By Amaechi Agbo

Nigeria was recently ranked as the country with the highest number of footballers plying their trade in Europe with over 350 players.

However, there are growing concerns that majority of these players who started brightly at home end up either in obscure leagues or see their careers coming to a dreadful end shortly after.

For instance, Nigeria is the most successful country in winning the FIFA U-17 World Cup with a record five triumphs. Unfortunately, players that achieved these feat are few to reckon with in Europe at present with only Victor Osimhen, Samuel Chukwueze, Kelechi Iheancho to mention but just a few others, taking the leap.

A FIFA licensed agent, Olawale Onipede has come out to offer reasons Nigerian players find it difficult to excel in Europe.

Olawale Onipede who is the Chief Executive Officer, CEO of Reigns Soccer Agnecy with headquarters in Lisbon, Portugal and Branches in Egypt, Mozambique, Mauritius and Nigeria, blamed the failure on lack of or faulty football foundational programme/system and lack of age grade system in the Nigeria Professional Football League Clubs.

Mr Onipede who has over 50 players in his purview added that apart from systemic failures, players are also to share in the blame adding that majority of Nigeria players who move to Europe find it difficult to play there due to lack of technical know-how, indiscipline and lack of focus.

He expressed worry that unless urgent systemic restructuring is carried out, the situation might not change any time soon.

“We do not have developmental programme in Nigeria and if the foundation is weak, what can the strong do? We need to go back to the grassroots.

“The academies are not there anymore. What has happened to them? If you go to the Sporting Lisbon, for instance, they have their ages from level four, five, to ten years. These are categories of graded ages they have. You can hardly see that in any NPFL club in Nigeria. The highest you can have is youth age players of 14 to 18 years.

“We cannot have the best (Nigerian) legs in Europe. I will continue to say it, though I stand to be corrected, because when the development area is faulty, how can we have the best legs here?

“When you have a developmental programme in Nigeria where players can easily graduate from U-10 to other ages, if that is certain and the process laid down, I bet you, we will start having big players and stars in the league who can easily adapt and play in Europe,” he said.