Apparently in a bid to identify more talented Nigerians playing professional football abroad, President of Nigeria Football Federation, (NFF) Amaju Pinnick has embarked on a tour of some European countries ostensibly to convince them to pitch their tent with the Super Eagles.
Pinnick has never hidden his optimism that some young Nigerians who are plying their trade in Europe especially in the English Premier League (EPL) will one day play for the Super Eagles.
A reliable source at the NFF told Sports Vanguard at the weekend that the president had in his official memo to the federation indicated that he was embarking on what he described as ‘VIP scouting’ of players.
However, this development may not have gone down well with some people who questioned whether the NFF boss has now become the chief coach of the national team that should embark on such scouting.
“Well the president has gone on his now famous ‘VIP scouting’ but if you ask me, I will say it is ill timed because this a time the federation is said to be going through some financial stress. You saw what happened to the Falconets who were stranded after they returned from the world cup because the NFF could not even give them their local fares not to talk of their backlog of allowances and bonuses” said a source who preferred anonimity.
Pinnick had told the journalists in Abuja that the dream of the present NFF board had been to build a young Super Eagles squad that will go on to conquer the world by 2022. He further added that they are already monitoring several Nigerian players that are doing well in the various leagues abroad.
“The initial plan was to take our players in the various clubs but now what we are trying to do is what we call VIP scouting, talking to these young players that are playing abroad to play for their father land.
credit: vanguardngr