DEARTH OF GRASS ROOT TALENTS BANE OF NIGERIA FOOTBALL
OGHENETEJIRI NYERHOVWO
Dearth of grassroot talents has been identified as the bane of development in Nigeria football.
This was disclosed by Marvel Dick, chairman, Local Organising Committee and Head, Finance Sub Committee, 2019 Bet9ja Royal Cup at its maiden press briefing in Asaba, he further disclosed that the urgent need to revive the football game from the grassroot informed the idea to make the competition a statewide tournament.
Mr Dick, a Bet9ja Super agent stated that the championship will kick off with qualification games from the local government level, adding that at least each of the 25 local government areas of the state will have a team qualified for the group stage of the competition with some having two sides representing them to make up 32 teams for the group pairings.
While noting that the 13th edition of the competition has been registered with the Delta State Football Association(DFA), Mr Dick said talks are ongoing to involve members of the Delta State Referees’ Council in the grassroot tournament.
In his speech, Mr. Eddie Iseri Ogbemudia of Myron Topclass Sport Outfits, Chief Consultant to the 2019 Bet9ja Royal Cup said that foreign scouts will be part of the competition to unearth raw talented players that will set them on a proper career path professionally adding that coaches and club officials, through organized refresher workshops, will be enlightened on how they could benefit from the transfer of players discovered by them to any foreign club.
Mr Ogbemudia noted that this has become necessary after some grass root coaches having nurtured a player from the rudimentary stage to become a star with foreign club sides are left to struggle in abject poverty, pointing out that organisers of the Bet9ja Royal Cup this year are here to show them the business aspect of the game from the grass root level.
In a goodwill message, Ochei Chimezie, Assistant Secretary General, Delta State Football Association(DFA) assured members of the Local Organising Committee(LOC)and coaches of the support of the state Football Association.
It could be recalled that the grass root tourney began in 2006 and was first organized by Coach Kingsley Awaritoma, Coach Dauda Momoh, and late Coach Felix Owohtara. Since its inception, nine different teams have won the Royal Cup crown, with Zumax FC winning it the most with three titles.
The maiden press conference was attended by the Head Agent, Bet9ja Delta State, Stanley Onokiti, top Bet9ja agents, coaches, a representative of the Delta Football Referee Council, Nwamaka Peter Osadebe, members of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN)amongst others.
Registration for the 2019 Bet9ja Royal Cup is on -going at various Bet9ja agent shops across the state.
The qualifying matches for the competition, proudly powered by Bet9ja agents in Delta State will begin on Saturday, September 14, 2019 with the grand finale taking place on Saturday, December 14, 2019 in Asaba.
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