Nigeria Leagues
“Our players need to start breaking into top European clubs” – Sunday Oliseh
By Monsurah Olatunji
Former Nigeria international Sunday Oliseh has diagnosed the reason behind the scarcity of Nigerian players transferring to elite clubs in recent years following Fiorentina’s signing of Moroccan defender, Amir Richardson, who won bronze with Morocco in the Paris Olympics.
The former Super Eagles captain and coach has attributed this recent drought to the national team’s recent struggles and lack of success on the international stage.
Nigeria is known for producing football prodigies and exploits at the elite clubs in Europe and other big leagues globally.
Oliseh who himself was a key member of Nigeria’s first-ever World Cup squad in 1994 and won the AFCON in the same year, could also be considered as one of Nigeria’s products.
The 49-year-old was also part of the legendary dream team that triumphed in the Atlanta Olympic Games in 1996, and it can be deduced that the stint of success of the national team contributed immensely to his club career.
The renowned midfielder bagged a move to Ajax following an impressive Olympic outing at Atlanta 96. He then left the Dutch side after three years, and the two clubs he joined after were Juventus and then Borussia Dortmund.
All these might have prompted his analogy which suggested that Nigerian players are not breaking into top European clubs as they do before.
“For Nigerian players to start breaking back into top European clubs and the huge benefits that follow it both to the nation and to the players, there is no secret;” he quoted the transfer post about the Moroccan.
“Our players need to start winning things and playing attractively at the National team levels. Simple!!”
