As at the last count, over 50 football academics have re-surfaced around the country in pursuit of President Goodluck’s directive on the development of grassroots football.
Just as the success story of the 2009 under-17 World Cup continues to ring a bell across the country, history is also beckoning for a repeat ahead of the 2011 championship in ……..
President Jonathan seems to have put everybody on his foes. The Super Eagles abysmal performance at the just concluded FIFA 2010 World Cup in South Africa is about to open doors of opportunity for some of these academies. The president had directed that the age group competitions which use to be the rescour for Under-17 National Team be re-introduced. Few weeks after the marching orders, the FCT has taken the bull by the horn. The David Kanu Youth Foundation is already sponsoring the young and old across the country to unite for a common cause by exclusively sponsoring the 2010 Federal Capital Territory, FCT, football league. 35 teams drain from the 6 area councils in the FCT would compete against each other in 70 matches to be played during this league season which kicked off on July 17.
Founder and chairman of Daniel Kanu Youth Foundation, Prince Daniel Kanu said that the aim apart from cuing into the presidential directive of developing talents from the grassroots, they aim to imbibe the spirit of sponsorship in Nigerian youths. He also said they are poised to provide an avenue where Nigerian youths can channel their energy talents effectively.
Sia One Academy, Pepsi Football Academy, Ausford Football Academy, Hard Foundation and ECO Academy are some of the academy on the NFF radar. Aspire academy; Kwara Football Academy and Future Pro Academy are also being trailed.
Board member of the Nigeria football…..Abubakar Laden told this magazine that though the plan to re-introduce the secondary schools football competition across the country had being in the pipe line, the Super Eagles disastrous outing in South Africa made it an emergency matter. Ladan (may have caused its implementation earlier than planned).
Chairman of FCT Sports Writers Association of Nigeria, SWAN, Victor Iroele pointed out that the call by the president to have football academies back on line is a welcome development as it will allow the world to take note of their presence via the talents displayed by players that made the national teams. He noted that there are still a good number of raw talents yet to be discovered in the country.
