As the Nigeria Premier league reaches its crescendo in round one, the chairman of Brass Local Goverment and the proprietor of Ocean Boys Football Club Honourable Nathiel Ngor Sylva speaks on the need why Nigeria Football Association(NFA) should run an organised League and also the why he is into grassroot football.Excperts:
Nigeriasports.com: How would you react to the 0-0 draw with Babanawa, which was played at the weekend in Lagos?
Answer: Em, em, it was below expection because l really planned to win the match but l don't have to blame the players, they did their best but the goals didn't come. I think that is the way God want it, all we've do now is go back and prepare for the next match.
Nigeriasports.com: How would you rate the performances of the players since Ocean boys are newcomers in the league and they're really making impact?
Answer:Well, this is just the beginning of the league and we're going to make greater impact and we're working towards gaining promotion to the elite division(premier league)and by the special grace of God this vision would be achieved. Moreover, my boys have performed beyond expection since the league season started, l must commend because it's not easy to be a newcomer and working towards being at the top. It's not easy l must confess.
Nigeriasports.com: How are you working towards reliasing this dream of gaining promotion to the elite side in the Nigeria League?
Answer: (Smile) you see l don't believe in names, all my players are from grassroot which implies that they're not yet known and they're not known in the premier. I've a reason of going to the grassroot to pick my players, l want to use them to prove a point that in Nigeria we're gifted with talented players but they're at the local level and if we can bring them up, l think Nigeria football would take a diffirent shape because those that had made today in football started from the grassroot.
Nigeriasports.com: Since you're playing in the Pro-league this year, how would you rate the level of officiating?
Answer: (Laugh) Well, l must confess you that it's a blessing and in the area of officiating the referees are doing well. For instance, our last match with Babanawa at the Onikan Stadium proved that the standard of officiating in the Nigeria league has improved.
Nigeriasports.com How would you describe your relationship with Bayelsa FC since they're a rival team?
Answer: Our relationship with Bayelsa FC has been very cordial since we're from the same State and the Commissioner for Sports has been very supportive , although l've more home based support because most of my players are indigenes and this has given us more lavarge in the state.As a commissioner my team is under him though l run the club directly but l've not noticed any problem despite we're going to meet Bayelsa FC in few weeks time, l believe that the best side would win the match.
Nigeriasports.com: Is there any form of support coming from the State Government to run the club?
Answer: Well, l remember when l wrote to him that l was going to America for a competition and His Excellency Depriye Alamesiaya approved the sum of 18 million naira fort the trip and later wrote him again as soon as we gained promotion in the professional league one that there's need for the state government to assist since the Local Government cannot solely sponsor the club, Governor Alamesiya immediately approved the sum of 15million naira to run the club. Moreso, since he made the approval the local government has been sponsoring the club.
Nigeriasports.com: Since you're a grassroot man, how would you describe grassroot sport development in Nigeria?
Answer: (Laugh) I'm called Mr Grassroot. l need to empower people at that level because most talented players can perform at this level but somebody to gear them up is the problem.So, I want to prove to Nigerians that we've budding talents and fishing out this talented footballers at the grassroot level would go a long way to help the country at the national level.
Nigeriasports.com: Sir, you keep saying that the club is been run by the local government, l want to get the distinction, Is it your team or owned by the local government?
Answer: Well, when l came in as the chairman of Brass Local Government that was when l formed the team because of my passion for football and as a local government chairman l just covered it up with the council but after my tenure as the chiarman, l'm going to run the club but no chairman can run it the way l'm doing.
Nigeriasports.com: Do you have any advise to the Nigeria Football Association(NFA) or Nigeria Football League(NFL) regarding a well organised league, so that we would the best club gets promoted?
Answer: In fact, the advise l'm going to give is that let the officiating referees open the match for the best side to win for justification. The league should be devoid of bribery and when league matches are open to the best side to win then we can pick team to represent the country.
Nigeriasports.com: Have you won anything with the team in the last few years?
Answer:Thank you very much. My team is the most recognised team in the State and l've won several laurels starting with the governor's cup, President Unity Cup, while in Enugu, the team won the House of Representative Cup. Have won all the trophies in the State, l deem necessary to come to the national level and compete with other the club sides, this is why l'm in professional league one.
Nigeriasports.com: Since you believe in grassroot football in other to expose them, do you believe that grassroot players can play for the national team as well as local coaches for our national team?
Answer: (Smile) I think at this level(grassroot) there is no need for a foreign coach but at the national level it is necessary we employ a foreign coach because Christain Chukwu needs somebody to work with him.
Nigeriasports.com: Why do you think Christain Chukwu needs a superior?
Answer: In football as everybody know that it needs technicalities. For instance in my club today l decided that l must have a technical adviser because we lack some technicalities although it the team manager and the coaches that are running the club and that is the case with the National team and l must advise that once this foreign coach is contracted he should be given a free hand to operated. In addition no player should be recommended to coach even my son could no perform well during the screening exercise with team, all we did was to drop him.
Nigeriasports.com: How much has team cost you?
Answer:(Laugh) the team has cost me much which l can not disclose especially on their sign-on, feeding and allowance.
Nigeriasports.com: Do you believe in government funding sports?
Answer: Government should continue funding sports but they should not inflenue it but the money should be channel to the approriate quarters for proper accountability because sports need monmey.
By Onyinyechi Anyanwu
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