… 10 best young players emerge for trials in Germany
It was an amazing moment during the weekend at the Awka township stadium as FC Bayern Munich from Germany, Anambra football club champions-Aspire Foundation, VOE and Anambra Sport Commission in a joint press conference established mutual understanding to ensure sport development in Nigeria and assisting young talented players achieve their dreams.
News Echo reports that a total of 100 players between the ages of 15 and 16 took part in the 2-day invitational tournament, although scouting has been going on in Abuja and Lagos for some few months.
Addressing, FC Bayern Youth Cup Nigeria Tournament Director Victor Obinna Edeh expressing happiness during the press release for coming to Anambra state, said the 2022 edition of the FC Bayern Munich youth Cup Nigeria, is a project that started since 2012.
According to him the essence of the tournament is to give 15 to 16 years old young players across the world have the opportunity to be seen and it’s being played in different countries.
“The idea is to get ten best players from each country, bring them together and they play for world finals, he added. We started in Nigeria in 2018 and we had the national finals in Abuja and Lagos unfortunately because of the pandemic we could have the last edition. But we are happy to come back in 2022 and this time around we have a supporting partner, Aspire Foundation and Anambra State Sports Commission”.
The Chairman, Board of Trustees, Aspire Foundation, Dr Emeka Okeke, represented by the foundation’s Director of Programme Design and Implementation, Mr Tobechi Onwubuche, noted that Aspire foundation is a nonprofit arm of aspire FC, The current football champions in Anambra. Speaking further, “we have actually got interest in developing grassroots football in Anambra and that purpose we have executed a lot of scouting programmes where we get a lot of young people we try to expose to meet their careers in life”.
“So we have teamed up with the Anambra Sports Commissions as well as VOE foundation to host the 2022 FC Bayern Cup Munich Nigeria in Anambra state. We hope to achieve is to give opportunities not just Anambrarians but to young people all over Nigeria to see how they can achieve their God given talents beyond what is obtainable in the local settings”.
Expressing happiness on behalf of the Anambra State government, Chairman Sports Commission, Tony Oli assured a conducive atmosphere to showcase the talents and possible give way to Anambra indigenes to be among the top best ten.
He however encouraged the both the FC Bayern team, VOE and the Aspire Foundation for the good work in ensuring that sports development in Nigeria, particularly in Anambra state.
Addressing questions from journalists on those skills they are looking out on these young talented players without being biased, FC Bayern Legend, Hans Pflugler, a retired German player and member of the 1990 world cup winning team said we are scouting for those players who can exhibit the technical skills, the movement around the field, how they play when they have the ball. We even keep an eye on them when they don’t have the ball, which is very important.
Meanwhile, the Bayern Youth Cup which was held under the technical supervision of Hans Pflugler, with support from Christopher Loch, coach of Bayern Academy on Sunday selected 10 players for trials in Germany, which takes place in October this year, News Echo reports.
The lucky players came from 10 clubs that participated at the Bayern Youth Cup which ended in Awka, the Anambra capital city.
The successful players were Sadik Mailafia, Adeoye Tunmise, Mohammed Abubarka, Abdulata Omale, Nzube Mbaezue, Onoja Uchenna, Ayinde Ibrahim, Aladinla Oladayo Franklin Ogbozor and Lateef Alabi.
Speakkng to our Correspondent, Proprietor of VOE Foundation and representative partner of Bayern Munich in Nigeria, Obinna Edeh said the tournament was superb and held in an environment which compared with what was obtainable at Allianz Arena Germany.
Edeh said the young selected players would be nurtured at the Bayern Munich Academy and expressed hope that they would hit the peak of their career in no distant time.
Also, Dr. Emeka Okeke, Chairman Board of Trustees of Aspire Foundation, said his organisation would continue to provide the platform for youths to express themselves at the world stage.
In an appreciation message, by the youngest among the successful players, Mbaezue Nzube lauded the organisers and was hopeful that the trip to Germany would help him achieve his dream of being a professional Footballer.
Meanwhile, the Competition was won by FC Hearts of Kano who were the defending champions.
