Jonathan Should Overhaul Nigerian Sports

Former player of  the defunct ACB Football Club of Lagos and ex-Nigerian international, Monday Odiaka told SUNDAY AKINTOYE about  the way he feels with the running of sports in Nigeria and other issues

How do you see the performance of home-based Super Eagles against Niger Republic in the international friendly recently played in Niamey?

I’m happy with the outcome of the match. It was so sad that Nigeria could not beat Niger in the friendly.

Are you saying that the local players invited to the Eagles were not good?

I won’t blame the players that were invited to the Eagles but I will rather blame the system we are operating in this country. Our football administrators are not running football the way it should be compare to other countries in the world. The players  cannot play better than what they are playing because those who are running football in Nigeria are not professionals.

Some Nigerians believe that the players invited to the senior national team are not committed to their Motherland  compare to what they play in their clubs abroad, how do you react to this?

It is true that some of our players are not committed  when they come to play for Nigeria, but I won’t blame them because we are not running football the way other countries are running it.

Is there any way forward for Nigerian Football?

The only way forward is to allow those who know the game run our football. I want to call on Nigerian president, Goodluck Jonathan to declare a state of emergency in Nigerian sports and a total overhauling of the sector because the present administrators cannot lead us anywhere. It was so disappointing that we could go to an Olympic Games without winning a medal. I was so sad. The President should clean the rot at the National Sports Commission, NSC. It is glaring that the administrators who are in charge at the NSC cannot deliver at all. They must all go.

Eagles will confront the Lone Star of Liberia in the last round of the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations,  What is your take on the two legged matches?

(Laughs) Liberia should not  be a threat to us. I don’t see any tough match from the Liberians. It is so sad today that Nigeria are struggling to beat countries like Rwanda, Ethiopia and Niger. It will be another disaster if Nigeria fail to qualify for the next Nations Cup and the FIFA World Cup in Brazil.