Lagos — Member of the Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) FUSTAL Committee Anthony Kojo Williams, has appealed to soccer loving Nigerians, corporate organisations and multinational companies to help resuscitate the seeming downward growth in Nigerian football.

Williams who bared his mind to THISDAYSports last week said the future was bright for Nigerian football but maintained that the days were gone when sports administrators waited for miracles to happen in sports, adding that only genuine and committed administrators could salvage the situation.

He commended the efforts of Shell Producing Development Company (SPDC) of Nigeria in initiating the All Nigeria Secondary School Football competition, saying that the yearly event provided an avenue and structure for resuscitation of the game in the country.

"Every Nigerian should be proud of what Shell is doing for Nigerian football. We should all be happy for them. What I think the oil producing company needs at the moment is the support and encouragement from every Nigerian."

The former Nigeria Football Association chairman said that talents abound in Nigeria and wondered why there was argument over the dearth of players which some people have consistently busied themselves with as the major factor derailing efforts aimed at developing the game locally.

" I can assure you that we have as many players as possible in this country. The only problem I can think of that militates against our progress in developing the game in the country, is lack of commitment and the genuine desire and courage to take the bull by the horn and fight it head on. I can assure you that a committed coach who traverses the states in search of players, would discover over two thousand players to groom for the country. The players are there, no doubt."

Williams, however, lamented the situation where players discovered after every competition were not groomed for the future. He said that the situation left the Nigeria where she is today in word soccer.

" There is no way we can run away from the fact that talented and skillful players abound in this country. The major problem is how to fish them out."

He, however, advised the FA and Sports Ministry to exhibit more commitment and concern over the development of the game. He said that Shell had laid the foundation for the game's growth in Nigeria but added that their effort may not yield the desired result unless concerned Nigerians and other multinational companies indicated interest in giving the game a new face in the country.

"You know that there is no alternative to private sponsorship. One way we can achieve our dream of regaining our position in world soccer is getting these companies involved in reviving the game in the country. Shell has done well by initiating the idea but we need to go beyond that."