Jay Jay Okocha laments lack of genuine long term development for youth football

By Saheed Afolabi

Former Nigeria international Augustine Okocha is disappointed with the current lack of football development plan at youth level following the country’s exit from the 2023 CAF U17 Africa Cup of Nations in Algeria.

His comments just few days after the Golden Eaglets’ shocking elimination from the quarterfinal of the U17 Afcon against Burkina Faso and the defeat will also confirmed the absence from the U17 World Cup.

Okocha threw a shade at the football stakeholders for failing to invest in youth football, while expressing his pains.

“It is obvious for more than a decade now the football stakeholders have failed to invest in youth football development. The national U17 team use to dominate the cadet championship even in worst situations,” Okocha told Arise Sports.

“Nations that are serious invest more in their youths to get the best out of them as players. Some few individuals who own academies in the country are inexperienced. There is no focused structure to prepare players from the grassroots.”