Writer and poet Mahbubat Salaudeen has challenged Rivers United assistant coach Yemi Olanrewaju’s argument that Nigerian football needs more foreign players to compete effectively at the continental and international levels.

Olanrewaju, speaking after Rivers United’s CAF Champions League elimination by FC San Pedro, had argued that foreign players are essential to the development of a competitive league.

“No league will survive without foreigners. The English Premier League didn’t do well until the Cantonás and the Thierry Henrys started coming in.”

However, Salaudeen believes bringing in foreign players is not the immediate solution to the challenges facing Nigerian football.

Sports247 reports, according to the writer, while foreign recruitment could potentially benefit the Nigerian Premier Football League (NPFL) in the long term, the priority should currently be on exposing domestic clubs and players to a higher level of competition.

“Bringing in foreign players isn’t the solution Nigerian football needs. It may work, but that will be in the long term when the clubs have the money or are willing to spend,” Salaudeen argued.

She instead called for NPFL clubs to regularly play tougher opponents in international friendly matches, stressing that such exposure would help Nigerian players and teams become better prepared for continental competition.

Salaudeen pointed to the recent experience of Nigeria’s women’s U20 national team as an example of the importance of competing against technically superior opposition.

“The Nigeria women U20 national team faced academies/players they were technically better than and somehow we’re disappointed they lost two of their games in the group stage?” she questioned.

For Salaudeen, the problem goes beyond results. She believes Nigerian teams need to consistently test themselves against opponents who operate at a higher technical and tactical level before entering major international competitions.

“They will lose to England too because those girls are not technically prepared for the level of competition needed to excel against such opponents,” she added.

Her comments have reignited the debate over the best pathway for improving Nigerian football, with questions surrounding player development, competitive exposure, club investment and the role of foreign players in the NPFL.

While Olanrewaju sees quality foreign imports as part of the evolution of successful leagues, Salaudeen’s argument places greater emphasis on improving the competitive environment around Nigerian clubs and ensuring domestic players are regularly exposed to stronger opposition.