Former Nigeria midfielder Mutiu Adepoju has urged the country to give suitably qualified ex-internationals a larger role in running its football as debate over the sport’s future intensifies.
Quick facts
- Adepoju played for Nigeria and was part of the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations-winning squad.
- He previously played for Real Sociedad.
- He is serving on an NFF fact-finding committee examining the national teams’ recent performances.
- The committee is expected to propose remedies for Nigerian football’s problems.
Adepoju says former players who competed for Nigeria at the highest level have first-hand insight that could help tackle several of the difficulties affecting the game.
His comments come amid uncertainty and renewed demands for change, following poor results involving multiple national teams and developments in the leadership of the Nigeria Football Federation.
In Adepoju’s view, retirement should not mean that former internationals are permanently pushed out of the football system. Those who have the necessary skills, he argues, should be allowed to take part in administration and policy decisions.
The ex-Real Sociedad midfielder has already played a role in assessing the situation. He was named to an NFF fact-finding panel with other football stakeholders to review recent national-team displays and identify potential answers.
His proposal is not simply a call to reserve jobs for ex-players. The wider issue is whether former internationals can be identified who bring together their playing background, formal education, management skills, personal integrity and knowledge of the modern football industry.
Adepoju, who helped Nigeria win the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations, believes the lessons and expertise gathered by former internationals should be used in the rebuilding of the national game.
The next stage of football administration in Nigeria will need a framework that links technical understanding with sound management and clear accountability.
