chief Amanze Uchegbulam, has given insights into what he would to in order to transform the now ailing Nigerian football when elected the next chairman of the national football house.
Ucheegbulam who also doubled as the chairman of the Imo State Football Federation, when addressing sports journalist in Owerri said the problem of football in Nigeria is lack of passion, vision and commitment.
"I can tell you without any fear or contradiction that the worst problem facing our country's football is lack passion, vision and commitment. Those managing our football affairs do not have the interest of the game at heart. They don't have the passion, the the zeal or the commitment to run the game effectively for meaningful results. If you are not dedicated in anything you are doing, surely, you cannot make any meaningful progress. Therefore, for us to get it right once more, Nigeria, as a matter of urgency and necessity, must elect somebody like me who has the passion, vision, zeal and commitment to run the affairs of NFF", he stated.
The former NFF board member enthused that when elected as the president of the NFF, his first port of call would be to restore the confidence of Nigerians and infectors on the local league. This, he said would ensure that our Investors wouldn't run away when you bring sponsorship deals or proposals to them.
"The fact remains that for us to get it right, we must repackage, rebrand and reposition the local league as well as local football. This will bring back investors who may not again be asking too many questions whenever they are approached for proposals on anything Nigerian football.
"Again, you can see that our biggest brand, the Super Eagles are still struggling. ThIs is a national shame. In fact, it was inconceivable that the Black Stars of Ghana came here to pick a World Cup ticket before our very eyes. If I were there as the NFF boss, it couldn't have happened because we would have planned ahead. Equally, this idea of going to Europe to get players who will come from different parts of Europe to play a game where they have only two serious training before crucial games must stop. As NFF boss, I must have a standing Super Eagles team made up of the home based players. As the team assemble, we can just pick three or four players from Europe to fortify what we have on ground. This is the way to go about it.
"By the way, virtually all the countries that are doing well at the global stage in football have majority of their players playing at home. The only exception might just be Brazil and Argentina. Even at that, they still have at least between three and four players in their respective teams drawn from the domestic league" .
"What I am saying in effect is that I am ready, I am available and I am poised to serve. What stands me out from the pack is experience, exposure., manifesto which shows that I have the capacity and capability to do the job than anyone else. My matrix is: I am visionary, committed and passionate about the revival of our now moribund football. Yes" I can do it and the time is now"?
