2016 Federation Cup final: Will good old days return? Nwosu asks

Former Super Eagles coach, Henry Nwosu (MON), has said there are no more traditional teams in the Federation Cup with newcomers, FC IfeanyiUbah and Nasarawa United, scheduled to clash in the final of this year’s edition today at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos.

Nwosu said the dearth of established teams in the oldest game in the land is partly responsible for the apathy and steady decline of the annual football competition.

“Of course, I’m not surprised we have debutants as finalists in the 2016 Federation Cup competition.

“Over the years there is no clear picture of who the champions will be among the competing sides.

“The cause is predictable because we no longer have established and traditional teams in the land.

“Aside from Enyimba you can hardly point at another team you can describe to as a traditional team. That’s why today any team can win the Cup competition.

“And the negative impact is there staring us in the face as we head to play the 2016 Cup final.

“Of course, there is nothing on the ground to tell an ardent or unsuspecting follower of the game that the final is coming up on Sunday.”

The Imo State-born ex-international who missed winning the then Challenge Cup in 1984 when he played for the defunct NNB FC of Benin which lost 0-1 to another defunct side, Leventis United, recalled the good old days of the competition which started as the Governor’s Cup in 1945.

“In the good old days, the build-up to the final was electrifying and on match day the stands were always filled to capacity.

“Fans almost passed the night to secure a seat while others had to be at the stadium before noon to be guaranteed of seats.

“Fans came from all the corners of the country to watch the final but today the aura and glamour has vanished.

“The absence of talented players in the domestic scene has not helped the poor situation. Then there were tens of idolised and talented stars who fans looked up to but today we barely have half-baked players with no interest in the game,” the former Golden Eaglets coach told supersport.com.