Nigerian Premier Football League (NPFL) Chairman, Gbenga Elegbeleye, has urged coaches to embrace modern tools to enhance their efficiency, saying that technology has simplified knowledge acquisition and dissemination in the sector.
Elegbeleye also advised Nigerian coaches to interact and share knowledge to improve the competitive level of the NPFL.
Speaking at a seminar for the NPFL Clubs Managers Association (NPFLCMA) in Ikenne, Ogun State, on Friday, Elegbeleye reminded the coaches that nobody has a monopoly of knowledge, arguing that such interaction and knowledge sharing will improve the capacity of individual coaches and lead to higher level of competition in tactics and match setup.
To remain relevant in the era of technology-driven football management, he advised them to embrace and acquire scientific tools for performance analysis, as well as resist having over bloated squads.
“Imagine that some of our clubs register over 40 players for a season, while some actually have 60 players, with the majority of them not enjoying playing time.
“We therefore have a situation where money that could be used in acquiring football technology tools are spent on salaries of unproductive players,” he lamented.
The NPFL boss also urged the club managers to be role models on and off the football field, reminding them that they bear the burden of raising players who must be good in their profession and also in character.
“As coaches, you play a vital role in shaping the future of Nigerian football. Your dedication, expertise, and passion are essential in developing the skills and talents of our young players. I urge you to continue striving for excellence, to innovate, and to inspire your players to reach new heights.
“As a Coach, you must foster a culture of fair play, respect, and sportsmanship, both on and off the pitch,” he told the members of the association led by Shooting Stars Manager, Gbenga Ogunbote.
On the relationship between coaches and the media, Elegbeleye harped on the mandatory requirement for attendance at post match interviews, saying: “Our rules recognise the importance of the media hence it provided for compulsory post match pressers, which requires the coach to grant media interview at the end of every league match, whether your team won or lost.
“You must show example of good sportsmanship to your players by granting post match interviews even when your team is defeated. A rich media content not only benefits the media, but contributes in taking the league story to our homes through mobile devices, radio, television and print media. Let us make this one of our cardinal pledge to work towards a better 2025/26 NPFL season,” he said.
Earlier, Ogunbote expressed his association’s appreciation of the NPFL chairman’s presence and gave assurances that they would put to good use the knowledge that will be imparted by the various resource persons.
Among top football personalities at the opening ceremony were the chairman of Remo Stars, Kunle Soname, who is also the association’s patron, Technical Director of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Augustine Eguavoen, and the NPFL Communications Director, Harry Iwuala.
