The Association of Proprietors’ Football Academy of Nigeria (APFAN) has urged the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to formulate a structure that will enhance academies in the country.
Kamiludeen Banjo, the Public Relations Officer of the body, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Thursday that such structures could assist in check-mating the activities of football academies.
He said that most academies were no longer set up for the purpose to groom budding talents, stressing that the development had slowed down the pace of talents discovery in the sport.
“When you talk of academies, we must have a structure.
“It is because of the structure Nigeria did not have before, that it affected grassroots football in Nigeria.
“That is why anybody could just spring up one day and just start an academy.
“If you want to start an academy you must have a good structure on ground, let us forget about having a field of your own which is not easy, but you are talking of the players you are going to gather together.
“That is the age-grade, within the age of five years to around 17, because you have to groom them for certain years and from there you know those who have the talent.
“But since there is no structure on ground, there is nothing you can do, than to do it the way you see it.
“Football academies, in every country have a structure on ground and this structure must come from the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).’’