The director-general of National Institute for Sports (NIS), Comrade Philip Shaibu has charged home-based players to ‘wake up’ in order to get invitations tor the Super Eagles, as he reckons that their current performances cannot earn them spots in the Nigerian national team.
Sports247 reports that Shaibu used last weekend’s President Federation Cup final between El-Kanemi Warriors of Maiduguri and Ikoroduc City of Lagos as a reference point, with a view that the standard of play he saw on offer at Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba was not good enough.
The former deputy governor of Edo State opined that both sides put up shoddy performances that did not portray a good image about domestic football in Nigeria, then charged their coaches and team officials to put in better efforts towards improving the quality of home-based players.
Shaibu gave his no-holds-barred verdict after watching El-Kanemi Warriors, who were recently relegated from the Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL), defeat Ikorodu City with a lone goal that was scored in the first half by Muktar Ismail from a penalty kick in Saturday’s final.
It became the fourth time that El-Kanemi would win the country’s oldest football competition, after previous successes in 1991, 1992 and 2024, thereby also giving the Maiduguri-based club a ticket to represent Nigeria in next season’s CAF Confederation Cup, despite their second-tier status.
However, while commending Delta State government for providing a secure and conducive environment for the final, as well as Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) for a well-organised competition, Shaibu emphasised that the quality of play on the pitch did not meet up to his expectations.
“We know how competitive the FA Cup is in Nigeria. But, I must confess, the quality of football I watched between Ikorodu FC and El-Kanemi Warriors lacked the Nigerian high standard of football we demand. It was a zero-quality game, to say the least.
“The pitch was beautiful and the organisation was commendable, but both teams lacked consistency. The inconsistencies are not what Nigerian football wants now. Not even two minutes of co-ordinated passing from either side.
“I could barely point at a standout player among them. There was no quality, no depth. Looking at those on the touchline managing the teams and their reactions, they appeared comfortable with the unorganised style of play.
“I don’t see any opportunity from this type of local player representing the Nigerian football system of our dream. They need to wake up if they must be picked ahead of our foreign players,” said Shaibu, while affirming the need for more efforts in grassroots football and development of coaches.
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