Nigerian players have been urged to think about their future now when they are still able to kick the ball.
This piece of advice was given by the Oyo State Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Dapo Lam-Adesina while declaring open the First Association of Nigeria Professional Footballers (APFON) National Administrative Council Conference held at the Conference Hall of the Scrolab Hotel, Ibadan on Tuesday.
Adesina, while speaking at the occasion, condemned the manner with which most players live their lives, saying that, they do not care to think about life after football.
”Some of these players only believe in what they are getting now, they don’t care what becomes of them tomorrow. That is why you see them cruising around in different brand of cars once they are paid their salaries.
”I have had the opportunity to talk to some of the players where I counselled them on the need for them to be learned at least to some extent.”
The commissioner disclosed that players of Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) of Ibadan and Crown FC of Ogbomoso belong to the class of some of the best paid in the country, hence, the government’s worries about the present position on the Globacom Premier League table.
”As I am speaking, we are not owing the players any money, we have paid them up to date. When we came on board, we met huge debts, but we took the pain to pay them off and we have never failed to pay their salaries as at when due,” stated Adesina.
He, however, described the system of football in the country as trial and error, stressing that: ”We are running a league that is not professional, a league in which the best team cannot win.”
The Commissioner who praised the Minister/ Chairman, National Sports Commission (NSC), Mallam Bolaji Abdulahi for his efforts at changing the trend.
He commended APFON for its good works so far and assured on the continued support of the Oyo State government for the association.
