'Two years he'll be good as Messi' - FCK dazzler Amoo earns best possible praise from Pinnick

Amaju Pinnick has discussed the legacy he's leaving behind as President of the Nigeria Football Federation.

The Delta State football administrator has made it clear he is not seeking re-election for a third term in the aftermath of Nigeria's failure to qualify for the 2022 World Cup, on the advice of his family.

Pinnick revealed that youth football was a key pillar of the Nigeria Football Federation during his tenure and cited the NFF/ Zenith Bank youth tourney - a competition that produced future Super Eagles invitees Akinkunmi Amoo and Samson Tijani.

Under the leadership of Pinnick, Nigeria won the 2015 U17 World Cup and bronze at the 2016 Olympic Games.

Pinnick has predicted that FC Copenhagen winger Amoo will be in the same bracket as PSG superstar Lionel Messi in the next two years.

"We have brought Nigeria back to global reckoning. Our youth development system brought out Akinkunmi Amoo for example, from the Zenith sponsorship just fifteen years ago," Pinnick told Arise News.

"Today (Amoo) is probably one of the most prolific strikers in the world and give him another two years he will be good as Messi.

"It's a journey, it's not a destination. You keep going, you keep moving, it beats you you go but regrettably I think we've done what we need to do."

Amoo earned his first senior call-up for the March internationals against Ghana but didn't make the matchday squad in Kumasi and was a non-playing substitute for the second leg in Abuja.

The 19-year-old took the Swedish Allsvenskan by storm in his first full season with Hammarby, scoring nine goals and setting up five others, leading to him being nominated for the Best Young Player award.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel