Yes, football is coming home. No, I do not mean our native land Nigeria, after all football is not indigenous to us. Like many things connected with us, it is a borrowed sport, albeit we apparently have embraced it wholeheartedly. So much so that a humongous betting industry has sprout out around it. Who has not heard or seen the ubiquitous sports betting enterprises that dot our neighbourhoods. There are now numerous ‘brands’ of such organisations, a common feature of their names being the prefix or suffix ‘bet’. It must rank as one of the fastest growing and patronised industries in our land if the number of people that follow football matches are anything to go by. And the government must be raking in a huge amount by way of tax from it especially now that it proposes to charge value added tax(VAT) on online transactions which is now increased from five per cent to 7.5 per cent.
VAT, a sales tax is usually imposed on luxury goods and services to curb their consumption or increase government’s revenues as the rich and middle class to whom they are targeted are the ones that patronise such items. It is doubtful though if introduction of VAT to sports betting will curb the average Nigerian’s appetite for it. Quite apart from the masses which include teenagers, the unemployed and the underemployed, the working class and the rich also indulge in it. Whereas the latter could be doing it for fun, the others partake in sports betting in a desperate bid to shore up their finances. Whether they always succeed is another matter altogether. However, hope seems to be a common characteristic of all stakers. They appear to have this belief, renewed hope each week, that they would one day, sooner than later, hit the jackpot.
And that was how a nephew of mine who superintends a shop for his master put his parents into trouble because he was staking part of the week’s sales in football betting in the hope that he would have won much from it to be able to make the usual monthly returns to his master and have the extras to himself. At the end of the month he found that his remittance to his boss was short by some N160,000, lost to football betting. He ran away from home to an unknown destination, leaving his parents to carry the can and pay the debt.
Digital or online sports betting which is now in vogue has enabled those who for cultural and other reasons are not permitted to take part in it to participate in it secretly, without people really being aware of it – stakings, payments, winnings et al are all done on the mobile phone. Indeed, those you see flocking around betting shops to place their bets physically are teenagers, unemployed and underemployed, the flotsam and jetsam of society (no pun intended). The middle and rich class do theirs without paper, on the internet….
The point being made is that football, soccer, particularly the English premier league now commands a very huge following in Nigeria. The evidence? Streets of major Nigerian towns are about half empty on weekends when matches are beamed live and on UEFA Champion League match days, especially when top European teams are in action. Visit any viewing centre, popular bars, restaurants and other such joints on these days and see for yourself. Multichoice, operators of DSTV in Nigeria are raking in close to a billion naira from Nigerian subscribers just because of their supersport channel, they have the exclusive right to transmit premier league and champions league matches live in Nigeria. And they have taken full advantage of this their monopoly to charge very high rates for these superspots channels which are placed in their highest bouquet – premium. So seemingly addicted have Nigerians become to European, nay the EPL that two of Nigeria’s most renowned billionaires, namely, Alhaji Aliko Dangote and Chief Femi Otedola are considering buying into Arsenal and Chelsea football clubs respectively. Both are English teams based in London… Yes, football is coming home, its home being England for, according to history, football, nay soccer was invented in England.
It has not touched down exclusively on its native soil yet since 1966 when the English team (The Three Lions) last won a global trophy, the World Cup.
But from recent football trends it is inching home and it may happen in this our generation, the 21st century, computer age, sooner than later. Why? Two English football clubs reached the finals of the UEFA Europa cup; Arsenal and Chelsea.
Chelsea won in that game which was played in far away Baku, thereby taking the trophy home to London. Also, two English elite clubs reached the finals of the more prestigious UEFA Champions League – Liverpool and Totteham football teams. Liverpool triumphed at end of the final whistle in Madrid and carted home to England, this highest ranked of European club football cup.
Victoria Ngozi Ikeano
Lafia via [email protected]
Also, two English elite clubs reached the finals of the more prestigious UEFA Champions League – Liverpool and Totteham football teams. Liverpool triumphed at end of the final whistle in Madrid and carted home to England, this highest ranked of European club football cup. Historians say it was the first time that entirely English football clubs faced each other in the finals of Europe’s elite club competitions.
And a footballer that plies his trade in England, specifically for Liverpool FC was recently named as the UEFA Player of the Year. Virgil Van Dijk beat two other great footballers – Lionel Messi and Chritiano Ronaldo to the coveted award. As is usual with individual awards, Van Dijk shares the honour with his homeland, Holland, Liverpool and England. All three celebrated him. Obviously, the 2018/2019 football season was a glorious one for English clubs as they literally conquered Europe, their continent. Now the 2019/2020 football season has kicked off. What will it bring for English clubs and in particular, the Three Lions, the true representatives of England?
Already, Liverpool FC are due to participate in the World Club championship, comprising of champions from all the continents, in December. Liverpool is representing Europe Africa is also represented by winner of the CAF Champions League. Should Liverpool win that competition it means they and England would be the best ranked team in club football world-wide. It will be yet another reason to think that football is coming home to England. Meanwhile, the winner of the Ballon D’or, that is the world’s best player is due to be announced soon. And Van Dijk of Liverpool in England is among the three short-listed nominees. Should he also clinch it, it would mean that the world’s best footballer resides in England. Meanwhile too, England team made up wholly of English-born players are on course to qualify for the 2020 European competition. If they win the trophy then one may say that Football is coming home to England. In the meantime we await the day and year when football shall finally come home in our generation. That shall be when the new breed of Three Lions win the World Cup.
VICTORIA NGOZI IKEANO
Lafia via [email protected]