Ex-international, Mike Obiku, has lamented the state of Nigerian football, submitting that it has not evolved alongside world football in recent time.

The former Feyenoord striker argued that the declining standard of football was responsible for Nigeria’s inability to be among the best in world football.

Obiku, who started his professional football with Flash Flamingoes and later played in Iwuanyanwu Nationale before going to Europe to ply his trade, is back in Nigeria with coaches from Feyenoord for a coaching clinic.

“In my period, I was one of the first few to play in Holland, and then came Finidi George and Nwankwo Kanu, Tijani Babangida and the rest of them. Austin Jay Jay Okocha was also in Europe. There were Stephen Keshi and Samson Siasia too,” Obiku said.

“At that time, there were over 30 of us playing for top clubs in Europe, and it was a competition to play in the Super Eagles. But now what do we see? The whole system has declined, the standard is not as it was.

“That means football has evolved all over the world, and ours has not. It means what we do here is different from what is required in the larger world. You must know what they know (in Europe) to play there. That’s why a top team like Feyenoord is bringing this knowledge to Nigeria.

“The biggest problem is if (players) don’t know the rudiments of the game, it makes it difficult for them to play well. That’s why we take the initiative of coaching the coaches; if the kids are imparted the right knowledge as from eight years, they would be professionals when they turn 19.

“The age-cheat problem is totally different from this. If an age cheat doesn’t know the rudiment of football, the problem persists. The ideal thing is to have a youth system of football, like Brazil does, that instils discipline and knowledge of the game.”

He said the lack of facilities has also affected the emergence of quality athletes in the country.

“A country like Nigeria should never lack facilities. In the past, there were athletes always training at the National Stadium in Lagos, but all that are no more because the facilities are no longer there,” he said.

“It’s a shame that some sports don’t even have equipment at all, while some footballers play on pavement; Nigeria is too big a nation to experience that.

“We’re doing our part, the partnership of NNPC and Shell is doing well in training the coaches, some other people should play their part by providing the facilities for athletes.”