Football Stakeholders salute NFF over U-13 football development programme.

National Under-13 team

Football stakeholders in Ondo state have hailed the Aminu Maigari led NFF board for its visionary services towards revamping football from the grassroots through the National U-13/U-15 youth development programme. The chairman of Owo local government area council of Ondo state, Tunde Owadimbola, who on Wednesday was a special guest of honor as the National U-13 team beat Owo selected side 3-1 at the Federal Polytechnic Owo playing field, commended the NFF for initiating the national youth football programme, while also insisting it would be the catalyst that will catapult Nigerian football to a greater height.

“This is the best programme for the nation, by grooming and catching them young it will help eradicate the age-cheat thing that is rampant in Nigeria football. It’s a great honor for us to have the National U-13 team in Owo LGA; we also need to support the young ones to achieve their dreams, because when you develop sports you are developing a complete human being.” The acting Owo local government chairman said.
Goals from Godspower Ebo and Ibrahim Dehinde(2x) ensured that the National U-13 team emerged victorious over their host who were cheered by a handful number of Owo Polytechnic students.
The National U-13 Team are currently in camp in Akure while also playing friendly matches with youth teams in Ondo and neighboring states.

In the same vein, newly appointed technical adviser of Sunshine Stars, Henry Abiodun, has insisted that the Akure based team can still secure a continental ticket despite sitting on the 13th position of the 20 team Nigeria Premier League table.

Coach Abiodun while speaking with the National U-13/U-15 team media officer, Bunmi Haruna, after the Tuesday evening training session of the National U-13 team at the Akure township stadium, also said he was impressed with the NFF’s National U-13/U-15 football youth development programme.

“The U-13 programme is a fantastic one which I think will benefit Nigeria in the long run. And whether Sunshine Stars can still pick a continental ticket; our mandate which was to play continentals next season has not changed, we’ll get there by God’s grace.”’ Coach Abiodun insisted.
Coach Henry Abiodun, who was the technical instructor to the Ondo Football Agency, was drafted to Sunshine Stars as technical adviser after Sunshine suffered a humiliating 4-0 loss at Akwa United last weekend prompting the club management to slash the salaries of both the players and coaches.