Mr. Kabir Adejare, is the former Goalkeeper of Shooting Stars Football Club, Ibadan. He is a Veteran, reputable and successful goalkeeper and footballer. He is also a successful businessman. He learnt both theoretically and practically from great Coaches and players; and he rose from a nonentity to an outstanding and enviable height in his football career. He is a force to be reckoned with in the world of football and goalkeeping. In this interview, Mr. Adejare opened up on his goalkeeping career, issues about players, coaches and the importance of due diligence in positioning players in any team.
You are welcome to The Interviewers Magazine. Can you tell us about yourself, sir?
My name is Kabir Adejare, popularly known as Alfa Kabir. I hail from Oyo Town in Oyo State. I started my football career in the 70s, precisely 1979.
My first club was World Rangers Football Club in Oyo. Thereafter, I became a Goalkeeper for Water Corporation Football Club, Oyo. I was part of the team that went to Benin for the National Sports Festival (Edo 81). In 1984, I became the first goalkeeper for Oyo State Academy Club, and was a hero for the match we played that time at the National Stadium because after the extra time, I was able to save three penalties. That was how we won the Cup in 1984. I graduated to IICC Shooting Stars in1985 (they later changed the name to Shooting Stars Football Club in 1990).
When I joined Shooting Stars Football Club I met many good goalkeepers like Wasiu Adebayo, Daniel Abdullahi; and also some great players like Sola Akinsola, Demola Adeshina, Rasheed Yekinni and others. Chief Segun Odegbami was my Team Manager then, Ogunjobi was my captain and Ogboye Fawole, and others.
I became the Club Captain in 1988, and despite the fact that the Club had been relegated to Division 2 in 1986, we were promoted to 1″ Division. I also led the team for the commissioning of Adamasingba Stadium (now Lekan Salami Stadium). Members of that team include Felix Owolabi, Seun Roberts, Audu Ibrahim of Former Stationery Stores, George Essien of Abiola Football Club, Tanko Muhammed, Mike Abega, etc.
1n 1990, while I was still the Captain of the Team, I was privileged to settle a rancor in the Club, which would have degenerated into a serious issue capable of scattering a Club. It was connected with finance, and players do not joke with their payments. But I used my initiative to reach out to the appropriate authorities, including the State Government through the Commissioner for Sports, and also the then General Manager of IICC (Industrial Investment Credit Corporation), who bailed us out with a loan. That was how we successfully resolved the rancor.
You were a renowned goalkeeper with strings of club achievement. What do you think are the most important aspects of being a dependable goalkeeper of a football team?
Being a good goalkeeper requires that one be focused, have the ability to communicate effectively with players and direct them accordingly. He is the first in the attack and the defence and can see what is happening all over the pitch, so he can easily make quick assessments and take reasonable decisions.
It’s also important for a Goalkeeper to be good in all areas, in terms of reflexes, and very confident in the goal, or else just a little mistake can cost them a match.
Also, he has to believe in his ability to do what is expected of him, as the last man and hope for the players.
What are your great football achievements?
To the glory of God, I achieved to a great extent: Winning the Academy Cup in 1984, winning the FA Cup for Oyo State. Getting to the Quarter Final at the National level against Iwuanyanwu FC of Owerri.
It is important to mention that, both in those days and nowadays, many people attain some of the positions in Football by paying their ways through, or knowing influential people. This is really unfortunate. For example, one of my achievements could have been China 85, but due to some factors connected with who knows who, I could not make the team.
Nigeria is blessed with numerous football players who are doing well all over the world, how can you rate the local based players? What do you think hinders their growth and development, as we can see that they do find it difficult to make the national senior team?
I am going to rate local players 100%, because you have to start from somewhere before you can become an international player. But in Nigeria, our local players are not really being encouraged. If they discover any player today, he has to settle the Coaches for him to make it up to the national level. The ones playing abroad today are just fortunate, but they are not the best of players. If we can encourage the local players, they will be the best. You cannot dictate to someone who has already paid you, and whom you have placed at a high level
I will never forget the Coach that discovered me, Coach Rafiu Salami. I reverenced him till he died. This is because he did not collect any money from me before bringing me to limelight. He saw the talent in me and helped me develop it. I see him as my godfather. It’s good to encourage all players and give them the opportunity to display their talents, rather than collecting money from them and giving them inappropriate positions. Any player you see today, not being able to deliver appropriately, know that he was wrongly positioned in the first place due to exchange of money. In 1989, while preparing for Saudi 89 at Liberty Stadium, a player brought a note from a powerful person in Nigeria to the Coach then. He was playing left full back. I was the goalkeeper then. When we lost attack, we signaled him to come and defend, but it became a problem to him because he could not go beyond the left full back, and so could not attack. That’s where the problem lies.
How can you rate the Nigerian Local League, especially the NPFL (Nigeria Professional Football League)? What do you think needs to be changed or encouraged to make the league a training ground for good players and to be able to attract reputable sponsors?
In the 90s, when I was a Captain of Shooting Stars, they introduced something that was meant to be an incentive to us, They called it Insurance Policy for each player. My Club registered, and till today, we did not see anything from it. Players have limited number of years to play football and so the Administrators should encourage insurance for each player life, legs and other parts. I have two injuries in my hand now, because as a goalkeeper, when I got injured, nobody took care of me. Also, during Saudi 89, Nduka Ugbade was injured and nobody took care of him. To achieve good results from local players, it is important to have and show that you have interest in their well-being and let them have sense of belongingness.
Also, before selling any player, it is better to give them their salaries and bonuses. The players will become more determined to play enthusiastically. Nigeria of today is not paying good salaries or bonuses the players deserve We have good players in Nigeria, and we have to scout for them. Encourage Coaches from the grassroots and let them be the one to scout for performers at the grassroots level.
How can you rate the Super Eagles’ performance in the just concluded AFCON? If you were the Head Coach, what would you have done differently?
This is a big question because I don’t watch football any more. I didn’t watch AFCON because I was discouraged by some of the Referee’s activities. How could players have gone into practice for hours, only to get to the pitch and an official destabilizes everything for them? From then, I told someone I can never be a coach because I hate cheating. If you cheat my club, I will not be happy with you. I don’t cheat. So, I cannot rate what I did not watch. Thank you.
“THE SECRET OF WINNING FOOTBALL GAMES IS WORKING MORE AS A TEAM, LESS AS INDIVIDUALS. I PLAY NOT MY 11 BEST, BUT MY BEST 11.” – KNUTE ROCKNE (COLLEGE FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME COACH).
