Femi Olukanni laments over the poor state of Nigerian football
Femi Olukanni in Fresno State colors
Rasheed Adewuyi
Former Flying Eagles of Nigeria midfielder Femi Olukanni says Argentina captain Lionel Messi deserves to win the world cup before retiring from the national team.
On Sunday, Argentina will take on France in Qatar’s 2022 FIFA World cup final.
Olukanni, in a telephone chat with Sports Joust on Friday, discloses that victory for Argentina against France would help the 7-time world’s best player award winner end his career on a good note.
“It will not be an easy match for both teams because the world cup finals have always been very tough. France or Argentina, the team that wins it on Sunday, is okay with me, but I know it’s going to be a tough game,” Olukanni says.
The former Leventis United FC of Ibadan midfielder attributed the absence of the Super Eagles in this year’s world cup to bad leadership and poor preparation for the Mundial.
“If Nigeria can not beat any of the African countries that were in Qatar for the 2022 world cup, it simply means that we don’t have any business in Qatar. We continue to allow leaders that can not help develop football to be in charge of our football administration,” he adds.
Segun Odegbami, Felix Owolabi, Adokiye Amesiemaka, and other former players will perform better than the current set of administrators,” he adds.
Olukanni also stresses that the situation in the national team during his time was far better than what is in place now because the economy was good.
All the players represented the country, not because of money but love for the game.
“If we put the right people in the right places, Nigerian sports will develop. Many immigrants in the United States are happy to allow their children to represent the US because the system is good.
He says: “There are too many corrupt people in Nigeria. This is killing our sports.”
France defeated Argentina 4-3 in the round of 16 at the 2018 FIFA World cup held in Russia.
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