Why NPFL Clubs Struggle to Win Away Matches — FIFA Agent

A FIFA-licensed football agent, Dr Drew Uyi, says Nigerian football clubs’ struggles to secure away victories reflect deeper structural challenges within the country’s football ecosystem.

Uyi, who is also a Sports Marketing Consultant, said this in an interview in Abuja on Friday.

He attributed the inability of many Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) clubs to consistently win away matches to challenges affecting the overall development of the domestic game and not a lack of talent.

According to him, significant differences in stadium infrastructure and playing conditions across the country continued to influence match outcomes.

“The quality of infrastructure differs significantly from one venue to another. Players often have to adapt to poor pitches, inadequate training facilities and varying stadium conditions, which naturally affect performance.

“Football should be decided by quality and tactics, not by who adapts better to difficult playing surfaces,” he said while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

Uyi also identified travel and welfare as major obstacles, noting that long road journeys, poor logistics, limited recovery time and inadequate accommodation often leave players physically exhausted before matches.

He said that modern football required improved sports science, effective recovery programmes and efficient travel arrangements to optimise players’ performance.