The President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Mallam Ibrahim Gusau, has voiced significant concern regarding the development of youth football in the nation, stressing that the future of Nigerian football hinges on revitalizing efforts at the grassroots level.
In discussing the Federation’s renewed commitment to talent development, Gusau disclosed that the NFF, in partnership with FIFA, has initiated a comprehensive Under-15 talent identification and training program for both boys and girls, aimed at establishing a solid foundation for the future of football in the country.
“I must express my concern because the future of our football begins at the youth level,” Gusau remarked during an interview with NFFTv. “The positive news is that the NFF and FIFA have developed programs specifically for Under-15 boys and girls. We are very committed to this initiative. If you recall, our Under-15 boys traveled to Morocco to participate in friendly matches, and they will continue to do so this year. We are starting anew.”
Gusau emphasized that this new strategy will eliminate the previous practice of randomly selecting players for screening prior to assembling national youth teams, asserting that the process must now commence from organized development centers throughout the federation’s regions.
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“In the foreseeable future, it will not be business as usual. It must commence from the Under-15 level,” he confirmed.
The NFF president further highlighted that the Federation is making investments in infrastructure to bolster the new developmental framework, which includes the construction of a hostel facility intended to serve as a training and accommodation base for young players during their holidays.
”We should be concerned because Nigeria is recognized as one of the premier youth footballing nations globally. We need to create an enabling environment that allows young boys to spend more time together and confront the challenges of competition. This is one of the reasons we are constructing this hostel — to gather them in one location for proper training during the holidays.
