Henry Makinwa‘s 17-year career saw him play in many countries across three continents. The former striker, who hails from Ondo State, tells Idris Adesina how Nigerian players can make the right career choices in Europe and lots more
How would you compare the present Super Eagles team to previous ones?
The good thing about the national team at present is that it is being handled by a Nigerian and an ex-international at that. The present team has a lot to benefit from the knowledge of coach Sunday Oliseh, who is not just a coach, but a qualified one. The national team has evolved over the years into what it is at present. The days when we have to run to foreigners to handle our national team is passing away because the team has done well with Nigerians who are ex-internationals and are also qualified. In the recent past, one will always remember that Stephen Keshi, who is an ex-international too, took the country to win the African Cup of Nations and also took us to the World Cup. The records achieved under foreigners are now being achieved with qualified ex-internationals and I don’t see it stopping there soon. I think it will continue and the country will benefit more from such knowledge and qualifications as the years go by.
Still on the Eagles, what do you think of the team under Oliseh?
The team, as I said earlier, has a lot to gain under Oliseh because of the expertise he has. He was appointed because he was believed to have the capacity to do the job. So far, I don’t think he has done badly. He has recorded some wins and he is building a strong national team, which I think will stand the test of time. What I believe he needs is more support from Nigerians and the administrators of the game in the country.
Nigeria has players all over the world playing in different leagues and are doing quite well. However, our players have found it very difficult to win the African Player of the Year in the past 10 years. What do you think is wrong with the players the country is producing?
Nigeria has always produced quality players over the years and the trend has not changed. The system that produced our ex-internationals, who have won the African Footballer of The Year, is still there. The difference is that the competition for spaces in the big clubs have increased and our players are not quite patient enough to grow to that level. Also, the criteria for winning the award is mostly prevalent on the things you are able to achieve during the course of the year. It is not only about the quality of the player but also about what the player was able to achieve with the club and country. One will see that the other players, who get to the final three, play for big clubs and are able to win much laurels with their clubs. Nigerian players mostly are the highest goals scorers in obscure leagues where they could hardly be seen. Mikel Obi too, who plays in a big club, hardly makes the first team. He may win everything with the club but, since he didn’t make an impact in the club, he can’t win the award. So, it is just like judging the World Player of the Year between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Messi achieved more last year than Ronaldo, so he deservedly got it. If Nigerian players can make impact in their clubs, they will get noticed and soon we will win the award again.
Our players have been leaving the country in search of clubs abroad. Based on your experience both here and abroad, what advice will you give to these players against making the wrong choices?
The best way to get clubs abroad is through the national teams. The age-grade teams — U-17, U-20, U-23 and the home-based national team. You get very good clubs as a national team player. The clubs want the best players in their teams and they know that for you to be in the national team means you are good enough. There are other ways that are good, like one being the highest goal scorer in the local league and going for trials in foreign clubs. But some of these are fraught with dangers. When clubs come looking for you, you get the best of terms and conditions, but when you go looking for them through backdoor means and trials, the conditions won’t be too favourable. Many of our players are stranded in Europe all in the name of looking for clubs. I see a lot of them in Spain. I will advice them to patiently wait in the local league and play their hearts out to be the best. When they are good, foreign clubs will come looking for them. That will get them the money they are looking for. Playing in obscure leagues doesn’t do them any good because the money is not always there and they will mostly regret it at the end. They should stay at home or stay on the continent where people will see them and monitor their career.
The clubs in the league here are mostly government-sponsored but some of these clubs are owing players and this makes the players sign contracts for foreign clubs in those obscure leagues. How do you think our league clubs can avoid this?
In advanced countries like Spain, there is a strong player representative body which fights for the rights of players. The body is made up of ex-internationals, referees, administrators and so on. This body is backed by law and recognised by the Spanish Football Federation and it protects players from the clubs. Any club that owes players is picketed and made to pay by getting an injunction from the FA or the court. If it fails, points are deducted and they are banned from signing on new players till further notice. The action is expedited and it is not a long-term thing. Nigeria needs something of this nature to protect players from these clubs. The clubs also need to be made to account on how they spend what the government allocates to them. When such a body is established here, players will stop being owed.
Also, there have been calls for community ownership of clubs in Nigeria. With your experience with Nigerian clubs before you left the country, do you think such an idea can work given the nature of our country?
Community ownership of clubs is a good idea and a viable solution to the problem of football clubs in Nigeria. A few individuals have been running clubs and they haven’t regretted doing so. If a community can sponsor a club, it will mean that not just a person but a group of people owns it and anybody who shares their dreams can buy into the club. It will solve the problem of players being owed and it will help bring stability to the league. The challenges will just be to get a group of people who are trustworthy to start it and the administration of such clubs.
Nigeria paraded the youngest teams in 2015 and we succeeded in age grade competitions, but this has yet to translate into success with the Super Eagles. Having played in one of the age grade teams, how do you think we can get the best out of the youth teams?
Nigeria can only get the best out of the age grade teams when the players are monitored after they have left the team. The players from these teams should get clubs in the country, with the exception of the ones who are signed abroad. They should be monitored and their progress recorded. With this, we will be able to get the ones that can be integrated into the national team in the years to come, and as such they can blend with other players and the country can benefit from them. Such is the practice in Spain and other European countries. Monitoring will prevent them from signing useless contracts with spurious agents. From the age grade competitions, if proper monitoring is employed, Nigeria will get at least five good players and that is a good average. An enabling law is needed to achieve all these.
How has your football journey been like?
I started football from my hometown in Ondo State since I was in secondary school. I was playing in a local side under the tutelage of Mr Akin Akinbobola and it was at a zonal league competition in Abeokuta that I was seen by coach Kashimawo Laloko, who said he would like me to play for Concord. From Concord I joined Iwuanyawu Nationale and from there I played for Udoji United. Then I travelled to Europe where I played in Spain, Malta, Israel, Romania, Portugal, Cyprus, China and Indonesia. I also played for Al-Ahly in Egypt. When I retired, I decided to go into coaching and today I am a UEFA Pro License coach, which I got in Spain, where I am based now. I however, regret not having a long career with Nigeria’s national teams. It’s not because I was not good enough but because the system favours some other players.
What are your plans for football in Nigeria?
Becoming a coach is a part of my dream, which is to help develop young Nigerian footballers in the country. I am currently working with some clubs in the country, like Remo Stars, on how I will come back home and coach players in the right way football is played. The game has changed from what it used to be and we need to recognise that fact. We need to move with what is obtained in the developed countries. Having played in clubs across three continents and also played some matches for the Eagles, I believe the country can do well against big countries if the proper administration is given to the sport.
So you think administrative lapses is dragging football development backwards in Nigeria?
Yes. Not only in football but in other sports as well. The notion that you have to know people before getting your entitlements from your club and before you can represent your fatherland is a big problem. Players are not well taken care of, whereas some administrators smile home to the bank with these monies. Nigeria football is suffering at present because the people who are at the helm really do not have enough love for the sport. It isn’t only in sports but also other aspects of the Nigerian life. Corruption is a big clog in our wheel of progress and until we cleanse ourselves of that dirt and people begin to do the right things, development might be far from Nigerian football.
Will you allow any of your children to represent the country?
Yes, I will. In fact my son is already talking about playing for Nigeria. He is still quite young but he has been singing it in my ears that he wants to play for the Eagles. He is growing into a fine footballer and a striker at that. I have no problem with letting my children represent Nigeria.
PUNCH
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