Eddy Dombraye ready for NPFL coaching challenge

Former Nigeria youth international Eddy Dombraye says he is braced up for a coaching challenge in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL).

In a chat with www.aclsports.com, Dombraye disclosed that, coaching in Nigeria’s top flight league has always been in this plans as he hopes to give back to the league that produced him.

Dombraye, 40, has a UEFA A coaching license and speaks extensively on his plans.

“My plan has always been to come to the NPFL,” began Dombraye, a forward in his playing career to www.aclsports.com

“I’ve read most times on social media that ex-internationals should come and coach in the national team but I believe we can always start from the league sides.

“We have to start there. That’s where the talents are,” he posited.

Dombraye played for notable Nigerian league clubs including Bendel Insurance and Iwuanyawu Nationale (now Heartland FC) before moving to Europe.

He currently resides in Ukraine but in his very recent attempt to come to the league met a supposed brickwall which he explains:

“I’m working towards that (coaching in the league) and I could have been in Nigeria before the beginning of the season. I spoke with a few clubs and the excuse has always been “Coach Eddy, you don’t know the league” and that has been surprising to me.

“I played in the league and I’m a Nigerian, whenever I come home, I watch the league, even when I’m abroad, I follow the league so it’s kinda funny when they tell me I don’t know the league. Yet it is okay to bring a foreigner who has never been in Nigeria before to coach in the league?” he queried.

The Nigeria 99 World Youth Championships star further underlines his willingness to coach in the NPFL, hoping to “train players to improve their technicality”.

“My coming to the league is to win, Nigerian players are physically strong and technically good.

“We just need to train them in ways to improve their technicality, individual discipline, group discipline and team discipline so we can match the North African teams and prepare them for the big stage,” he concluded.

Dombraye had one cap with Nigeria’s senior national team, the Super Eagles in 2000.