Dia Reveals Secret To Lift Nigeria Football To NFF

Dia Reveals Secret To Lift Nigeria Football To NFF

Ibraheem Lateef

Senegal’s head coach Saliou Dia says Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) needs to do a lot to getting things right with it's youth football, by putting more resources and focus on breeding players for the future, BSNSports.com.ng reports.

Dia while speaking in Algiers, Algeria on Thursday on why African countries need to build on their age grade football.

Nigeria, a power house in Africa and world football have seen it's progress in the round leather game decline in few years past.

In the last two years, aside winning the WAFU B tournaments in Nigeria and Ghana, the Flying Eagles and Golden Eaglets couldn't replicate their form at the AFCON level, while the CHAN and Olympic Eagles could secure qualification.

"The fact that the Confederation of African Football (CAF) knows that the success of African football starts from the lowest age group, then this is the solution for African football. With this in mind, I am sure that Africa will shine at the global level," said Dia.

“When I was a coach at the Aspire Academy, we had about 7 to 10 Nigerian players every year. They are skilful, fast and very talented. 

"Nigeria just need to work with their players in the right way, in order to get the right results in the future.” 

Aspire Academy produced the likes of Henry Onyekuru (Aspire Senegal) and Francis Uzoho (Aspire Qatar).

The Senegalese are looking to create history, having already won the senior AFCON and recently both the U20 AFCON and the Africa Nations Championship (CHAN) which was hosted in Algeria.