Abuja – Stakeholders in Nigerian football on Thursday in Abuja lauded the level of development in the Nigerian leagues in spite of meager resources.

Some of them said that the standard of the local leagues was getting better with each new season.

Stephen Keshi, the Super Eagles coach, lauded the league managers for their efforts in spite of the lack of sponsorship from corporate organisations.

Keshi acknowledged the development on the players, saying that they had assisted the Super Eagles Technical crew in the rebuilding process of the team.

“This goes a long way to show that the local league is improving,” he said.

The Super Eagles handler disagreed with the belief in some quarters that the country did not have good players that could build a formidable home-based squad.

“Honestly, there are potential in the local club sides but collectively as a team there is a problem.

“We just need to identify some of the players and make them to sparkle by changing their mentality and work ethics, which is probably not done in the clubs.

“Its not that they don’t do it at the club levels but the intensity might be different.’’

Alhaji Musa Talle, the Chairman, FCT Football Association, said that the decline in reports of insecurity at match venues was an indication that a lot had improved since the commencement of the leagues.

“When you look at what is happening now, you can see some differences, even in terms of spectatorship.

“I observed that some of the referees have improved in their officiating and the committee in charge of organising competitions is also doing its best.

“If we can continue like this, we will have the best league not only in Africa but the world over,” Talle said.

Izu Azuka, a player with Sunshine Stars FC of Akure, commended the league managers but urged them to improve on the gains achieved so far.

Azuka expressed regrets that the inability of Nigerian clubs to win matches away due to the overbearing influence of the home teams on the referees.

“League managers in the country should come out with stiffer penalties for clubs that exhibit hooliganism during league games to serve as deterrent to others,’’ Azuka said.

NAN reports that the Nigerian Premier League (NPL) would conclude its 2011/2012 season on Sept. 7, with one game on hand, while the National League drew the curtain in early July. (NAN)