Enugu Rangers coach, Fidelis Ilechukwu, has laid bare the stark reality facing the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), blaming the exodus of top talent on the league’s inability to match the financial allure of clubs in other African nations, and indeed, Europe.
The NPFL, once a powerhouse in African football, is now struggling to retain its best players as they seek greener pastures. Ilechukwu, who steered Rangers to the 2023/2024 title, expressed his frustration at the situation, highlighting Rwanda as a prime example of a country poaching Nigerian talent.
“How much are the players earning?” he queried during an appearance on the 54Footballx Match-up Podcast. “Some of my best players left Nigeria for Rwanda – just Rwanda here. And when you check what they’re paying in dollars, a month in over two million naira.
“Imagine the player who is earning 500 thousand naira and now gets an offer of 2 million naira, he will fight you (so he can leave). We need to do something in our football now.”
Talent drain responsible for NPFL’s regression on the continent
The impact of this talent drain is profound. Nigerian clubs are finding it increasingly difficult to compete in continental competitions, and the overall quality of the NPFL has suffered. Ilechukwu is adamant that the blame cannot be solely attributed to coaches.
“And tomorrow, we will be blaming the coaches for not qualifying for the CAF Champions League or CAF Confederations Cup,” Ilechukwu said.
“You’ll be telling the whole world that the coaches are not good. Do you have the materials to work? No matter how good you are as a coach, you need good players to execute games, you need good players to get results.”
Unless drastic measures are taken, the exodus of players from the NPFL is likely to continue, with devastating consequences for the league and Nigerian football as a whole.
