Shuaibu Amodu has explained his reasons for excluding players from the domestic league in his current stint as Super Eagles coach, blaming the 'poor standards' and a 'bastardised' League for stunting player development.

The Eagles manager has faced a groundswell of public and media criticism over his decision to leave out players from the home league for the majority of his current stint, and only inviting three in his African Nations Cup squad, two of which were practically forced down his throat by the NFF.

But the coach took time to explain his decision to Sports Editors on Wednesday in Lagos.

"First of all, I don't like to go into this whole debate because it reduces our football to home-based versus foreign-based and makes us look discriminatory against the home-based players.

"From my history, I have worked through the league, coaching the likes of Shooting Stars and BCC Lions when Nigerian League Football was at its best and I was privileged to work with some great professionals.

"These days, I don’t need to go around to see that the standard of our League has fallen. Facilities are poor, fans stay away from the stadia, players and officials are owed for months and years and all the things that should make good football are lacking.

"All these things affect the psyche, mentality and development of players, and it will take an extended, long term planning to rehabilitate these players."

Amodu went on to say that when he took the job, he gave the NFF a blueprint for development of a home-based team, but was told to focus on World Cup qualification.

"Last season, I personally went to watch a few League games and when I came in, I presented a program in black and white for a home-based team.

"But I was told to concentrate on the World Cup qualification and let (Okey) Emordi handle the home-based to avoid distraction.

"Unfortunately, that team failed to qualify for the African Nations Championships for home-based players. If they had qualified, they would have been playing some games and would have had some exposure which would have helped."

He promised that there would be a home-based camp after the African Nations Cup, but maintained that it would be a long-term project.

"After the Nations Cup, we will call a home-based camp and work with them.

"I will be happy to find a quality home-based player because then I can take the credit for discovering him.

"But it has to be a long term project."

http://www.kickoff.com/static/news/article.php?id=12983

He is very right.

When was the last time we went to watch the league? I used to visit the
stadium every two weeks in the early nineties. Not anymore.

Meanwhile, I listened to the interview. Amodu said "Players and coaches are
being owed salaries, all these lead to bastardising the league"

My dictionary defines bastardize as To lower in quality or character; debase.

He is 100% spot on.

And now that there are no more sponsors? What do we expect from the league?
That said we have had situations in Europe where salaries were also not paid and I don't think anyone said anything.

Do we expect local players to develop with such comments? Is he saying that it is not even worth playing at home?
Me thinks some words of encouragements will do just about fine. . .

If our players don't play abroad, tell me where would he have picked his players from? -yes from the same bastardized league, no?

So if Amodu doesn't pick players from the local league, where will the players of the future come from? Oh, I get it; he is expecting the players to cross over to Europe first, be signed by european teams, and then he will notice them.

He is just giving excuses for not watching the local league; perhaps he is afraid of what the fans may do to him for his under-par performance.

Our league is bastardised,yet Samson siasa picked majority of his olympic silver winning
boys from the same league.

Our league is bastradised,yet the under 17 silver winning guys were all from the same league

Our league is bastradised,yet onigbinde produced world class players in utaka,enyeama,osaze,etc form d same league.

Our league is bastardised,yet it is adjudged the best league over and above south africa and egypt.

Our league is bastardised,yet it is d same league dat produced d coach called amodu.

Do we have to give a dog a bad name , ?

Amodu can say whatever,its so annoying that when nations cup failure sets in,and amodu starts job hunting,it is dis same bastardised league dat will put food on his table.

For me, he shouldn't be making such comments. Nothing wrong in saying the "truth" but whatever happened to the simple but efficient words of encouragement?

A league full of amateur players claiming pro's and overaged fellas parading as youngsters. . .

A league not worth presenting to the mainstream, investing in or following. . . 

Are all of the players Amodu has invited playing in leagues with better structures? Or is it that players in the Nigerain league don't have agents that can help 'lubricate' their way into the Squad.

he is actually right.[color=][/color]

Of course its bastardized!! Organization, quality of play errtin i mean over the weekend i saw a game between 3SC and Enyimba and these guys where still using cardboards to make substitutions and indicate added time. In 2010

The Nigerian league is at best an amateur league

whts PRO in the whole set up?
Nothing

Agreed that the Glo premier league is not standard due to reasons beyond the platers control, Amodu should encourage them and not castigate them because if not for the league nobody would have heard of Amodu. There are still some good players in the league.

Amodu remains a disappointment till this day.

Kx:

Our league is bastardised,yet Samson siasa picked majority of his olympic silver winning
boys from the same league.

Our league is bastradised,yet the under 17 silver winning guys were all from the same league

Our league is bastradised,yet onigbinde produced world class players in utaka,enyeama,osaze,etc form d same league.

Our league is bastardised,yet it is adjudged the best league over and above south africa and egypt.

Our league is bastardised,yet it is d same league dat produced d coach called amodu.

Do we have to give a dog a bad name , ?

Amodu can say whatever,its so annoying that when nations cup failure sets in,and amodu starts job hunting,it is dis same bastardised league dat will put food on his table.

[color=#006600][/color ] I agree wit u my brother

Kx:

Our league is bastardised,yet Samson siasa picked majority of his olympic silver winning
boys from the same league.

Our league is bastradised,yet the under 17 silver winning guys were all from the same league

Our league is bastradised,yet onigbinde produced world class players in utaka,enyeama,osaze,etc form d same league.

Our league is bastardised,yet it is adjudged the best league over and above south africa and egypt.

Our league is bastardised,yet it is d same league dat produced d coach called amodu.

Do we have to give a dog a bad name , ?

Amodu can say whatever,its so annoying that when nations cup failure sets in,and amodu starts job hunting,it is dis same bastardised league dat will put food on his table.

what are you talking about?? who rates nigerian league better than the egyptian and outh african leagues? i have watched plenty games of both those leagues and i can tell you that nigerian league at the moment is miles below these two leagues. Nigerian league is worse than even the kenyan league.

Kgdavid:


what are you talking about?? who rates nigerian league better than the egyptian and outh african leagues? i have watched plenty games of both those leagues and i can tell you that nigerian league at the moment is miles below these two leagues. Nigerian league is worse than even the kenyan league.

I don't blame you, you claim you watch the premier league (Nigeria) and that it's worse than the Kenyan league abi? now, tell me, how many clubs are in the Kenyan league? which club is their heavy weight champion? what is the significance of the Kenyan league in the CAF champions league and the confederation cups? let me leave you to these few questions first.

since internet does not demand intelligence as its yardstick, you can as well keep making the fool outta yourself.


Mikel Obi
Ayila
Osaze
Olofinajana
Utaka
Kanu
Martins
Aiyenugba
Ejide
Nwaneri
Yusuf Mohammed
Odia
Yakubu
Nsofor
Adeleye
Olubayo
Okonkwo

I.k Uche
e.t.c were born in Europe and started playing football in Europe abi?

@honeric01

Nor mind them. . . They believe the Nigerian league is rotten with NO good players and expect RGU and Imperial college to give them admission with their 2-2 from a Nigerian university with no lab or computer room. NONSENSE!!

Amodu is a disgrace for blurting out that tirade against the league. He should keep his opinions about the league private!

ow11:

@honeric01

Nor mind them. . . They believe the Nigerian league is rotten with NO good players and expect RGU and Imperial college to give them admission with their 2-2 from a Nigerian university with no lab or computer room. NONSENSE!!

Amodu is a disgrace for blurting out that tirade against the league. He should keep his opinions about the league private!

one of Amodu's problems is his bad manners, rude language and inability to speak like a smart and responsible coach. no one is saying our league is the best in the world but to say the league is bastardized is very insulting.

Amodu! What can I say? I don't know why any coach will ever say this and this manage the national team?!
Perhaps only in Nigeria.

well, by this Friday, we shall see what the nff is going to do.

A bastardized league will not remove the raw talent of a footballer from him.
It takes only a great leader like to still discover a talented player from such environment and
turn him to a super star. Playing abroad does not mean that Yusuf Mohammed (for example) or any other player
is better than all the right backs in our local league.

Amodu is simply a failure who lacks leadership quality

since internet does not demand intelligence as its yardstick, you can as well keep making the fool outta yourself.

LMAO!

deb:

A bastardized league will not remove the raw talent of a footballer from him.
It takes only a great leader like to still discover a talented player from such environment and
turn him to a super star. Playing abroad does not mean that Yusuf Mohammed (for example) or any other player
is better than all the right backs in our local league.

Thank you.