Coaches at the ongoing National U-13 championship have commended the President of the Nigeria Football Association (NFA) Aminu Maigari, for his support for grass roots football development.

This is contained in a statement signed by Media Officer of the U-13 national team, Bunmi Haruna, in Abuja.

According to the statement, the Niger State U-13 head coach, El-shaffee Mohammed said that the NFA board was on the right path towards football development at the grass roots.

“This is a great developmental programme for our football because it develops football from the grass roots.

“I want to tell you that Niger State has already embraced this competition.

“We currently have a product that is already playing in the national U-17 team and it is through the organisation of the national U-13 championship,” he said.

The FCT coach, Usman Ilerika, also praised the NFA board for its consistency in grass roots football development and advised the board to expose the players to international tournaments.

“I think it is commendable that since 2008, the NFA has consistently turned to the grass roots which has favoured children in primary and secondary schools.

“These children can in future do this country proud, but I think the NFA should give the boys more international exposure”.

The chief coach of Ekiti State U-13 team, Tope Akinbade, added that he hoped to have some of his players picked for the national U-13 camp this year.

“Let me be factual with you, the Aminu Maigari led NFA board are doing their best in terms of youth sports development and you can see the results.

“The female U-20 team played good football at the World Cup, and the current Golden Eaglets team that just qualified for the 2013 U-17 Championship is the youngest ever for the competition.

“For us in Ekiti State, our target is to have the highest number of players in the U-13 camp this year,” Akinbade added.

The ongoing National U-13 Championship was supposed to be a round robin affair.