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Dosu Joseph, a member of the gold-winning U-23 squad at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics Games, has said that the country’s football development is heading for the right direction.
Dosu told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Lagos that the only way that the country’s football could be turned around was through a well thought-out development programme.
He stated that the current steps being taken by the Nigeria Football Association (NFA) in revamping the personnel of all the country’s national teams; meant that football was being repositioned for the better.
The former goalkeeper described the steps being taken by Stephen Keshi to rebuild the Super Eagles as ``revolutionary’’ and said that it would change the face of domestic football in the country.
``Going by what the Super Eagles are doing, I will say football development is headed in the right direction, almost all the national teams are doing very well.
``Domestic football and the Nigeria Premier League (NPL) in particular stands to benefit from Keshi’s ongoing programme, because players will raise the level of their performance to earn an invitation.
``The NFA should ensure that the necessary logistics are put in place, to take our football to the height we all crave for,’’he said.
Dosu urged football administrators to also sustain the series of capacity-building programmes designed keep the country’s coaches abreast of trends in coaching.
He told NAN that grassroots football development must be the centerpiece of the ongoing efforts to reposition football in the country.
``There is the need for football administrators to encourage long term development programmes to entrench the new mentality as opposed to the win at all cost approach,’’he said.
Dosu also prevailed on football stakeholders to ensure that coaches have water-tight contracts from their employers to guarantee job security.
``When such is done, coaches under contract would be able to settle down to do their job without let or hindrance.
``On the long run, the country’s football would be better off for it,’’the former U-23 and Super Eagles goalkeeper said.
