Former Super Eagles goalkeeper, Alloy Agu, has given an insight into why the Nigeria Professional Football League, has failed to provide talented goalkeepers for the national team in recent times.
Agu gave the explanation when speaking with journalists on Friday, noting that the management of the various clubs does not place premium value on hiring credible and experienced goalkeepers’ trainer.
Agu expressed concerns over the inability of the NPFL clubs to produce talented goalkeepers as it was in the 1970s, 80s and 90s.
He explained that the management of the various NPFL clubs need to devise modalities to make the appointment of goalkeepers trainers more technical by scrutinising them before offering them appointment like the process in appointing a chief coach of the team.
Agu, an ex-Super Eagles team captain argued that Nigeria could still produce impressive goalkeepers in the NPFL, and at the grassroots level.
He said, “The goalkeeping department is a very special department in football. I observed that most Nigeria clubs don’t take the goalkeeping department very serious. They don’t hire top class goalkeeper trainers as they do in hiring quality coaches to manage their teams. This is one of the main reasons much quality keepers are not discovered these days for the Super Eagles.”
“I can recall when I was hired to handle the goalkeeping department of Nasarawa United FC in the NPFL, the club management told me they had five goalkeepers. But they were not sure of using them. They told me I had the liberty to bring in two goalkeepers from any other club, but I refused bringing in new keepers to the team. I started working with the goalkeepers on ground, and discovered they were talented but lack poor coaching. The keepers were used throughout the season, and one of them even got invitation to the national team. So, quality coaching brings out talents,” he stated.
While speaking on his mission with the Super Eagles, which he described as successful, Agu said, “I worked with Vincent Enyeama, Carl Ikeme, Dale Aiyenugba, Uzoho and others. My records are there. Much emphasis should be placed on hiring quality goalkeepers’ trainers at any level of our football to make Nigerians proud. The likes of Enyeama, Peter Rufai, Ike Shorunmu and Aiyenugba were discovered in the Nigerian league. There are more quality goalkeepers in the country waiting to be discovered.”
