Former Super Eagles coach, Christian Chukwu, has stated that the fact France won the Russia 2018 World Cup with more blacks in the team is an indication that Africa has the potential to win the Mundial in the nearest future.
Speaking with The Guardian yesterday, Chukwu noted that the bane of Africa and Nigeria football is over reliance on government for funding of the sport on the continent.
The former Harambee Stars of Kenya manager said that if structures and quality organisation had been put in place for the domestic league and academies in the past, Nigerian football would have been competing with the best nations in the world at the moment.
Chukwu, who wondered why soccer was not taken as a serious business in the country, said that the continuous control of football administration by politicians has demeaned the growth of football in Nigeria.
He, however, advised the warring parties in the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to sue for peace, and start building back the growth of the nation’s football.
Chukwu also urged stakeholders of the game to fashion out modalities that would eradicate the bad system of football administration in the country and bring out ideas that would help Nigeria catch up with the big nations names in the world of football.
“France parading mostly African players and winning the tournament in Russia is an indication that Africa can win the World Cup.
The problem is that we lack organisation in our entire system of running football in the continent.
“In other climes where things are taken seriously, soccer is taken as big business.
Communities, companies and individuals fund football very well so as to bring out the best in their leagues and academies.
They also use professionals who understand the knowledge of the game.”
Chukwu added: “The Nigerian football has been bedevilled by politicians, as funds for the growth of the game is provided by government. Then, how do you think football would grow.”
