Mr Ebi Ezekiel Egbe
By Akeem Busari
A Nigerian football administrator, Mr. Ebi Ezekiel Egbe, has called on football authorities in the country to urgently upgrade football pitches to international standards, noting that poor pitch conditions — not the players — are responsible for Nigeria’s inconsistent performance in home matches.
Egbe, who is a GMA Certified Groundsman, raised the concern in a statement where he stressed that the “ball behaviour problem” on Nigeria’s football pitches has persisted for over a decade.
According to him, the poor ball movement caused by the country’s 100% natural grass pitches has continued to undermine the performance of the Super Eagles, who are mostly made up of elite players trained in Europe.
“The Nigerian Super Eagles are an elite side composed of players nurtured in Europe, where football thrives on speed, precision, and fluid transitions. These players are used to hybrid turf systems — surfaces that allow the ball to move quickly and predictably,” Egbe stated.
He lamented that upon returning home, these players struggle to replicate their European brilliance due to poor pitch quality that slows down play and disrupts rhythm.
“Let me be clear — this is not a player problem but an infrastructure problem,” he added. “The ball behaves differently in Nigeria because our pitches are neither constructed nor maintained to the standards that support elite, fast-paced football.”
Egbe pointed to the Confederation of African Football (CAF)’s decision to hold its recent four-team playoff at Morocco’s Prince Moulay El Hassan Stadium, which features a hybrid natural turf system, as evidence that modern pitch technology enhances performance.
He therefore urged Nigerian authorities to adopt hybrid turf technologies in stadiums across the country to ensure consistent ball roll, proper traction, and improved safety for players.
“Nigeria must follow suit. Upgrading our stadiums will align our facilities with CAF and FIFA standards — and finally give our Super Eagles the true home advantage they deserve,” Egbe emphasized.
Egbe concluded his statement with a passionate appeal:
“It’s time to stop blaming the players. Let’s fix the ground beneath their boots.” 👉 Read more reports on www.krestnews.com