2nd December, 2010
Sportscity International Youth Football Academy of Lagos are set for tour of Ghana, where they would play international friendly games against Liberty Professional Football Club.
Team Manager/Technical Director of the club, Coach Tunde Ibrahim told P.M. Sports that the their Ghanaian hosts have approved of their proposal to engage the club in friendly matches.
“I was in Ghana a few weeks ago to discuss with the management of Liberty Academy. The officials of the clubs were glad with the proposal I submitted to them on the friendly matches,†he said.
“After my visit to Ghana, officials of Liberty Academy invited us for the friendly games through a letter dated 22 October and signed by General Secretary of the club, Eric Kwame Kportie. The friendly ties will be held between 7 and 12 December,†he said.
Coach Ibrahim revealed that after the tour of Ghana, the management of Sportscity International is working out some playing tours of other African countries like South Africa, Mali, Togo and Senegal for the players.
“Our players have been undergoing intensive training for sometime and we thought it’s necessary to take them out to garner experience and exposure, especially outside the shores of the country. The aim of the academy is to discover and nurture talent in our youths from different parts of Lagos state and nurture them to national and international limelight,†said the former Stationary Stores of Lagos star.
“I have much confident in our youngsters that they will not disappoint the academy when we get to Ghana. They have been together in the last five years and have done well in the competitions organised by the Youth Sports Federation of Nigeria, YSFON.
“The tour of Ghana, among other things, will also allow the parents of the players to see that we are doing our best to expose their wards to the rudiments of the game,†he said.
Coach Ibrahim gave kudos to the President of the academy, Francis Enaya, the chairman of Solid Trust Finance and Loan, who has been supportive to the academy.
“It is also very important to commend the effort of the Father of the academy, Chief Shotobi, the Odofin of Ikoroduland, who has ensured that the academy have the necessary things to take care of the players and the entire team.
—Taiwo Adelu
