Nairaland people wey dey watch football.
What are your suggestions on our own local league?
Our league is the producer of talents. So many talents have been born and raised here before they went to Europe to look for greener pastures.

Today, the league is poorly attended, has little or insufficient media attention and has poor quality football being exhibited by players and managers.

There is need to have a standard local football scene that is equal in quality if not better with the best in our continent (Africa) e.g. Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, South Africa, & CIV.

What is the way forward?

You're spot on about the state of our league.

I've been attending football matches in Nigeria
since 1992 and it's unfortunate it's degenerated
so badly.

I remember vivdly how shooting stars of Ibadan
used line up very good players like Ajibade Babalade,
Duke Udi, Dotun Alatishe, Felix Owolabi and a
host of others.

Not anymore and it's quite a shame.

Now i've been proviledged to watch European
teams real live and visiting Old Trafford is now
a piece of cake for me.

With this experience, i can confidently say just
two(2) things will make our league very okay.

==> The pitch.

The FA should make it a must that all pitches
must be well laid with lush green grass. This
will aid the smooth passage of play.

==> Media Coverage.

My God! How can we get good coverage when
some TV stations use just one camera to cover
matches.

It is great coverage that makes exciting leagues
like the premiership look so good.

If you've attended the games before, you'll see
that they are more beautiful on TV.

I just love attending because of the fantastic
atmosphere, and i'm sure that's what motivates
other attendees as well.

I strongly believe these two factors will go a long
way in catapulting the standard of our dear league.

Akin Alabi
http://talkpremiership..com


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@ Jay

Thanks for opening this thread, hope you keep it alive. all the 52 Club Chairmen met and have decided to declare an automatic 3-0 loss to home clubs who oppose match officials. the debate now is, can't away fans team up with some home indigenes to spark riots and as a result make divert the rule in their favour?

Secondly the NFL has secured a 700million naira sponsorship deal from Globacom (formerly 70 million) they say it's the biggest league sponsorship in the whole of Africa, that's a good one if the money is utilized. We hope to see our league ressurect someday, i guess we are just starting.

Ocean Boys won the league the last time to the detriment of Enyimba, 3Sc, Dolphin, Kwara United, Rangers among other in-form clubs. This is definitely an improvement and a warning to clubs in the habit of selling, selling and selling. Enyimba's fall began when they sold tireless beninoise midfielder Muri Ogunbiyi to a club in Egypt. It's so sad, i understand Frimpong is in another top club too. God dey sha.

As usual we need better organisation/management

Better pitches- this shouldnt be hard on some field you see overgrown weed and some others you see sand and some patch of grass so the ball never bounce properly

MEDIA coverage: I cant believe nigerian stations cant even broadcast the female tournament. and i think they should stop putting the one and only camera they use behind the fans, when they celebrate you can see anything on tv
I wont be suprise if some another african country buy right to broadcast the nigerian league

Security:

they really need to make it attractive

Beginning with the basics, I have done some little research.

All the teams must have an acceptable lush green pitch to be inspected before the season commences.

All teams must have a standard jersey which contains the players name at the back, club's badge in front, the league's logo at the arm and must be from internationally reputed kitters - Adidas, Nike, Umbro or Puma. They could also have the advert of the club's sponsor at the centre of the jersey in front.

The ball played must be a unique and uniformed one.

The NFL should improve on the media attention. AIT paid some money for the past season, that was good but should be encouraged. NFL should have its own tv programme of the league, featuring highlights of all premier league matches played weekly and a star match summarised to say 10 mins. This would create a small but steady attention that could bring back the viewers.

The NFL should also encourage the local media to create an hype for the local league games. They should also create a weekly or monthly magazine that publishes all the important details - results, transfers, interviews, reactions, etc. The NFL must also have a website that features all the above. This website must be updated daily and by the minute during matches.

There should also be proper security and crowd control arrangements at the match venues.

Fixtures should be played between 5pm and 7pm on Saturdays and Sundays.

The abridged league system must stop. It does not encourage full blown competition. These are ok for a good start to ensure we maintain a good local scene that is busy and vibrant.

See also:

- Fans Of Nigerian Football Clubs
- Let's Support Our Local League, Now
-Why Aren't We Interested In Our Local League?

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