Former Super Eagles midfielder Sani Haruna Kaita has attributed the country's struggle to produce quality midfielders to the decline of Nigeria's youth development system. According to Kaita, the absence of a strong pathway from the U-17, U-20, and U-23 levels to the senior national team has left the Super Eagles with a limited pool of midfield options. This has resulted in a drought of top midfielders in the team.
Kaita made these comments in response to a question from fellow ex-international Ifeanyi Udeze on why Nigeria has failed to produce more top midfielders. He pointed to the youth and transition system as the main problem, stating that it is not in existence compared to many years ago. Kaita expressed hope that the new Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) leadership would prioritize talent recruitment and strengthen youth development.
The former Super Eagles midfielder noted that the current situation is such that no players have come from the Under-17, 20, and 23 levels to play for the Super Eagles. Kaita's comments come at a time when the Super Eagles are facing challenges in producing quality midfielders. He believes that a strong youth system is essential for producing top players.
Reflecting on his sending-off at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa against Greece, Kaita described the aftermath as a painful period. He was sent off in the 33rd minute for kicking Vasilis Torosidis on the thigh, and Greece went on to win the match 2-1. Kaita admitted that the incident was out of character and had a difficult time coping with it.
Kaita has since accepted what happened and moved on, learning from the experience. The incident occurred on June 17, 2010, at the Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein in a Group B match. Despite the challenges he faced, Kaita remains hopeful that Nigeria's youth development system can be revamped to produce top players.
The Super Eagles have struggled to produce quality midfielders in recent years, and Kaita's comments have highlighted the need for a strong youth system. The new NFF leadership has the task of revamping the youth development system to create a clearer route for young players to reach the Super Eagles. This will require a significant investment in infrastructure and talent recruitment.
Kaita's call for a revamp of the youth development system has resonated with football fans in Nigeria. The country's football authorities have a responsibility to ensure that the youth system is strengthened to produce top players. With a strong youth system in place, Nigeria can produce quality midfielders and become a dominant force in African football.
Key points
- Former Super Eagles midfielder Sani Kaita blames Nigeria's youth development system collapse for the country's struggle to produce quality midfielders.
