Raafet Bel Haj, a Guangzhou-based Tunisian, urged African countries to implement grassroot sport development programmes explaining that Nigeria no longer produced great footballers compared to the 1994 Super Eagles players because of this.
Haj said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Wednesday in Guangzhou, China.
The Tunisian said that the reason why Africans no longer birth grand players was the poor nature of the country’s grassroots sports development programmes. He added that it was important for Nigeria and other African countries to put proper structures in place that would ease out ageing players and eventually replace them with budding talents.
“There is need for Africa to groom young players because they should replace the aged players.
“Nigeria used to having great players like Taribo West, Austin Jay-Jay Okocha and Nwankwo Kanu, they were great players.
“We used to dread them whenever they were on the pitch, they were that good,’’ the Tunisian added.
NAN reports that China is the new centre of football development, currently paying talented footballers stupendous sums of money.
Great football talents across the globe, including Nigeria’s Mikel Obi, Odion Jude Ighalo, Ideye Brown, Obafemi Martins and others too numerous to mention are currently playing for different clubs in the Chinese league.
NAN