Phillips urges NFF to expose agents killing Nigeria’s football

• Honours IGP as Pitch Awards hold today
FIFA licensed agent, Shina Philips, has called on the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to expose any agent undermining football development in the country. He described those who bribe coaches to influence players’ selection into the various national teams as enemies of the country’s football, who should be sanctioned.

Phillips told The Guardian at the weekend that the allegation that some agents influence players’ selection into the national teams is grave, saying it is capable of stunting the growth of the country’s football if is true.

Philips charged the NFF to draw out a guideline, which will comprise short, middle and long term goals to put Nigeria on the road to excellence in international engagements, saying the national U-20 team’s failure to book qualify for the World Cup at the WAFU championship and also the Super Eagles inability to cross the second round of the FIFA World Cup were because the authorities have not planned for such heights.

“As a FIFA licensed football agent, I find it embarrassing when I hear that agents keep influencing coaches to ensure their players get into national teams by all means.

“I have once organised a training programme for agents where they were educated on ethics and how to work with players to achieve their goals in an official manner. But it seems the trend still continues. I think to stop this act; the NFF and the media should endeavor to monitor coaches’ activities to guide them against being led to misconduct by agents. Also any agent that is caught in the act of bribing coaches should be exposed to the public and arrested.

“By all standard, Nigeria has the numerical strength by population to churn out enough players that can go far and win the World Cup. Allowing coaches to force players on coaches will kill the growth of football in the country,” he said.

Phillips revealed that the Nigeria Pitch Awards will hold today in Lagos, adding that one of the highlights of the programme would be the presentation of an honorary award to the Inspector General of Police Mohammed Adamu.

“Coaches, journalists and administrators, who have distinguished themselves in the fields will be rewarded.”

“Our voting system is done by journalists and football administrators across the country without bias. We have an independent audit firm that organises the results, which makes the winners credible based on the rigid process of picking winners.”