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Quality of our League Inhibit Chances of Our Coaches..Adebayo Gbadebo

Published

5 years ago

June 23, 2020

A former Junior International, who is now a Premiership Coach in Thailand, Adebayo Gbadebo has opined that the quality of Nigeria league affects the rating of Nigerian coaches outside the country.

Gbadebo, who spoke to a Popular WhatsApp Platform “FCT Football Update” said with the quality of talents that are abound in the country, that Nigerian coaches are supposed to be in hot demand in the foreign countries, but standard of the league and football been played, can not encourage any serious minded club to hire a Nigerian coach.

The former Stationery Stores of Lagos player said if Nigerian coaches would want to have a look at outside Nigeria, they should be ready to refresh themselves and step up in the pyramid of the profession.

Gbadebo who is the Manager/Head Coach of Suphanburi FC of Thailand, a Premier league club in Thailand further revealed that coaching a team outside the shores of the country depends on the owners of the club, how they see the team, how they want the team to play and the plans they have for the team, that is what determines the type of Coach they will engage “this can be achieved when they watch our matches on Television or YouTube, see the quality of the games and coaches who are on top of what they are doing, the people will start taking a look at our coaches. A coach must have the requirements needed”.

Continuing, he said “Nigeria football is very interesting, but the quality of the league needs improvement so that those foreign administrator would want to have those handling the teams to help them o develop theirs. But, if we compare the standard of what we have now, it will be difficult for Nigerian coaches to handle any team outside the country”.

The Coach who also played for now defunct Eagle Cement of Port Harcourt in 1992 frowned at the use of artificial turf for league matches saying that that as the worst thing that would happen to Nigeria football “playing on artificial turf is bad. It lowers the standard of game. There is no where in the world that they are using artificial turf for their league matches. The stage matters, and that is what is depriving us the opportunity of seeing the lot of talents that are in our league” he concluded.

Adebayo Gbadebo, a Sociology graduate of the University of Ibadan, helped Stationery Stores of Lagos to play up to the Semi finals of the African Champions cup in 1993 before he joined Bouri FC of Lebanon, Mohun Bagan of India, Tore Sasana of Thailand, and retired at PS Pekambaru of Indonesia. He is an AFC Pro License holder, and has Port FC as General manager, Rajpracha FC as Technical Director before joining Suphanburi FC, as their Technical Director and now the Head Coach of the club.

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Nigeria’s Historic Bid for the 2030 Commonwealth Games: A Call for National and Global Support

Published

5 days ago

September 30, 2025

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

Nigeria is poised to make history as it seeks to host the Centenary Commonwealth Games in 2030, a monumental opportunity that promises to transform the nation’s economy, infrastructure, and global standing.

More than a sporting spectacle, the Games would serve as a catalyst for development across multiple sectors, leaving behind a legacy of national pride and sustainable growth.

The benefits of hosting the Games extend far beyond the sports arena. Nigeria stands to gain both empirical and non-empirical advantages, with direct, indirect, and induced impacts that will touch every corner of society. Infrastructural development will take center stage, with new facilities such as indoor sports halls, conference centers, and improved road networks reshaping urban landscapes while strengthening the nation’s capacity to host future international events.

Economic growth is another significant dividend. Over 10,000 jobs are expected to be created, spanning construction, facility management, event planning, and tourism services.

The hospitality industry will undergo major improvements as hotels and resorts are upgraded to meet international standards, while local restaurants, lounges, and tourist attractions will see a surge in patronage from international visitors. Small and medium enterprises, particularly in the transport, finance, and food service sectors, will become some of the greatest beneficiaries, as the Games generate new demand and expand opportunities for local businesses.
The Commonwealth Games will also accelerate the growth of Nigeria’s sports industry.

Investments in training facilities, coaching, and talent development will inspire a new generation of athletes, ensuring long-term benefits that extend beyond 2030, a major focus of the President Bola Tinubu administration.
At the same time, the process of preparing for the Games will create opportunities for Nigerians to learn new crafts, acquire technical skills, and engage in global-standard event management, thereby strengthening human capacity and innovation across industries.

Mallam Shehu Dikko, Chairman of the Nigeria Sports Commission, and Hon. Bukola Olopade, the Director General, have been widely recognized for their tireless and visionary leadership in repositioning Nigeria’s sporting sector.

Their commitment to facilitating infrastructural development and strengthening grassroots sports development has laid the foundation for Nigeria’s bold bid to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games. Under their leadership, the NSC is fostering strategic partnerships and driving innovation in sports administration, they have demonstrated the nation’s readiness to stage an event of such global magnitude.

Beyond the tangible gains, the hosting of the 2030 Commonwealth Games carries profound symbolic value. It would be a moment of unity and pride, a chance for Nigeria to showcase its cultural richness, resilience, and excellence to the world.
As a centenary edition, the Games would stand as a historic milestone not just for the Commonwealth but for Nigeria itself, cementing its place on the global stage as a capable, ambitious, and forward-looking nation.

The gains from hosting the Commonwealth Games can never be undermined or overemphasized. This is Nigeria’s time to step forward and show the world our resilience, and excellence. We call on every Nigerian, across sectors and communities, to support this noble aspiration.

Nigeria’s pursuit of the 2030 Commonwealth Games is a vision for transformation, a blueprint for national development, and a legacy project that will inspire generations to come.

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