A one-day seminar on grassroots football development has ended in Asaba with a call on the private sector to complements the efforts of government at advancing the game.
The Chairman, Delta State Sports Commission, Mr Onoriode Oborevwori, who made the call in his remarks on the occasion, noted that sponsorship of grassroots football could assist in discovering and nurturing future players for the various football clubs in the country.
Mr Oborevwori, who was represented by the Director of Administration in the Commission, Mr Onoriode Omojaja, described the seminar as a welcome development, saying that the game needed more investments to harness the immense talents in the state, as well as give them a platform to showcase themselves to the international community.
The Convener of the event and first member of the Delta State Sports Commission, Mr. Sam Sodje, said the seminar aimed to focus on the private sector’s role in football and sports development, with a view to making the sector a huge income earner, among other benefits.
The former Super Eagles defender averred that the talents in the state could only be harnessed through consistent competitions and support from the private sector, asserting that only government could hardly carry the burden alone.
He also challenged the coaches to dig deep and develop themselves as no sponsor would want to support anybody who had nothing to offer.
The former Charlton of England player, who is the Technical Head of the Delta Football Association, however, assured the coaches that the Football House would continue to work towards enhancing the quality of the coaches with the aim of improving the standard of football in the state.
In their remarks, the keynote speaker, Technical Director of the Nigeria Football Federation and former Captain of the Super Eagles, Coach Austin Eguavoen, Head of Sports Marketing in the Delta State Football Association, Mr Harrison Ocholor, former Super Eagles player and immediate past Chairman of the Delta State Football Association, Mr. Edema Fuludu and Super Eagles psychologist, Dr. Robinson Okosun, stressed the need for the private sector to help in galvanizing the sports sector towards building a virile economy.
They encouraged the coaches to be focused, upgrade themselves, identify their potentials and explore them maximally, pointing out that they could only attain the greater heights if they enhanced their abilities through self help.
One of the leading partners of the programme, Librod Group, represented by Mr Imoh Akang, averred that the firm was keen on partnering with the DFA towards improving the football sector in the state.
He commended the new Board of the Delta State Sports Commission and the Delta Football Association for the initiative, which he noted would help to build the capacity of grassroots football coaches, and in the long run take the development of grassroots football in the state to the next level.
The Chairman of the Delta State Football Association, Chief Godwin Adode, decried the dearth of partnership in Nigerian grassroots football, saying that in spite of immense talents in the state, the players had practically no platform to gain international exposure, which he said had led to a continued waste of talents that would have taken Delta State to greater heights.
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