Former Nigeria international Bob Osim has warned that Nigerian clubs will continue to struggle in continental competitions unless fundamental issues within the country’s football system are addressed.
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Speaking in a chat, Osim said the problem goes beyond coaches or team management, insisting that the core issue lies in a failing sporting structure that has not kept pace with developments elsewhere on the continent.
“Instead of progressing, it’s retrogressing. We are not ready yet,” Osim said. “It’s not just about the coaches. It’s not about the management. It’s about our system. Our system is very, very bad.”
Osim lamented that while other footballing nations are embracing innovation and modern ideas, Nigeria’s domestic game has remained stuck in the past.
“People are trying to grow. People are innovating. People are bringing new dimensions and learning things that will change their situation in terms of the football system,” he explained. “But our own is stagnant. We are not even moving forward. In fact, we are moving backward. Nothing is working.”
According to the former international, the steady decline in the quality of the domestic league has directly affected the performance of Nigerian clubs in CAF competitions.
“So it’s not a surprise that our teams are not doing well on the continent,” he said. “It’s not a surprise at all.”
Osim placed responsibility on football administrators, accusing them of failing to put sustainable measures in place to improve the league’s standard and competitiveness.
His comments come amid renewed criticism of Nigerian clubs’ performances in continental tournaments, with Osim stressing that meaningful progress will only be possible if structural reforms are prioritised and consistently implemented.
