Rivers United assistant coach Yemi Olanrewaju has identified the shortage of prolific goalscorers as a major problem confronting Nigerian football, insisting the challenge extends beyond his club to teams across the country.
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Olanrewaju raised the concern following Rivers United’s elimination from the CAF Champions League, arguing that Nigerian clubs will struggle to compete consistently on the continent without forwards capable of converting opportunities at a higher rate.
The coach pointed to goalscoring figures in the Nigeria Premier Football League as evidence of the problem.
According to Olanrewaju, the fact that leading marksmen can complete a 38-match league campaign with around 11 or 12 goals highlights a wider shortage of clinical finishers in the domestic game.
For the Rivers United assistant coach, the problem therefore cannot simply be attributed to individual teams whenever they struggle in front of goal.
He believes it reflects a broader issue within Nigerian football that requires attention from clubs, coaches and those responsible for player development.
Rivers United’s continental campaign brought that concern back into focus after the Nigerian side failed to progress against Ivorian club FC San Pedro.
Olanrewaju believes matches at continental level are often decided by small margins, making the ability to take goalscoring opportunities particularly important.
While teams can defend effectively, control possession and create chances, he argued that those qualities ultimately count for little if they are not accompanied by players capable of consistently putting the ball in the net.
His comments also raise questions about the development and recruitment of strikers within the NPFL.
For Nigerian clubs hoping to challenge Africa’s strongest sides, Olanrewaju believes finding dependable goalscorers must become a priority rather than something addressed only after continental campaigns begin.
The issue, in his assessment, goes deeper than Rivers United’s latest CAF disappointment.
If the league’s most productive forwards are struggling to post significantly higher numbers across an entire 38-game season, Olanrewaju believes Nigerian football must examine why it is no longer producing enough prolific strikers.
For the Rivers United coach, Nigeria’s continental struggles have many explanations — but until clubs find players who can consistently turn chances into goals, one of the biggest problems will remain unresolved.
