Former Super Eagles midfielder Edema Fuludu has blamed the
poor state of the domestic league
for Nigerian players’ inability to
secure contracts with top European
clubs.
While Guinea
midfielder Naby Keita (Leipzig), Algeria
winger Riyad Mahrez (Leicester City)
and Gabon forward Pierre-Emerick
Aubameyang are attracting megabucks
deal, Nigerian players are only good enough for the football backwater of China, Turkey, Slovenia, Austria and Ukraine.
Fuludu called for the Nigeria Football Federation and League Management Company to work
towards enhancing the domestic league to provide a better platform to
improve the players.
“In spite of the effort by the LMC to reposition our league
to make it viable, we are still not there yet,” the Tunisia ’94 Africa Cup of
Nations winner was quoted by the News Agency of Nigeria as saying on Wednesday.
“These days, most
African players are eager to play in the South African league, because the
league there has all the vital elements
of a good competition.
“Our players who have
managed to be considered (by clubs in
Europe) are only good enough for second divisions and if they struggle to play
for top clubs, they are not among the
first-team players.”
The former Julius Berger star added, “A player’s market
value depends on how he is playing. How often he plays and the impact he is
making in his club, and also for his country are very important.
“It’s a big issue for us, it also has an impact on our
national team.”
Fuludu told NAN that
the domestic league could do with more
viable investors.
He said, “We need more investments in our league so that if
our market value goes up, scouts will always come here to get our products. We
must make the value of our home team strong.
“If officiating gets
better, coaches get trained, a player in
Nigeria will probably be offered $200, 000 $ or 100,000 as the case maybe.
“If it’s a player in South Africa, he will earn millions simply because they have invested in
their league.”
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