The Nigeria Table Tennis Federation ( NTTF) on Thursday said it would have to go back to the grassroots to scout for budding talents.

Vice President for the federation Orok Otu Duke told reporters in Lagos that the NTTF would detail its coaches to set about the task of grooming new players for the country. Duke complained that the country's pool of players was drying up, and stressed that there was need to quickly find new and talented replacements.

"The pool of players is drying up, Toriola, Maba and Funke are aging and they will soon retire and there is need for us to discover new players, otherwise we will soon disappear from the map and when Egypt is taking over, we will be nowhere," he said.

He appealed to coaches to minimize their animosity toward some of their players, thereby judging and selecting wrongly. "For you to be a good coach you don't need to bear grudges against players, you cannot hate a player to a point that you will not invite the player to the national camp," he said.

According to him, there should be a disciplined side in place, but they must balance it with skills.

Earlier on April 14, president of the federation Kayode Omotoshe made the appeal in central north Kwara State that table tennis also engages the youth, who are vulnerable to social vices and malice in the society.

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