The Nigerian football icon Segun Odegbami said football has not improved in the country since he retired from active playing. In this exclusive interview with Aderonke Bello of Naij.com, the 63-year-old said people at the helms of affairs do not understand the technicalities of the game.
He further revealed his intention not to step down for Orji Uzor Kalu in the FIFA presidential race, because politics and not football is his territory. He quickly added that if Orji Uzor Kalu, a former Abia state governor, happened to be nominated ahead of him in the race, he will throw his weight behind him.
Read the excerpts:
Odegbami as a footballer
Naij.com: Since you left the scene as a footballer, what can you say has improved in Nigerian football?
Odegbami: There are more friendly football grounds now, because in our time many of the grounds were half sand half grass, and not good enough for football at the highest level. Many of the grounds are now Astro-turf, not as good as grass, but better than the undulating half sand half grass pitches of those days. Otherwise, nothing else has improved.
Naij.com: What are you not satisfied with and how can we get better as a footballing nation?
Odegbami: There are so many things that need to be changed to make Nigerian football become better in all ramifications. Needless to name them. However, there is so much ignorance about football. Everyone claims to be an expert in football, so it has become hard to separate the wheat from the chaff. I wish people should understand the game better, particularly its technical content and requirement.
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Naij.com: What is your goodwill message to Nigerian football lovers, especially your fans over the years?
Odegbami: What can I say? I thank them for the support they gave us in those days, the support they are giving me now, and the support they will offer me into the future that I dream about!
Segun Odegbami
Naij.com: Your FIFA ambition seem to suffer a setback looking at the NFF stand on their rules, what is the way forward?
Odegbami: I never expected a smooth ride in my quest. You do not find a diamond on the street. You have to dig deep and hard to get it. To become FIFA president. As we can all see from the reactions of many people since I made the announcement, many Nigerians have been skeptical and even cynical in considering the possibility of a black person, a Nigerian for that matter, contesting and truly aiming to be the president. The way forward is that we have put our hands on the plough. There is no going back until the journey is over and the destination is reached.
Naij.com: Do you think you have all the requirements from the NFF and what it takes to contest for
the FIFA presidential post?
Odegbami: Requirements from the NFF? All they need to offer are the letters to FIFA nominating me as an eligible contestant in the elections. This time around there will be no business as usual so the dynamics of FIFA would be altered significantly with the tension and fear in the air over who would be the next victim of a self-inflicted corruption scandal charges.
Orji Uzor Kalu and Segun Odegbami
Naij.com: Will you agree to step down for Orji Uzor Kalu, as reported in the media?
Odegbami: Why? This is not business or politics where Kalu is the master without question. We are talking football for God’s sake. This is my territory. But, if he is the one nominated I shall support him with my prayers for his success. What is important is that history does not record it that when there was an opportunity to contest seriously for the position of FIFA president, no Nigerians had the guts to seize the opportunity and throw his hat into the ring! It would be a great shame if that happens, and the NFF should be made to explain to Nigerians why they did not do so when nothing was at stake, when there is nothing to lose by contesting and a whole world to gain, just in case the elements conspire to make a Nigerian win the election.
The post #Nigeriaat55: Why Nigerian Football Has Not Improved Over The Years – Segun Odegbami appeared first on Nigeria News today & Breaking news | Read on NAIJ.COM.
#Nigeriaat55: Why Nigerian Football Has Not Improved Over The Years – Segun Odegbami
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