April 10, (THEWILL)- A one-day scouting program has concluded in Odi, a community in Kolokuma/Opokuma local government area of Bayelsa State.
According to the organisers, the scouting event is for young talents to be spotted and nurtured for bigger exploits in the future.
Eight teams participated at the scouting program held at the Odi Riverside Stadium, popularly known as the Arena of Dreams, where the young talents didn’t hesitate to showcase their God-giving talents to the delight of the scouts and football fans that live within and outside the community of Odi.
The teams included Destiny Stars of Sabagreia, Kingdom Stars FC of Yenagoa, Douye Diri FC of Sampou, Afini FC of Yenagoa, King Warriors FC, Selected Stars FC, Dream Boys U-17 and Dream Boys FC of Odi.
Coach Awu Godwin of Destiny Stars Football Academy of Sabagreia, while speaking exclusively to Xtreme Sports, expressed his delight for featuring in the scouting event, adding that it was an eye-opener for him and his boys, as he equally praised the organisers for bringing such an event to their doorstep.
Renowned National football scout and Chief Executive Officer of Supreme Sports, Mr Vincent Onyema, on his part, said he was impressed with the talents on ground, particularly, the area of the age bracket of the players, as he expressed optimism of selecting some of the spotted players.
Mr Onyema, who led a team of international scouts to Yenagoa during the fourth edition of Nigeria’s largest grassroot football competition, the Bayelsa Governor’s Football Tournament, popularly known as the Prosperity Cup, also praised the organisers for the series of grassroot football competitions, so as to expose young talents with high prospects.
His counterpart Mr Ency Enie, a one time coach of the defunct Nembe City and Goddosky FC, Anambra State, also hinted on the huge number of promising talents who are determined to play professional football within or outside the shores of the country.
Organiser of the scouting program, who is also the President and Chief Executive Officer of Dream Boys Football Academy of Odi Kingdom, Mr Edike Dift, said that the aim of establishing a football academy will be defeated if periodically scouts are not present to see the availability of young budding talents that are ready to showcase themselves to the world.
Mr Edike Dift, who hinted that he recently embarked on a talent hunt in some communities, stressed that only opportunities such as this will help expose young players to other clubs, adding that hopefully, players from Bayelsa would soon flood Europe through the various scouting programs put together by him.
Our sports reporter said that no fewer than thirteen players were selected from the scouting event and have been pencilled down for trials in different parts of the country.
