By Yemi Sodeeq
“We are not getting it right is the noise emerging all around , have we tried for once to set it right and see whether we will not get it right afterwards”
Before we pretend our football system is moving and developing, there is need to deepen another narratives as to how things ought to be done and home we should go by it.
For the umpteenth time, there is need we beam our searchlight on one of the biggest flaw and defects in our football system, which is Player’s Transfer Accountability and Transparency (TAT).
It has created a lot of vacuum that needed to be closed while also calling for an holistic and objective approach in order to at least for the sake of prosperity place the name of our league among the Titan on the continent.
May be the present football governing body is doing much or whatever, the question of how much a player is signed, terms and conditions applied to his transfer continue to beg for answers.
The nature and the effectiveness of the how it is being done presently is mystery that needs to be demystified.
It will be difficult to remember the last time we publicly have a full brief from any of our professional outfit the details of their players management and administration; talking of how much they buy and sell their players.
Like other parts of the world, it is natural for the football governing body of a country to demand for a yearly sometimes quarterly of how a club is being run, nothing much to it, the finance, technical, partnership and other miscellaneous. It is not a rocket science, but the standard.
However, it will not be far fetched to see the conspiracy against the standard of players management and administration which this context is trying to explore lying so much at the door of our football administrators and by extension the football ruling body.
It will probably requires a great deal of zeal from both ends( football administrators and ruling body) to effect the standard the context of this piece has decided to treat. If at all we all want to have a league and football system that we could be proud of.
Alas! How can one leave corruption out of this, it is nothing far from the truth that the signing and movement of players out of clubs in Nigeria is a process completely shrouded, guided and guarded by Corruption. Over the years, many people profiteer from this ugly trend and they wouldn’t like to see it end soon or welcome any transformation, it will be more or less a battle to see the transformation.
The sooner we realize the need to wear a new and appreciative look for our system which accountability and transparency form an integral part the good for us.
Another subtle dimension to this appalling situation is the relative silence of the stakeholders across board, from Football Coaches Association, Players Association, Supporters and Fans Forum, their level of unconsciousness about this trend worth questioning and may be the narratives has not been adequately enlivened. It is time they know about it and make moves for its reversal and total eradication if at all they aren’t also playing a support from the shadow.
How would it have been if many of our youngsters get to know the amount of how a player could even be signed in Nigeria, it will in no immeasurable way motivates and inspire them to do more in their formative stage, cultivate a belief in their country’s football system and even endeared the love and passion to play at home front to them.
What about fans and supporters alike, they will be more than happy to see this level of transparency and accountability coming in to play.
And the narratives of ‘No sponsors’; it would be suicidal for any investors to invest in a business where he sees little or no reward. we will all agree with me that, money involved in players transfer form a larger part of a club financial base. What would then be the basis of conviction to investors in the board room.
We are not getting it right is the noise emerging all around, have we tried for once to set it right and see whether we will not get it right afterwards.
Before I go, there exist many other factors and dimensions that naturally and coincidentally form the basis of this context, let’s meet in the next publication as we tend to bring them forth.
To be continued.