Former Super Eagles goalkeeper, Ike Shorunmu, believes the standard of the Nigerian Premier League can only get better when the economy of the country ensured that home-based players earn attractive salaries that would motivate them to raise the standard of their game.

Speaking on the backdrop of the home-based Super Eagles’ impressive performance at the ongoing African Nations Championship (CHAN) taking place in Rwanda, Shorunmu noted that the players have been exceling at the championship because they are hungry to make names for themselves despite the challenges they face in Nigeria.

The former Eagles goalkeepers’ trainer stated that Nigerian players’ individual brilliance in CHAN has revealed that the domestic league have enough promising players that can get global reckoning if well motivated.

Drawing from the Eagles’ second group game against Tunisia in the CHAN, Shorunmu added that the team was able to run away with a draw in the encounter because the players played like a team.

He urged the Super Eagles technical crew to employ the same tactics when they confront Egypt in the crucial 2017 African Nations Cup qualifier in March, stressing that the coaches should not rest on their oars in their quest to revamp the team.

“I am impressed with the performance of the Nigerian players in CHAN. They have proved so far that Nigerian league has quality players that can stand on their own at any point in time.

“Nigerian players plying their trade in the domestic league have the potential to make the league more interesting and attract global recognition if they got quality welfare packages.

“Over the years, I think bad economy have been affecting players’ welfare, which in turn have affected the standard of the league. The performance of domestic players in CHAN has also exposed the fact that the league needs money and attractive incentives to boost the morale of the stars,” he said.