Recently, ex-international and Super Eagles striker, Ayodele Makinwa, called it quits with active football. Before his decision to hang his boots, the former Lazio of Italy striker had been trying to find solution to the problem of the round leather game in Nigeria.
Looking good to be close to the issue, he has attributed lack of good management as the bane of Nigerian football.
Lamenting the failure of Nigeria to qualify for the 2006 World Cup held in Germany, Makinwa heaped the blame on the failure of the country to manage success.
He said: “We as a country were just unable to manage the success that came with the Africa Cup of Nations held in Egypt where we came third. Without fear or favour, I want to say that we find it difficult to manage success because we are rich and blessed with abundant talents.
“It is a matter of managing the resources. If the management decides to handle issues professionally, Nigerian football will soar again; but it we don’t, it will remain the same thing we always complain about.”
He regretted his untimely exit from the Super Eagles due often nagging injuries.
“Injuries hampered my Super Eagles progress. I was unable to achieve my set goals with the Super Eagles because I barely had the chance to play. Oftentimes I would arrive the camp with swollen knees and would just watch others play. The sore part for me was our failure to qualify for the 2006 World Cup in Germany with the bunch of talents we had then,” he said.
Makinwa, who was in the squad that won the 2013 Copa Italia with SS Lazio, said Coach Stephen Keshi should not be left alone with the task of improving the game in the country.
“Keshi alone cannot shoulder all those responsibilities. He needs a lot of backing to succeed. I expect him to put all his experience into it with this his second stint. But the problem with Nigerian football is so complex.
“As a coach, I don’t imagine what he is going through when he has to put a team together for either a major or minor game.
“We have lots of issues to deal with which necessarily won’t just be down to him alone and I’m sure he will be dreaming about how he could go about doing things the way he wants, (and) not answering to any board.”
The player’s high point in his over 12 years of football career was when he got a chance to play at the highest level of football in the Serie A, which as at that time was so competitive, and he is now an Italian citizen.
Makinwa was discovered in 2000 by Reggiana FC of Italy while playing for Nigerian local side, FC Ebedei, alongside his childhood friend and teammate, Obafemi Martins. He started his Italian football experience moving on loan to Serie D team, Conegliano.
In 2001, he moved to Serie B team, Como squad, as Como bought 50 per cent of the rights to the player. However, he did not play any game for the team.
In 2002, he was back to Reggiana FC, in Serie C1, but the following season he was again in Como, but as a regular.
Makinwa played for the Nigerian national team, having won 14 caps since making his debut in 2004.
He played for Nigeria in the 2006 African Cup of Nations when the team finished third. He played at the 2008 African Cup of Nations, but the Super Eagles lost to Ghana.