The Coach of Youth
Football Academy in Ikorodu, Lagos State, Okeshola Gafar, has urged local government authorities to upgrade sports facilities in their areas toward talent discovery.
Gafar told newsmen in Lagos that good facilities would enhance the performance and discovery of athletes.
“Standard and well managed facilities will encourage athletes to show their skills and also get accustomed to the standard when they go outside to compete with their contemporaries.
“Although the recreation centre in Ikorodu has been acquired by the state sports council, it was not properly managed by the local government.
“The centre also lacks some basic things such as a good football pitch,’’ Gafar said.
He said the objective of his academy was to put youths off the street and keep them busy through participation in sports.
“Our purpose is to discourage the youth from walking around the streets and doing nothing and also sitting down in a joint popularly known as base,” Gafar said.
He said that through the competitions organised by the academy, some talents were discovered and they are now playing professional football abroad.
“Since our inception, we have discovered athletes who are playing abroad such as Tunde Kilani who plays in Qatar and Samsideen Adesanya currently in Europe.
“Others are Wasiu Erinfolami, popularly known as ‘I thank God’, who is also playing in Poland at the second division and Noyeem Jaiyesinmi who is currently on trials in Russia,’’ he said.
According to him, the academy has been in existence since 2008 and its first competition held the same year.