Clubs in the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) should prioritise youth development, according to former Super Falcons coach Samson Unuanel.
According to Unuanel, the Francophone nations place a premium on club programs that help young players develop their skills. Ayema FC of the Benin Republic is now led by the seasoned strategist as their head coach.
During an interview with flashscore, Unuanel said that his current Ayema squad consists of eight players with zero professional league experience, including three from Nigeria and three from other African countries.
One of them has earned Man of the Match on many occasions without ever having played in the Premier League, NNL, or NLO. Our attention should be directed towards that type of development.
There won’t be any interference, so I can do it here. Think about the younger players as you put together a squad, and give them small opportunities to shine, whether that’s getting in the game for a few minutes here and there, on the pitch sometimes, or even just watching from the bench. When players are actively involved in the game, they learn more than when they merely practise.
As soon as a young player fails to meet expectations, they are promptly benched in Nigeria. The U-17 players whose passports were left behind in Ibadan; can you even tell me their names?
No, because the outcome is irrelevant and the game has already ended. If we don’t make a change, the same will happen to the following batch as well.