Bad Politics, Selfishness Killing Nigerian Football Growth…Gabros chairman
Gabriel Chukwuma, Founder of defunct Gabros International Football Club of Nnewi says the Nigerian football has not attained its potential height in spite the solid foundation some of them laid for the game.
Chukwuma who was a chairman of Nigerian Football Association (NFA) said politics and selfishness had taken over the interest of those administering the game against altruism was why Nigerian players were not in topflight as in the past .
He said there was the need for the type of spirit that made him found and run a football successfully for 22 years without support from anybody or government.
“Politics is what destroyed our football, I can say the game has literarily died in Nigeria at a point I wanted to buy a club in Switzerland but my people discouraged from such outward investment.
“Unlike our time when we were interested in how we can grow the game, how we can entertain the world, help the youth to masks money, what they are interested is how much they can make from it.
“These days, we don’t have players who stay in top flight for a long time in Europe, have you wondered, why our men are no more popular as they used to, it is because we don’t have foundation,” he said.
Chukwuma called for a football structure which would accommodate players of all ages and allow for sustainable development and allow Nigerian players to enjoy long playing span as obtained in Europe and America.
He said he set up Nnewi United against his initial plans to acquire a club in Switzerland so that more youths can have an opportunity to climb to stardom.
“I managed a club for 22 years and I was in the premier league for seven years without one kobo support from government or any individual, it was from my personal money and the made from the club that we did all that, that is the type of spirit we need.
“I did not make money in football not because I don’t know his to go about it, I wanted to help the young ones, my joy is that many young men got a life from the platform Gabros Intl provided.
“Nnewi United is another platform I have provided again for the youth to support the efforts of government we are in the national league and we are not looking for promotion, where we is okay by us.
“My happiness is the day six Gabros players were in the national team against another country and my regret is that the foundation we built for successful take up of our football has collapsed,” he said.
