Why Footballers Who Had Played Abroad Don't Return to NPFL

 

Why Foreign Based Pros Don't Return to NPFL? 

Playing abroad, especially in Europe, and playing in NPFL is a different ball game. And of course, there's this inferiority complex created by NFF in the way they deal with players and coaches.

 

There's this decotomy between foreign pros and home based players. Foreign pros are regarded far more better both in the national team and society here in Nigeria. So most of them don't want to soil their reputation by returning back to the local league. Apart from the ego thing, most NPFL clubs do not have that kind of resources to pay such salaries and welfare packages similar to what the foreign pros are use to abroad. 

Footballers who play abroad are labeled Foreign pros to clearly differentiate them from those who play locally also known as home based pros. The discrimination in terms of how they are treated in the national teams and in society at large, leave much to be desired. Such foreign pros would prefer to retire when the ovation is loudest that to tarnish their image by returning to NPFL. 

This may be the major reason rather than poor salary and welfare package in the local league. A foreign pro who returns to NPFL are regarded as a failure by coaches, teammates and fans. And are usually booed at any instance. They believe if you made money abroad you should stay out of the local scene. 

As it is, most club in NPFL may find it difficult to pay those returnee pros. These are players who are used to huge salaries and in Nigeria players are not paid regularly. 

They are used to travelling by air to states where clubs have away match fixtures, which they may not get here. And then, there is issue of security in and around match venues and so many others issues. 

It is not entirely true that foreign pros do not return to NPFL. Some have made attempt, but where frustrated by the system here. 

Rashidi Yekini played for the defunct Julius Berger of Lagos and Gateway Football Club of Abeokuta when he returned home after playing professional football in Europe.  Wilson Oruma made attempt to sign for Warri Wolves. Mohammed Gambo returned to Kano Pillars... 

 Some other big players may not mind to sign for NPFL club, if the pay is right and more importantly if they can be highly regarded as senior players. This discussion broke out when ex-international Mutiu Adepoju reacted in The Guardian Newspaper after Asamoah Gyan returned to Ghana League and was signed $1million USD by Legon City FC. 

Importance of African Foreign Based Pros Returning to NPFL

We can learn from Chinese Super League experience that greatly improved the standard of China football through the importation of lots of European based players and coaches into their league. 

These foreign based pros can bring back their wealth of experience to greatly improve NPFL. 

Imagine,  big players like Ahmed Musa who once played for Kano Pillars can return to NPFL, or Vincent Enyeama who started with Enyimba can comeback to fortify the team... Osaze Odewinge, Obafemi Martins Yakubu Ayiegbeni and the rest can return to NPFL. It will attract more international media attention to the local league.