Nigeria National League side, Sporting Lagos, has initiated a transformative phase in African football development by partnering Luke Dowling, a Premier League veteran with a reputation for constructing elite squads. 

This collaboration is designed to install a sophisticated talent production line in Lagos, mirroring the high-performance environments found in Europe’s top leagues.

Beyond architecting promotions for West Bromwich Albion and Watford, Dowling is a recognized industry leader who was invited to sit on an FA board to shape the future of the Sporting Director role in England. 

His approach is rigorous and youth-focused; at West Brom, he notably reduced the average squad age from 30 to 25 while still securing promotion to the Premier League, proving that youth development and competitive success can coexist. 

By importing this specific level of technical sophistication, covering everything from recruitment data to medical infrastructure, Sporting Lagos is moving beyond the traditional academy model. 

In this interview with THISDAY’s  DURO IKHAZUAGBE, Dowling explains why he was drawn to the ambitious Nigerian side, his plans to make Sporting Lagos the country’s go-to destination for top young players, and how the club is laying the foundation for its athletes to compete at the highest international levels. Excerpts….

You have a visible success record, working as Sporting Director or helping to recruit quality players for West Brom, Watford and Nottingham Forest in the past seasons. Since this is your first time working with an African team, how do you hope to replicate the lofty height that you have achieved with the English clubs at Sporting Lagos?

DOWLING: It is my first time working on the African continent, yes. But the fundamentals of football, spotting elite talent, setting professional standards, and building a winning culture, are universal. The context is different, of course, which is why I’m not doing this alone; I’m leaning heavily on the team here in Nigeria who understand the local nuances. I’m adapting quickly, but the goal remains the same: elite performance.

Where do you hope to see Sporting Lagos in Nigeria’s football space in the next five years? What is your dream for this club?

If you look at the last three years—winning the Gothia Cup, reaching the top flight, the community —the trajectory is steep. In the next three years, I see Sporting Lagos establishing itself as the premier hub for talent development in West Africa. We want consistent top-flight football and a conveyor belt of talent moving to top leagues in Europe.

Sporting Lagos is a model club hoping to change how the business of football is done here in Nigeria. From what you have read and seen of the Nigerian football ecosystem, do you think this is achievable??

There are clear challenges in the ecosystem here. In the UK, we don’t take things like elite playing surfaces, player welfare, and fan engagement for granted. Those aren’t small things; they’re the basics for high performance. Sporting Lagos is refusing to cut those corners. They’re treating the operation with the seriousness of a top-tier club, and that stands out.

Is there a plan by you to make Sporting Lagos enter into a sort of partnership with any big English club side with the prospect of the Nigerian club enjoying players coming here on loan in future? Which club do you have in mind?

Conversations are certainly happening. My background means I have those relationships in place with clubs in England. The immediate priority is creating formal pathways for Sporting Lagos players to go there and showcase their talent. Formal partnerships take time to structure correctly, but we are definitely working on building those bridges to give our boys the best possible platform.

As Sporting Director in the English league, what is your general perspective of players coming from Nigeria to play in England and other top leagues in Europe?

It’s the hunger. There is a resilience in Nigerian players that is very special. I worked with Odion Ighalo, for example, and his determination to succeed was incredible. I think because many players here have faced harsher conditions on their way up, they have a mental toughness that some lads in the UK, who come through very comfortable academy systems, simply don’t have. That grit allows them to thrive in any situation.

Tell me which of the African Legends before and now have really left you with fond memories?

It has to be Odion Ighalo, simply because I worked so closely with him at Watford. He is a top professional on and off the pitch. Being part of his journey and seeing him succeed at the highest level…those are the kinds of memories that stick with you in this job.