Leadership (Abuja)
Salifu Usman
20 July 2011
New minister of sports and chairman National Sports Commission (NSC), Alhaji Yusuf Suleiman, has attributed the failure of the Super Falcons at the just concluded FIFA World Cup held in Germany, the non qualification of the Dream Team V and their women counterpart for the forthcoming 10th All African Games in Maputo as well as the inability of the country’s U-17 football team, Golden Eaglets to reach the last African Youth Championship and the World Cup held in Rwanda and Mexico respectively to the crises in Nigerian football administration.
Briefing newsmen yesterday in Abuja, shortly after inspecting facilities at the National Stadium, Abuja, he said for national teams to achieve success at major international events, there is need for peace and tranquility in the football house. He stated that football administration in Nigeria has been reduced to crises management due to continuous infighting between different groups he tagged ‘enemies of football’ development.
Speaking further, the former of minister of transport declared that his administration has resolved to bring in all the stakeholders to a round-table discussion to proffer permanent solutions to the seeming impasse in Nigerian football. “The continuous fighting and quarreling in football is an enemy of success and there is no way we can move forward. Towards this end, strategic initiatives will be pursued to settle the rift in the football house as soon as possible. This will involve inviting major stakeholders to a round table discussion to proffer permanent solution to the seeming impasse,” he said.
He stated that he will not hesitate to wield the big hammer on anybody found undermining the development of football in the country no matter how highly placed. “I don’t belong to any group. So, I am at an advantage level to solve the problem once and for all. I don’t intend to look at faces and whoever is found as the culprit undermining our effort will be dealt with no matter where he is from. I don’t think there will be too much problems in resolving this issues if all the interest groups are genuinely interested in football development rather than personal gains. Though there may be different ideas but I can’t foresee any problem if all of us have one interest of developing our football,” he stated.
He promised that a plan is underway to commence the proposed corporate headquarters of Nigeria Football before the end of September, 2011. He said the project is also expected to be completed by the year 2012.
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