What Can Nigeria Football Managers Learn from FC Ebedei Business Model

FC Ebedei is better known in Nigeria for it's involvement in the transfer of players abroad than winning trophies and laurels. Perhaps, the only football club making financial profit while others are wallowing in huge debts and losses.

The club owned and managed by Churchill Oliseh has brought different  dimension, (someworth distruptive model) in managing football club in Nigeria.

Churchill Oliseh is a lawyer, player's Agent and an astute sports businessman, one of the few successful in Nigeria.

Churchill is the elder brother of ex-international Sunday Oliseh.. Apart from Sunday, Azubuike and Eguatu as well as cousin Sekou Oliseh were professional footballers. So we can understand where the vast knowledge and exceptional vision came from.

FC Ebedei Business Model
Churchill formed FC Ededei in 1998 to play in the Nigeria Amateur League, but currently the club is in the Nationwide League, the third tier in the Nigerian football structure.

The fact is, Churchill formed the club with a specific vision, to serve as feeder team to clubs abroad. So he run the club more like an academy and has no interest in the club gaining promotion to either NNL or the elite league NPFL. Perhaps, to keep the club's overhead low to a manageable level.

The Job of Churchill is straight forward, discover an outstanding raw talent, register the player in FC Ebedei and groom him for sometime, then transfer the player to Denmark or other countries as the opportunity shows up.

 FC Ebedei Affiliation with FC Midtiylland Denmark 
FC Ebedei serve as the African feeder team of FC Midtjylland in the Danish Superliga championship. Churchill affiliate with the Danish club has resulted to the transfer of over 200 players from Nigeria, who have gone on to play in Denmark, Norway, Austria...

Notable among is the fast rising Super Eagles striker Paul Onuachu; midfielder Ajilore Oluwafemi,  Babatunde Collins (Baba Collins), Adigun Salami, Ayinde Lawal. Others are Yakubu Abubakar Akilu, (defensive midfielder), Jude Ikechukwu Nworua (a very enterprising striker); Adeola Runsewe, Sylvester Igboun  and Izunna Uzochukwu, to mention a few.

Remember Obafemi Martins was also transferred from FC Ebedei to Inter Milan. Then strikers Adeshina Lawal and Justice John Erhenede, to Vejle BK  Norway. Forward Akeem Agbetu transferred to  inj Kolding FC  in Austria.

FC Ebedei Have Mastered the Act of Selling
Transfering players abroad is the major source of revenue for FC Ebedei.And the club have enjoy a huge return on investment (ROI) from transfer fees and training compensations.

The club (FCEbedei) earn a career time 3% from the sign-on fee of some of their players as they move from one club to another in their career.

FC Ebedei also receive support and grants from FC Midtiylland - training equipment and kits - which goes a long way to bring down the club's overhead.

Churchill being a player's agent, personally represent all the players transferred from his club and earn additional agency fees from such transactions.

What Lessons Can Club Owners and Managers Learn from FC Ebedei's Model:
Club owners and manager must clearly device a sustainable source of revenue for the club's business operations. A club may position as a feeder team or Championship contender?

A feeder  team will depend on revenue from the transfer market "selling players"  and must keep their expenditures as low as possible

While Championship or trophy contender club must depend on ticket sales, sponsorship (partnership with brands and corporate bodies) and must be able to manage a considerable increase expenditures.

The fact is, clubs must learn to keep their expenditures as low as possible to allow them breakeven in its business dealings and perhaps, grow gradually as they become more attractive to fans and corporate bodies.