HOW DOMESTIC COMMUNITY LEAGUE CAN DEVELOP - CELESTINE BABAYARO

Former Super Eagles defender Celestine Babayaro says the best way to develop the domestic league is to privatize the clubs.
The 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games gold medalist told the News Agency of Nigeria on Wednesday in Lagos that government alone could not continue to fund football.

Babayaro urged the League Management Company not to relent on its efforts to re-position the league.

The former Chelsea player, who represented Nigeria at the France ’98 and Korea/Japan 2002 World Cups said, “The LMC have really done so much in terms of publicity, media coverage and all, and we must commend them for that.

“What I think the LMC can do to further to make our league top-class is to privatize the league and let entrepreneurs take over.

“It has been said over time that government alone cannot handle football; we need to put in place structures that will make this work.

“If government keeps managing clubs in various states, then we really can’t make progress; virtually everything depends on government which is sad.

“Ask an average Nigerian, any question concerning the state of affairs in the country, he or she will tell you that government has not done this and that.”

The former Super Eagles left-back told NAN that the league had continued to be the only gauge in which football development can be assessed.

Babayaro said, “There is a need to allow our league to be in top form so that it can boost the quality of our players.

“If we don’t privatize our league as soon as possible, everything about the team selection will be based on politics which can’t engender development in any form.”

NAN reports that the NPFL 2016/2017 season is scheduled to kick off on Saturday.

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