Interview: Why Nigerian descents have opted to play for European countries

The rate at which Nigerian descents have dumped the green and white colours to play for other countries is becoming very alarming.

Youngsters like Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Bamidele Jermaine popularly called Dele Alli dumped his father land Nigeria to play for England’s Three Lions which is a big miss for Africa.

Bayern Munich’s defensive mid-fielder David Olatokun Alaba a.k.a David Alaba also turned to his country of birth Austria, despite having a Yoruba father, in a bid to ensure his career was not altered as a result of lack of proper development of Sports in Nigeria.

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Recall that Alex Iwobi who had featured for England’s youth teams almost slipped from Nigeria until Samson Siasia featured him for the Super Eagles in a competitive game in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Egypt.

In this interview, the founder and director Team Nigeria UK and International, David Doherty, stated that proper management has been the major factor that has led many Nigerian athletes to feature for other countries aside their home country.

The Business Management degree holder from the University of Greenwich UK also added that Nigeria has huge talents across the world, but proper management is key in developing these lads for the betterment of the nation.

Excerpts:

The number of Nigerians playing for other countries has continued to rise, why this?

I think it has got to do with not just the management of the league or the support in terms of provision the LMC give to players, but I think most young people want to go out there because of what they have been seeing on TV.

The want to be like the Mikel Obi and Lionel Messi’s of this world. Everyone wants to make an ends meet, and especially the condition in terms of welfares of players is not to wrote home about, so everyone is actually looking for ways to actually go out there to see what they can do to support their families.

NAIJ.com: Do you think they are well treated over there?

Definitely, there is no doubt about that, I will talk in respect of the United Kingdom because that is where I am based. In that regard, players and welfare and provision support is first class, you can’t doubt that, but that is why you see most young people, mostly players, want to go out there to play in Europe.

In Europe itself, it is usually the same thing; you have got to support and without those things you won’t get the best from the young players and best from players generally.

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NAIJ.com: Let’s talk about Team Nigeria UK, is this different from the one in Nigeria?

Our job is easier but I think is a little bit tedious, we scout for talents, support them as well as encourage them to actually think of ways to represent Nigeria and also what we can do to empower themselves outside the game itself.

Of course, not all of them will get professional, we are actually creating what they can fall back on, a platform to empower themselves, get something aside football or away from the game, probably for something to get them into the society back so we are looking for ways to support our own young people out there in the diaspora and back home so we are replicating the same thing here.

NAIJ.com: So how long have you been here?

About three years now and God has been faithful. We’ve got support from the community, individuals that actually believe in it but thank God the whole thing is actually getting the media support that it needed to reach out to people that can actually stand up for the organization in term of support.

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NAIJ.com: Has team Nigeria UK assisted any player to any of the Nigerian national teams?

Like I said, we’ve got some players that have already sent names to the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF).

We gave them 25 names of players that are playing regularly, week-in-week-out, in their respective club sides which is the most important thing – those are the professional ones.

We’ve got  Oduduwa that was in the under 13s, we have Vick Solomon and just presently the under 17s – that is the goal keeper is 15 years old, he is with the present Golden Eaglets’ team.

NAIJ.com: Any collaboration with the NFF?

Definitely, we have got partnership in side with the NFF but we are actually looking forward into going further, we want to get them fully committed.

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NAIJ.com: What do you think is really missing in the Nigerian Professional Football League?

I think one thing we need to do is … I won’t say what we have to do is to replicate the English Premier League, EPL has been there for years, Nigeria’s League Management Company is doing its best as well, so I think with more partnership coming in place, well we will be sending people out there to go and gain knowledge on how to football management is being done.

One of the things that need to be done very well and it has to be with people that actually got passion for it, people that really want a difference for it so there is a lot that needs to be put together, it is a gradual process.

With time, LMC will achieve more. They have got partnership with Barcelona and hope if we can get partnership with other affiliates out there and also have a taste of how management is in different countries that will be actually superb.

NAIJ.com: Your final word for the lads that want to play in Europe by all means?

I think they should keep working hard and be focused. However and you don’t forget education is very important, without education nothing is really going to be achieved.

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