Former Stationary Stores and Julius Berger FC of Lagos midfielder, Taiwo Oloyede has served a stinging revelation about many reasons why Nigerian clubs struggle to shine in continental competitions, Sports247 reports.
The country’s only surviving club in this season’s continental terrain, Rivers United of Port Harcourt brought back sad memories of Nigeria’s woes with a 3-0 loss on Saturday away to Pyramids FC of Egypt in their first match of the CAF Champions League group stage and critics have already written them off.
Read Also: Eberechi Eze Thanks Arsenal Teammates For Helping Him Quickly Settle Down
The Garden City outfit became the first Nigerian club to reach the group stage after nine years of failure, but early signs indicate that they might not get into the knock-out rounds of the elite competition.
With the shock exit of Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) champions, Remo Stars of Ikenne earlier on, as well as pathetic results in the CAF Confederations Cup qualifiers by two other clubs, Oloyede has now fingered two major obstacles.
He opined that failure to play ‘the politics of continental competitions’ and excessive recruitment strategies of Nigeria’s campaigners are the biggest setbacks that keep derailing the country’s representatives on a yearly basis.
Oloyede disclosed this during ‘Hot Seat’ segment of Inside Naija Sports, a live streaming programme on YouTube, broadcast from the television studio of Sports247 Naija at 2:15pm every Friday.
The former national team invitee at both junior and senior levels began with a sweeping declaration: “We don’t know how to play the politics of CAF competitions. I remember during our time how the officials and administrators really played the politics of CAF competitions.
“When I say politics, there’s so much involved that we can’t talk about openly in public. It involves a lot of underground moves. Those who know it will understand what I’m talking about.”
He then commended Rivers United for breaking the jinx of Nigeria’s failure in reaching the CCL group stage and pointed out that it is mostly because they allowed continuity to flow in their squad and coaching crew.
“I know that people like (Barrister Chris) Green are trying for Rivers United. However, another major factor is that any team that wins the league or qualifies for the continental competitions will do away with most of their players.
“That’s one regard in which Remo Stars messed up. A team that everybody trusted to do well. They parted with eight of their regular players after winning the league title. How would they perform when many of their key players are gone?” Oloyede queried.
He concluded with a charge for Nigerian clubs going on continental assignments to always allow continuity reign in their array of players and the technical crew, considering that blending would be an essential factor when going for the African assault.
“Remo Stars sold eight players and started looking for new ones. It happens with other Nigerian league champions …. they will sell 15 players and look for 18 to replace them.
“It’s so common in Nigeria that any team which wins the league will start recruiting players … under three weeks or two months that the next season will begin.
“How will they perform well when they can’t blend? They will then put pressure on the coach after just three matches and say he would be sacked if the team does not start winning matches,” Oloyede lampooned.
