NFF’s U-13 programme will lift Nigeria football,- Fatai Amao

Former Super Eagles assistant coach Fatai Amao in a chat with the media officer of the National U-13 team, Bunmi Haruna, says he is satisfied with the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, over the attention the football house has given to grassroots football development through the National U-13/U-15 football programme.

The Sunshine Stars of Akure coach who has been a regular visitor to the National U-13 team’s training sessions at the Akure township stadium, says he is impressed with what he has seen and believes the Aminu Maigari led NFF board has taken the right step to ensure that national team coaches have a reservoir of talents where they can always go to pick players who will graduate through ranks to the senior national team level.

Amao who in the past have been critical of Nigeria football stakeholders’ commitments to genuine development of the game in the country, however advises the National U-13 team coach to comb the nooks and crannies of the country for more talents while also insisting on international exposures for the boys.

“I’m highly impressed with what I have seen so far from our U-13 players, they are naturally young and talented boys and I think the FA has taken a good decision with this programme.
We should also start exposing them to quality friendly matches both locally and internationally to boost their confidence.” Amao stressed.

On Sunshine Stars
When quizzed on the resent dwindling fortunes of his team, Sunshine Stars of Akure, whose players and coaches were recently placed on half salaries by the club’s management after the team suffered a humiliating 4-0 loss at Akwa United, Amao insists he has no problem with the decision of the club and maintains that the players and coaches need to justify the Ondo state government’s huge investment in the team.

“I think I love the measures taken recently by the club, because the players have not really shown value for the investment the Ondo state government has put in them. With the way we are now, every reasonable player should know that we need to fight like wounded lions to ensure we stay in the premier league.

We've been pushed to the wall and we need to respond by winning all our remaining home matches, starting with a good win in the game against Shooting Stars of Ibadan on Sunday.”
Amao who has been widely tipped to become the next coach of Nigeria's Under-23 national team also claims that he has not lost the hopes of his team still clinching a continental ticket this season, but that realistically he is most concerned about Sunshine Stars staying up in the Nigeria premier league.
Sunshine Stars are currently placed 13th on the 20 team NPL table, one point away from the relegation zone with 38 points from 29 matches, and just one point more than there next opponent Shooting Stars of Ibadan who are on the 17th position with 27 points from 29 matches. Both teams will face each other on Sunday in a South-West week 30 derby match at the Akure township stadium