Should We Emulate Niger in Football?

                      

By SWAL Rep Leroy M. Sonpon, III in Niger

Niger's climate is mainly hot and dry, with much desert area. In the extreme south there is a tropical climate on the edges of the Niger River Basin. The terrain is predominantly desert plains and sand dunes, with flat to rolling plains in the south and hills in the north. Lake Chad is at the south-east corner of the country and is shared between Niger, Nigeria, Chad and Cameroon.

In spite of the recurring droughts, which is a hazard in Niger, the country has formulated a 'Football Program' which is relatively better than Liberia.

Currently, the Niger Football Federation in collaboration with the government, with minute support from FIFA, is constructing a Niamey Technical Center. Out of the seven football pitches, two are done: one has artificial carpet, while the other has natural green grass. The field with the natural grass contains four giant-size lights for practices at night. The dormitory (housing) for the players are completed, while a five-star hotel is under construction, as well as the swimming pools and washing (bathing) house.

The Mosque, administrative and technical offices are also completed.

"Hopefully by December, we will complete the remaining pitches, and by June-2013, the entire Technical Center is expected to be over," Mustapha, an official of NTC said.

Owing to the available of the Technical Center, it has been discovered that the national football teams begin practice a year to an international competition, evidently, the U-17 Niger was seen practicing for her pending match against Senegal in September.

"We need this kind of infrastructure in Liberia to enable us to be fully prepared in any competition. The ATS is not enough to be used for all the national teams," Technical Director Henry Browne stressed.

"Apart from the technical center, we have additional two field around the General Seyni Kountche Stadium, which can be used for national teams practices," Mustapha opined. We also have a martial arts center which is housing wrestling, karate, Wushu, taekwondo and boxing. We love football and martial arts."

"Additionally, we have mini stadiums in the various regions of Niger and all the players of our national teams are selected from regional tournaments by panel of technical expected appointed by the federation," Mustapha added.

As for the Niger's national league, there are only two divisions: 1st and 2nd. The 1st division is comprise of the 14 teams, while the 2nd division is more than 20.

"We decided to have these two divisions to show that only the determined and strong teams can play in the leagues. Once you constraint entry into the league and make the package attractive, teams will be serious to play good football," Mustapha said.

With these scenarios in Niger, where the national leagues are restricted to two divisions to fetch the determined and strong teams followed by good packages to maintain the teams good for Liberia? The erection of infrastructure, such as the NTC also good for Liberia?

This mean that the Musa Bility's leadership need to redirect their plan by investing in infrastructure for the good of the game. Granted, the LFA is about to launch the construction of a Technical Center in Careysburg and Representative Ballah Zayzay has proposed a billed for the establishment of three Sports Academy Centers in the country, but how soon will this dream come to reality?