What Nigerian coaches will gain from capacity building in London, by Okocha

Taleveras Foundation set up welfare scheme for players

FORMER Super Eagles’ captain, Austin Jay Jay Okocha, could not stop praising the leadership of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Monday, as the 19-man contingent of coaches and former players jetted out to London for a two-week capacity building exercise.

  Okocha, who was recently elected chairman of Delta Football Association, told The Guardian at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos Monday that Nigerian football would benefit greatly from the programme. 

  “Throughout my playing days for this country, I doubt if the football house ever organized this kind of capacity building exercise for our coaches and former players. Our football will surely benefit from it and everyone should praise this great move by the NFF to enhance the capacity of our coaches and managers,” Okocha said.

  Also speaking with The Guardian at the airport Monday, former Super Eagles’ Coach, Shaibu Amodu, said the capacity building exercise came at the right time, just as he thanked the NFF and management of Taleveras Foundation, which sponsored the trip. “This is the type of training our coaches need, not just for the national teams alone, but also for their operations in our league. This is what you get when people who have interest of football at heart are in control of the NFF.”

  President of NFF Amaju Pinnick, his Vice, Seyi Akinwunmi and the Executive Officer of Taleveras Foundation, Igho Sanomi, were at the airport to bid the 19-man contingent farewell yesterday.

  The Taleveras boss said the decision to sponsor the capacity building trip to London was as a result of the belief his Foundation has in the Amaju Pinnick-led NFF board, just as he revealed that the Foundation has set up an insurance scheme with the NFF to cater for players. “We saw what happened to Rashidi Yekini and Wilfred Agbonavbare. The Insurance Scheme will help take care of issues concerning welfare of our players,” he said.

  According to Pinnick Monday, the capacity building trip to London is aimed at empowering Nigerian coaches with the right technical tool and also provide effective backroom support to the technical crew of the national teams when required.

  Among those who made the tip Monday were Yisa Sofoluwe, Edema Fuludu, Dahiru Sadi, Paul Aigbogun, Ladan Bosso, John Obuh, Kelechi Emeteole former Super Falcons’ goalkeeper trainer, Ann Chiejine. Former Falcons’ captain, Florence Omagbemi, is expected to join the team from her base in the United States.