Ahmed Musa has sensationally revealed that the Nigerian domestic top flight, NPFL, still hold huge attraction to many of his senior national team, Super Eagles teammates, Orient Sports reports.
Musa, who is current captain of the three time African Champions, says the standard of the league needs to be improved upon to begin to attract such high profile national team players.
Musa made a sensational return to the domestic league after severing working relationship with his former club in Saudi Arabia last October.
He penned a short term contract with the Sai Masu Gida side and has featured in a couple of games.
Musa wrote to NFF, LMC and other stakeholders, highlighting areas of improvement in the local league.
“It is disheartening to write this but unfortunately, it has to be said”, starts Musa in the memo.
“In a bid to be patriotic or represent our home country, some of us decided to play for the league with pleasure.
“In as much as I commend officials who handle games in the leagues across Nigeria, it is imperative to add that a lot still needs to be done to keep our football growing to the heights it deserves.
“There are a lot of areas that need to be worked on so that players can be at their optimal best and play football as it should be in accordance with the laws of the game where fair play is enshrined by all and sundry.
“It is time every stakeholder is involved and with pure intent, to keep raising the level of the game.
“That is the mindset and the vision I had when I decided to come back home and play.
“Despite what I have seen, I am encouraged to believe that this is achievable if we put our minds to it. There are a lot of players like me who want to come back home and play in the league and I am sure they are watching as everything unfolds with rapt attention”, Musa said.
Musa’s message came after his club Kano Pillars were fined N7.5m by the League Management Company, LMC, for violating Covid-19 protocols as well as fans encroachment into the field of play when Pillars hosted Akwa United in Kaduna on Sunday.
He appealed to the fans alike to always obey the laws of the game especially during this Covid-19 pandemic period.
“All I, and by extension other players want to do is play football and contribute our quota to the growth of the sport at home. If this is to be achieved, then the needful has to be done
“I would like to state categorically that we are patriotic and will relish to come back and contribute our quota but the needful has to be done by all parties to improve the competency and fairness of the management of the game by those saddled with the responsibility to do so.
“The time for action is now.
“To the fans, I want to implore you to obey the law at all times especially in these dire times we are occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It is my wish to play in front of the fans but we have to play within the laws that are set by the Nigeria Football Federation and the League Management Company. That is how you support your team.
“Please do not take the laws into your hands. Let us learn to obey the authorities. Stay at home and cheer your team all the time until when the authorities feel it is safe for you to return to the stadiums”.