The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) is set to benefit from the talents that will emanate from grassroots football as Corporate United All-Stars FC Ltd has taken it upon itself to scout, groom and supply raw talents to both local and foreign clubs through its football academy.
The Board Chairman, Humphrey Ubimago, made this known at the inauguration ceremony of the executives of Corporate United All-stars Fc Ltd held on Saturday, in Kubwa-Abuja.
‘’The football academy is one of our focal and cardinal programmes of the Corporate United All-Stars FC Ltd. We intend to groom footballers from their youth (catch them young). We have programmes for U-10, U-15, U-17 and U-23. We want to expunge the issue of overage players. No player will come into our academy without a birth certificate that is confirmed from the national population commission,” he said.
“We are not bringing in players that after few years their career will be mangled. We intend to bring in players that are young, vibrant and honest. We will follow international standards of screening, scouting and management.
We want to follow the standards laid down by FIFA and other international bodies guiding football and sport managements.
“This is to bring to the fore that sport, especially football is a serious business. We have a vision to make our football club a world class cutting edge football and entertainment organization’’.
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Ubimago spoke on the association’s relationship with the Nigeria Football Federation, Sir Humphrey Ubimago said;
‘’We are in the process of affiliating with the Nigerian Football Federation. Because we
are base in Abuja, we have spoken with the chairman and secretary of the FCT Football Association. We intend to export talents to both the local and international clubs.
“We will have seminars and conferences where we will invite the NFF and share ideas. I believe when we put heads together we will be able to bring up better resources and better ways of handling sports in Nigeria’’.
The president of the club Godwin Ekpah, said that the club has been registered with the corporate affairs commission of Nigeria as a corporate body ready to identify raw talents and showcase them to the world.
‘’Corporate United All-stars FC Ltd is like an association that has come together. What we are trying to do is beyond keeping fit as professionals. We try to stay interrelated with associations who have similar objectives like ours. We want to promote the game of football especially for the young ones, those who do not have the opportunities to go out to ply a trade or earn a living.
“We will identify their raw talent and showcase them to the world. We intend to give them a meaningful life in football so that they can help Nigeria football, help their families, help Nigeria as a country, help Africa and help the world at large.
“We have partnered with ICON SPORT that is into the production of Made in Nigeria Football. This locally produced football will help Nigeria earn from its production. We are united in the agenda of identification of youths and promoting them so that Nigeria can be great again in football and also in economy’’.
As Corporate United All-stars FC Ltd is encouraging individuals and groups to look at sport as business, especially Nigerians who have the resources to come
on board and invest in players, Amb. Lawrence Emmanuel, CEO Promise Estate volunteered to sponsor the academy.
‘’I am so excited because of the laudable initiative that was put together by the executive of this great football academy. My being here is in the position of sponsoring this initiative. Sponsoring this initiative means whatever it will require that this dream comes to life I will be part of it.
“Starting from accommodation, the training kit, the coaching and whatever the board and executive come up with that will make these lads succeed we are going to be part of it. This is because in Promise Land we have a vision to move people from poverty to prosperity. If you want to tackle unemployment, sport and football are the means to moving the youths out of the street.
“This is an opportunity to create employments for these lads. I will make sure everything they need will be provided for them’’. Said Amb Lawrence Emmanuel.
The event had the inauguration of the executives and other committees, handing over of the instrument of office to the president by the board chairman, launching of Made in Nigeria Football, presentation and showcase of the Academy Players and other side attractions.
