The Vital Keys to Resurrect Nigeria’s U17, U20 teams– Japan-based Nigerian Coach with UEFA B License Explains

By: Godwin Nathaniel

With the recent poor showings of The Golden Eaglets, Nigeria’s U17 Team and the Flying Eagles, Nigeria’s U20 National Team, Japan-based Nigerian coach, Bolarinwa Obalola has preferred solutions needed to get the country’s youth teams back on the path of success again.

In an interview with Nigeria’s Sports Mouthpiece. NSM, coach Bola highlighted constant unpreparedness and disorganization is taking its toll on developmental football in Nigeria and the country must do all to ensure proper and adequate planning before tourneys.

“The way out for Nigeria is to plan well ahead of competitions and proper preparation. We prefer the fire-brigade approach of selecting players one or two months before a tournament.

This does not help the system because there is virtually no time for coaches to scout properly”

Coach Bola who has been coaching youth teams in Japan for over 11 years averred that more investments must be done to develop grassroots football as it is the only way to secure the future.

He added that coaches employed should be well-educated in the game before being assigned responsibilities to handle youth teams.

“Our coaches should be educated football-wise so that they can properly school the players on the basics of the game and of course we monitor and evaluate coaches to measure their performance and impacts on the teams.”

The Ibadan-born tactician has previously compared notes with a number of Nigerian coaches including Imama Amapakabo and Kennedy Boboye. He holds a UEFA B License and has continued to make giant strides in Asia.