Former Super Eagles midfielder, Haruna Lukman , has stated that he will never recommend any of his siblings to play in the Nigerian league.
Speaking during an interview on The Abu Azeez Podcast and sighted on Monday, the ex-Nigerian international said the Nigerian league is characterised by match fixing, citing a recent match between Rivers FC against Ikorodu City.
“The Nigerian Premier League is very poor, I am very sorry to say. They do not respect the senior ones who played in Europe, because coming down to play in Nigeria, they need to show us some respect. It is not easy to win something abroad, and when you decide to come back home to play, they offer you peanuts.
“For me Nigerian league is out of it, because I don’t see the Nigerian league as a league. I watched a competition they played at Onikan, it was my first time witnessing it. I went to watch Rivers against Ikorodu City. I sat down at the VIP and witnessed all sorts of match fixing by the referees, favouring one team against the other. I can’t advise any of my siblings or any of my siblings to play in the Nigerian league, ” he said.
Having played professionally in Europe, the individual expected a degree of respect, recognition, and fair treatment upon returning to Nigeria, but instead encountered a disappointing and disheartening environment.
The former AS Monaco star also revealed shocking details of the crisis that rocked Nigeria’s camp during the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, stressing that the Super Eagles lacked unity and discipline both on and off the pitch.
“At the 2010 World Cup, it wasn’t just about football. There were serious issues. Some players fought physically, others spiritually. We didn’t play as a team. Everyone wanted to shine individually,” Haruna revealed.
Nigeria, coached then by Swedish tactician Lars Lagerbäck, crashed out of the group stage after failing to win any of their three matches, drawing once and losing twice.
Haruna insisted that the problems were beyond tactics, stressing that disunity and personal interests overshadowed national pride.
“We attacked each other spiritually. It was so bad that you could feel the disconnection on the pitch. That’s why we failed,” he added.
The Super Eagles’ 2010 campaign remains one of the most disappointing in Nigeria’s World Cup history, and Haruna’s revelations shed new light on the behind-the-scenes turmoil that contributed to the poor outing.
