By Fidelis Ebu, Abuja
Former president of Sports Writers’ Association of Nigeria, Fan Ndubuoke and one of the aspirants for the presidency of the Nigeria Football Association has said that the federation would  not be a rehabilitation centre for failed coaches in his envisaged new Executive Committee of the Nigeria Football Association.

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Just out of the screening room yesterday, Ndubuoke was dismayed that the national teams have previously been converted to rehabilitation centres for failed coaches. “Immense changes should be expected and should be the focus of the new Executive Committee members of the NFA.

“The era of hiring coaches that have failed at club level to handle national teams should be over, and attention should be on age group development for our football to grow.

“There is every need to revive the feeder teams for all clubs participating in the national league no matter the cadre such clubs are featuring _ being it Premier, professional league or amateur league. As the main teams in the league are participating in their competition, there would also be competition for the feeder teams; that’s one of the ways our football will develop””, said  Ndubuoke  in a chat after he was screened by the NFA electoral Committee members.

Similarly, Christian ‘Chairman’ Chukwu, the former Eagles’ Chief Coach while insisting in a chat that anyone wanting to don the Eagles’ jersey must work hard, pointed out the new NFA board should focus attention on youth football development to produce world beaters in the national team.

Chukwu said the new NFA board would focus attention on the technical department and recruit formidable coaches that would be sent to the Zones for talents hunt.

He also stated that regular zonal competitions would be encouraged to develop talents.
“Most of us that graduated to the Green Eagles were discovered in the then Academicals. It’s a pity that Academicals programme is no longer in existence, but such would be resuscitated if our football must grow”, Christian Chukwu said.