DON'T BLAME RIVERS UNITED, 3SC'S CONTINENTAL EXTI-- Ohis

--It exposes how bad the Nigeria League is Professionally Managed

faksmedia.com

The early continental exits of Nigeria’s Rivers United and Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) should not be viewed simply as the failure of the two clubs, but rather as a reflection of the current state of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), according to the CEO of FAKS Media, Ohis Asein.

Asein said the disappointing performances of Nigerian clubs on the continent over the weekend once again exposed the widening gap between the NPFL and the leading leagues in Africa.

Speaking with the media at the iconic Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City on Sunday during the NPFL encounter between Bendel Insurance and Kun Khalifah FC, Asein argued that those responsible for administering the domestic league must accept that much more needs to be done to make the NPFL genuinely competitive on the continent.

“Don’t blame Rivers United or 3SC. Their early exits are a definition of how poor the Nigeria Premier Football League has become today,” Asein said.

According to him, the issue goes beyond the players and coaches of individual clubs, stressing that the league itself must provide the right structure, facilities, standards and competitive environment capable of preparing Nigerian clubs for continental football.

He questioned why Nigeria, with its enormous football talent and rich history on the African continent, continues to struggle to produce clubs capable of consistently competing with the best teams in Africa.

Asein maintained that unless the administrators of the NPFL put the necessary “apparatus” in place to strengthen the league, Nigerian clubs will continue to struggle whenever they face better-organised opposition in CAF competitions.

“The people saddled with the responsibility of managing our league must do more. We cannot continue to celebrate the league domestically while our clubs struggle to compete when they step onto the continental stage,” he said.

He called for a comprehensive review of the NPFL, including its organisation, facilities, match administration, commercial structure, player development and overall competitiveness.

Asein stressed that the objective should not merely be to organise a league every season, but to build a competition capable of producing clubs that can compete successfully with the best in Africa.

For him, the continental performances of Nigerian clubs should serve as a wake-up call to all stakeholders rather than an opportunity to single out Rivers United, 3SC or any other club for blame.

“Until we fix the league, we cannot expect a different result on the continent,” he concluded.