Former Enyimba striker Victor Ezeji has called for better preparation from Nigerian clubs participating in continental tournaments, describing their performance in CAF competitions as a “waste of resources.”
Ezeji emphasized that the challenges of continental football demand more than the level of readiness shown by domestic teams, urging them to retain key players and adopt long-term strategies.
Ezeji’s remarks come in the wake of Enyimba International FC’s elimination from the 2024/2025 CAF Confederation Cup.
The Nigerian champions suffered a 3-1 defeat to Egypt’s Zamalek SC on Sunday, ending their campaign with three losses in six group-stage matches and finishing third in their group with just five points out of a possible 18.
Speaking to Brila.net, Ezeji expressed frustration over the underperformance of Nigerian clubs in continental competitions.
“Our four slots every year, we don’t even do anything meaningful with it. After the first round, we’re usually left with just one team. What’s the point of having four slots when we can’t do anything meaningful with them? It’s a waste of resources,” he said.
He stressed the need for improved planning within the Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL) to produce teams capable of excelling on the continental stage.
“We need to rebuild our league and start planning properly to produce teams capable of performing on the continent. Coaches and clubs are desperate to qualify for continental competitions, but they’re not adequately prepared for what awaits them,” Ezeji added.
“Our best players leave for obscure leagues every season, leaving us with weakened squads.
To compete effectively on the continent, we must assemble quality players, keep them together, and ensure they are equipped to progress past the group stage. It’s been too long since that happened.”
The former Super Eagles striker lamented the exodus of players from the league, stating; “Our best players leave for obscure leagues every season, leaving us with weakened squads.”
“To compete effectively on the continent, we must assemble quality players, keep them together, and ensure they are equipped to progress past the group stage. It’s been too long since that happened.”
