Former Super Eagles’ goalkeeper and one-time media officer, Idah Peterside has come out with a sweeping allegation that Nigerian football administrators do not respect former players of the game.
Speaking against the backdrop of complaints by some ex-internationals that their voices are always ignored when they speak out on issues that affect the round leather game, Idah said he often feels like keeping quiet and simply ignore what he referred to as ‘the rot’ in Nigerian football.
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The former shot-stopoer, who became a sports analyst on cable television and pastor, roared: “I don’t want to get into the Nigerian case, but I’ve seen this rotteness for a very long time.
“We’ve complained deeply, but sometimes they think because we played football, we don’t qualify to run football, and it’s a big shame.”
Idah, who starred in the Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL) and South African top flight during his heyday, went on to flaunt his personal credentials, which he believes qualify him to speak out as an authority on issues that affect Nigerian football.
“I went to school, I have enough education, and I played the game. You need to have the ability to manage things, a business, or whatever it is in order to be able to run an organisation.
“But, sometimes they don’t honour us, and they don’t respect former players. Once you play football, they look at you as a dropout,” Peterside stressed ruefully.
